People who have hay fever , asthma , suffer from sinus in general or even people who get headaches from allergens or outside irritants should take on preventive measures as these , especially those who are over 40 , have a higher risk of developing nasal polyps than other people .
2 . WHAT CAUSES NASAL POLYPS ?
There are many factors that can trigger the growth of nasal polyps , and indeed , in many cases the exact trigger will not be known . However , in all cases , an irritation of the nasal passages is present . This irritation will cause an inflammation in this area , and if the inflammation is present for a sufficiently long time , fluid will build up in the inflamed cells . Eventually , gravity pulls these cells down , resulting in the characteristic tear-drop shaped growths , i . e . nasal polyps . You can therefore understand why shrinking the polyps with steroids or cutting them out with surgery is not a permanent solution : the inflammation is still there and the process of polyps growth will quickly re-occur . As we will discuss in later chapters , in order to ensure permanent relief from nasal polyps , you will need to ensure that the nasal passages are not irritated and that inflammation will not occur .
Now , let ' s mention a few of the common triggers of nasal polyps . Each of these triggers can irritate the nasal passages and subsequently , cause an inflammation ( and polyps growth ) in the area .
Inflammation can come about as a result of fungal , viral or bacterial infections . This highlights the importance of proper nasal hygiene . It is also important that if you have an infection , you treat it as soon as possible .
Irritation of the nasal passages is often due to allergic reactions . People are allergic to various allergens such as pollen and dust . Such reactions will irritate and inflame the nasal cavity and eventually cause polyps to occur . In fact , nasal polyps are more prevalent among asthmatics and people with chronic rhinitis .
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