Mon - Thu 8am - 5pm | Fri 9am - 5pm
773-234-5880
Patient Portal
CONDITION GUIDE

Nasal Polyps: When It Feels Like You'll Never Smell or Breathe Normally Again

If steroid sprays stopped working, your sense of smell is gone, and you feel permanently congested, you may be dealing with nasal polyps. There are more treatment options today than ever before.
Book a Nasal Polyps Evaluation
Take A quiz

What are nasal polyps?

Nasal polyps are soft, pearl-gray, non-cancerous growths of inflamed tissue that develop in the lining of the nose and sinuses. They aren't warts or tumors; they're a chronic inflammatory response, more like water-logged tissue that has built up over time. They almost always develop on both sides of the nose. When they occur with chronic sinusitis — which they usually do — the combination is called chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).
‍
Think of your nasal lining like a healthy meadow — flat and functional. In CRSwNP, chronic inflammation makes the tissue balloon up into soft clusters that eventually crowd the airway and block sinus drainage. Because polyps sit in the airflow path — right where smell receptors are — one of the earliest and most distressing symptoms is loss of smell.

What are the symptoms of nasal polyps?

The classic pattern includes:
‍
Persistent nasal congestion that doesn't respond well to typical decongestants
Loss or reduction of smell (hyposmia or anosmia) — often the most bothersome symptom
Loss of taste (because smell drives most of taste)
Post-nasal drip
Facial pressure or fullness
Recurring sinus infections
Chronic runny nose
Snoring or disrupted sleep

Loss of smell in particular is very common in polyp disease.

What causes nasal polyps?

Nasal polyps come from long-standing type-2 inflammation in the sinus lining. Instead of a single cause, it's a pattern — and several conditions push the immune system in that direction:
‍

Chronic rhinosinusiti

Persistent sinus inflammation is the strongest driver.

Asthma

Many CRSwNP patients also have asthma; treating one often helps the other.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD)

A specific triad of asthma, nasal polyps, and reactions to aspirin/NSAIDs.

Chronic allergies

A contributor for some patients, less central for others.

Cystic fibrosis

Particularly in younger patients with recurring polyps.

Polyps are not caused by "picking your nose," dry air, or dietary sugar — despite what the internet may tell you. They're an immune-system pattern.

When should I see a specialist about nasal polyps?

Book an evaluation if:
‍
You have persistent congestion that hasn't responded to daily nasal steroid spray after 4-6 weeks
Your sense of smell has decreased or disappeared
You have chronic post-nasal drip or recurring sinus infections
You have asthma and worsening nasal symptoms
You've had polyps removed before and symptoms are returning

Loss of smell alone is a reason to be seen. It's often reversible with modern treatment — but the longer you wait, the less predictable the recovery.

How are nasal polyps treated?

Treatment has changed more in the last decade than in the previous forty years combined. We build aplan by matching treatment intensity to the severity of your disease.
‍
1

Tier 1 — Medical baseline

Daily intranasal corticosteroid sprays or rinses — the foundation.
Saline rinses (large-volume, low-pressure — like a Neti pot or squeeze bottle).
Allergy and asthma optimization.
You have asthma and worsening nasal symptoms.
You've had polyps removed before and symptoms are returning.
2

Tier 2 — Advanced medical therapy

Short courses of oral steroids during flares — highly effective but not appropriate for long-term usebecause of systemic side effects.
Biologic medications. For adults with inadequately controlled CRSwNP, dupilumab (Dupixent) isFDA-approved to reduce polyp size, improve nasal congestion, and improve sense of smell. Otherbiologics FDA-approved for CRSwNP include omalizumab (Xolair) and mepolizumab (Nucala). Whichbiologic (if any) is right depends on your specific disease profile and often coexisting asthma.
3

Tier 3 — In-office procedural options

Sinuva — a mometasone-releasing implant placed into the ethmoid sinus in the office, designed toshrink polyps in patients who have had prior sinus surgery. Delivers steroid directly to the tissue forabout 90 days.
Polypectomy — targeted in-office removal of accessible polyps for symptom relief.
4

Tier 4 — Surgical management

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) — for larger polyp burden, recurrent disease, or when medical therapy hasn't controlled the problem. Modern polyp surgery is far more targeted andgentle than in decades past.

The Exhale approach

Nasal polyps are an inflammation problem, not just a sinus problem. When you come to us, we don't just look at the polyps — we look at your asthma, allergies, aspirin sensitivity, and overall inflammatory profile, and build a plan that treats the disease at the level it lives on. That may mean Sinuva, may mean a biologic, may mean surgery, may mean all of the above in a specific order. You get the modern medical option and the whole-person option, coordinated. Feel better. Be better. Thrive.

SNOT-12 Sinus Assessment

Sinus pressure that won't quit? See how severe it really is.

The SNOT-12 (Sino-Nasal Outcome Test) is a validated 12-item questionnaire that measures how much your sinus problems affect both your body and your daily life. You'll rate symptoms like blockage, post-nasal drip, facial pressure, reduced smell, and sleep disruption on a 0-to-5 scale, producing a total from 0 to 60. Higher scores mean greater symptom burden. Your physician uses the result to gauge severity, decide whether imaging or in-office treatment makes sense, and measure improvement afterward.

✓
Evidence-Based
✓
1 Min Assessment
✓
Confidential

Pediatric ENT FAQ

Are nasal polyps cancer?

No. Nasal polyps are non-cancerous inflammatory growths. That said, one-sided nasal masses or bleeding growths need urgent evaluation, because rare tumors can mimic polyps and require different management.

Will Dupixent make my polyps go away?

Dupilumab (Dupixent) is FDA-approved for CRSwNP and, in clinical trials, meaningfully reduced polyp size, improved nasal congestion, and improved sense of smell in most patients treated. Individual response varies. It doesn't cure the underlying inflammatory disease — it controls it as long as you continue the medication.

Will my sense of smell come back after treatment?

For many patients, yes — often substantially. Recovery is more likely when treatment starts sooner and when the disease is well-controlled with a combination of medical and, when needed, procedural therapy. Complete recovery isn't guaranteed for everyone.

Do nasal polyps always come back after surgery?

Recurrence is common in CRSwNP, especially without ongoing medical therapy. That's why we emphasize a long-term plan — daily nasal steroid, biologic therapy when indicated, and Sinuva implants for post-surgical patients — rather than treating surgery as a one-and-done fix.

What is Sinuva?

 Sinuva is an in-office implant placed into the ethmoid sinus that slowly releases the corticosteroid mometasone over about 90 days. It's FDA-approved for treating nasal polyps in adults who have had prior ethmoid sinus surgery. It's designed to reduce polyp size and improve nasal obstruction without oral steroids

Are nasal polyps hereditary?

There's a familial pattern for CRSwNP, though there's no single gene responsible. If you have a first-degree relative with polyps, asthma, or AERD, your risk is higher.

Can I just remove polyps at home?

No. Never try to remove a nasal growth yourself. Diagnosis and treatment require direct visualization and appropriate medical/procedural care.