Nasal polyps are soft, small, non-cancerous growths in the nose that are typically non-serious but can keep growing if ignored. They are often associated with other illnesses such as chronic rhinosinusitis and asthma. While they are non-serious it is often a bad idea to ignore symptoms, and treatments of nasal polyps include FLONASE nasal spray, Xhance, and more. This is what can happen if nasal polyps go untreated.

1. Breathing problems
As you ignore nasal polyps they can continue to grow until they block the nasal passage more and more, causing breathing problems. Treatments for nasal polyps often work by shrinking and eliminating the polyps to prevent breathing issues. If you want to be able to breathe clearly through your nasal passages it is best to treat nasal polyps before they become more serious and start causing worsening issues.

2. Lost sense of smell
Another complication of nasal polyps is the loss of the ability to smell. This is, again, caused by largening nasal polyps that can continue to block smells from reaching the smell receptors through the nasal passage. This can be an upsetting symptom and can easily be avoided by seeking out treatment for nasal polyps early on.

3. Frequent infections
Another common side effect of untreated nasal polyps is frequent sinus infections. This is caused by the polyps growing too large and blocking nasal and sinus passages leading to a buildup of mucus as well as dust and debris in the nose. This can result in a sinus infection, which could have been avoided if nasal polyps were treated.

4. Obstructive sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your breathing is interrupted during sleep, for longer than 10 seconds at least 5 times per hour throughout your sleep period. These periods are called hypopneas when your breathing is reduced and you’re not taking in enough oxygen. This can be caused by nasal polyps obstructing the nasal passage and blocking oxygen from getting through to your lungs.

5. Asthma flare-ups
The presence of nasal polyps can cause chronic inflammation in the nose which can aggravate asthma for patients that suffer from it. It can also be worsened by the frequent infections caused by nasal polyps. Those with asthma need to be extra careful when dealing with nasal polyps to try and avoid an asthma attack and flare-up of symptoms.