How to Minimize the Impact of Nasal Polyps on Your Quality of Life

Despite their relatively small size, nasal polyps can have an outsize effect on your life. If they become irritated and swollen, you can experience a variety of challenging symptoms, from difficulty breathing through your nose to compromised sleep and even a lack of confidence in social settings.

Here are a few ways nasal polyps can affect your quality of life and steps you can take to help keep this chronic health condition in check.

1. Nasal Polyps Can Cause Breathing Difficulties

Nasal polyps can make it hard to breathe out of your nose, forcing you to breathe out of your mouth. Mouth breathing may not seem like a big deal, but it’s one of the most common concerns, says Kanwar Kelley, MD, an otolaryngologist in Orinda, California. That’s because it can affect everything from getting restful sleep to how confident you feel when speaking with friends or colleagues, he says.

Tips to Make It Better

Along with sticking to the treatment plan, maintaining good nasal hygiene is essential if you want to breathe more easily. Ask your doctor what this should include, such as nasal irrigation with a steroid mix and/or a spray and frequent handwashing. “The best day-to-day changes that a person can make is strictly adhering to a good program for nasal hygiene,” says Dr. Kelley, who advises practicing the hygiene routine twice a day. “This helps reduce the effect of the daily allergens that you’re exposed to.”

2. Nasal Polyps Can Lead to Poor or Disrupted Sleep

“Anything that blocks the nose at night has a chance to disrupt sleep,” says Kelley. “This may lead to increased mouth breathing and an increase in snoring, which may be a sign of sleep disturbances and sleep apnea.”

Tips to Make It Better

Use hypoallergenic bedding and wash it regularly to cut down on potential allergens, says Kelley. You could also try using a humidifier in your bedroom to maintain moisture and reduce inflammation in your nasal passages while you sleep.

3. You May Experience a Loss of Smell or Taste

If you have trouble smelling or tasting things, you’re not alone. “Nasal polyps are a very common cause of loss of smell through physical obstruction of the olfactory nerves, as well as inflammatory damage to the nerve fibers,” says Charles Tong, MD, an otolaryngologist at Lenox Hill Hospital and Northwell Health in New York City.

Tips to Make It Better

4. Nasal Polyps Can Increase Your Risk of Infections

If you have nasal polyps, you might find yourself getting sick more often. “Polyps are obstructive, and any obstructions in the nose disrupt air and fluid moving through the nose and can lead to blockages of the sinus, leading to congestion and facial pain,” Kelley explains. “When fluid and mucus are blocked, there’s an increased risk of developing an infection.”

Tips to Make It Better

Practice good nasal hygiene, such as using a nasal spray or rinse, to help improve mucus flow. Also, avoid known irritants, such as pollen and secondhand smoke, to reduce inflammation and help lower your chances of an infection, says Tong.

5. Nasal Polyps Can Have a Social and Emotional Impact

Tips to Make It Better

Sticking to treatment and management strategies, such as taking medication and using a nasal saline spray, is your best bet for managing polyps and making it easier to breathe through your nose.

The Takeaway

• Nasal polyps can significantly affect your day-to-day well-being and quality of life.
• This chronic condition can take a toll on breathing, sleep, and even your senses of taste and smell.
• By sticking to the treatment plan and making lifestyle and routine adjustments, you can reduce the impact of nasal polyps and improve your quality of life.