Long-term sinusitis can cause nasal polyps

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Van Thai - Doctor of Otolaryngology - Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

Chronic sinusitis causes increased permeability in the sinuses, gradually leading to the accumulation of water in the cells. Eventually gravity will pull the water-filled tissues down, and form nasal polyps.

1. Complications of sinusitis

Long-term acute sinusitis, if not treated well, can lead to complications such as chronic sinusitis, chronic inflammation of the nose and throat or cause respiratory tract infections (laryngitis, bronchitis, bronchiectasis) or cause acute otitis media, nephritis, arthritis. One of the dangerous complications is nasal polyps.
In children, acute sinusitis causes serious complications such as extrinsic sinusitis (pus drains out and forms a pocket of pus at the inner corner of the eye) or osteomyelitis of the maxilla (swelling in the cheeks, lower part of the cheek) orbit), sometimes leading to death if not treated promptly.

2. What are nasal polyps?

Nasal polyp is a benign tumor, commonly found in the nasal cavity, formed from the lining of the nose and sinuses. Nasal polyps cause pseudo-symptoms similar to sinusitis, including: difficulty breathing, stuffy nose, runny nose, changes in smell... Polyps can complicate or aggravate sinus and nasal diseases. other.
Because nasal polyps are usually soft, if they are small in size, it is possible that the patient is completely unaware that he has the disease.
Small and solitary nasal polyps usually have no complications and do not affect the patient's health much. In contrast, large nasal polyps or too many polyps, multiple polyps appear in the nasal passages, nasal passages, obstructing air circulation through the nose, causing constant nasal congestion, runny nose, and reduced odor.
In the long-term, causing the nasal cavity to expand, nasal polyps protrude from the front nasal passage, hang on the posterior nasal cavity, damage the nasal cavity bone, making the nasal bone as thin as the shell of a ping-pong ball. When you let go of your hand, the bones pop up again. Change the shape of the nasal cavity, causing the height of the nose to change.
Characteristic complications such as acute and chronic sinusitis, sleep apnea syndrome, even changes in facial structure causing double vision (double vision), abnormal distance between eyes.

3. Causes of nasal polyps

Nasal polyps are caused by the lining of the nose and sinuses - these are the 4 empty spaces above and behind the nose, often the result of allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis that is not completely treated.
Chronic sinusitis causes the blood vessels in the nasal mucosa to increase permeability, creating conditions for water to accumulate in the cells. Over time, the weight will pull down these waterlogged tissues and form nasal polyps. There may be one or more polyps, and nasal polyps are usually soft and have a pearly, jelly-like luster.
Nasal polyposis is common in people over 40 years old or children with certain diseases such as bronchial asthma, allergic sinusitis caused by fungi, rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, seasonal runny nose or pulmonary cystic fibrosis.
Nasal polyps grow slowly and cause obstruction in one or both nostrils. Initially, patients often do not pay attention, but when nasal polyps grow, they will cause discomfort, especially when the patient has to breathe through the mouth. In addition to the symptoms similar to sinusitis, nasal polyps are also accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the head, yellow or green nasal discharge, thick, sometimes with a bad smell.
Nasal polyps are just benign soft fleshy masses, but if left untreated for a long time, this tumor will grow and cause unintended complications. When polyps are small, they are not serious, but when they grow large and cluster into clusters, they will block the nose, block the flow of air, drain mucus from the nasal cavity, causing complications such as: stuffy nose, Sleep apnea, asthma flare-ups.
Otolaryngology - Vinmec International General Hospital is an address specializing in the examination and treatment of sinusitis as well as common ENT diseases, head and neck tumors, congenital malformations in the ear area. nasopharyngeal surgery by common surgical methods such as surgery, microscopic or endoscopic tympanic membrane patching, fistula removal surgery, Bondy surgery, nasopharyngeal aerosolization, nasal constriction, nasal coil burning... with the system modern nasopharynx Karl Storz, Computerized tomography (CT Scan) with 640-slice CT Scan for early and accurate diagnosis.

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