Symptoms and Natural Treatments for Nasal Polyps
Nasal polyps can cause persistent congestion in the nose that does not go away even after medication. These are non-cancerous growths inside the nose that are found in the lining of the tissues or the mucus of the nose. Here’s what you should know about the warning symptoms and natural treatments for nasal polyps.
Warning symptoms of nasal polyps
Nasal polyps are soft and painless benign growths found inside nasal passages. They are usually found in the area where the nose, eyes, and cheekbones intersect with each other. This is also the place where the upper sinuses get drained into the nose. Nasal polyps do not have any nerve sensation. Therefore, a person might not know if they have nasal polyps.
Once the nasal polyps grow in size, they create a blockage in the nasal passages, resulting in chronic congestion. The following are the symptoms of nasal polyps.
- Blocked nose
- Congestion in the nose
- Runny nose
- Post-nasal dripping caused due to extra mucus running down the back of the throat
- Stuffiness of the nose
- Problems breathing through the nose
- Sleep apnea
- Snoring
- The pressure felt around the face or the forehead
- Not being able to smell
If there is a sinus infection in addition to nasal polyps, headaches and pains may also occur.
Natural treatment options for nasal polyps
Learning about the warning symptoms and natural treatments for nasal polyps allows you to get help at home.
When you go to a doctor to get treatment for nasal polyps, they will either prescribe nasal sprays or prednisone for relief. These can help in getting relief from symptoms and sometimes even treat the condition completely. Also, there are some alternative or natural treatments that can be equally effective and can be done easily at home. These include the following:
- Cayenne pepper
The pepper contains capsaicin, a compound that can be helpful in clearing the sinuses. A 2011 study showed that cayenne pepper was effective when used as a nasal spray. A study conducted in 2014 also showed cayenne peeper was effective when it was consumed. To use cayenne pepper, you can add it as a spice to your food. Adding one to two spoons can be sufficient.
- Neti pot
Nasal irrigation, commonly known as a neti pot, is an effective natural method to get rid of the symptoms caused by nasal polyps. It can also be useful in treating the causes of nasal polyps, which include sinus infection and allergies.
