Sinus Polyps?

Had the pleasure of going to the hospital for an Ear, Nose, and Throat consult for my sinus issues, yes, I am still having problems. George Washington's Senior Medical Officer is an ENT specialist and diagnosed me with Sinus Polyps and ordered the consult.

Learning about to commence, skip it if you'd like...

"Polyps may simply block the nasal airway, making it difficult to breath through the nose; or they may block the proper drainage of the sinus cavities, leading to stagnant secretions that may become infected.

Polyps are generally thought to occur as a result of an ongoing inflammatory process within the nose and sinuses. Although the inflammatory process might be related to allergies, most cases of polyps occur as a result of non-allergic processes.

Whatever the cause, polyps can make patients miserable. Common symptoms in patients with nasal and sinus polyps include nasal obstruction, decreased sense of smell, recurrent sinus infections and profuse nasal drainage. Many of these patients feel as though they have a cold all of the time.

If polyps are suspected, the patient may undergo an endoscopic examination in the clinic. This procedure uses a small telescope that is placed inside of the nostril to examine the nose and sinuses. Computed tomography (often called CT or CAT scans) may help to delineate the precise location of polyps within these cavities.

After establishing the appropriate diagnosis, multiple medical treatments may be initiated. Medications include anti-inflammatory sprays, decongestants, inflammatory mediator inhibitors, and systemic steroid medications. It is important that the physician and patient recognize that medications are often needed on a long-term basis in order to reduce polyp size and prevent their re-growth.

In some cases, surgical excision of the polyps is required, using the endoscope to visualize the polyps. Following this type of surgery, it is critical to maintain medical treatment and closely observe the nose and sinus cavities to prevent recurrence of any polyps. In many cases, if a proper medical and surgical treatment plan is carefully followed, patients will not require further polyp removal surgery. "

Or you could read about it yourself here, here, or here. Or you could do a Google search. Or you could just continue reading...

So anyways...

The doc sprays a decongestant and some anesthetic in both nasal passages and we chit chat about whatever for a bit of time to allow the medication to do it's work. Then he breaks out this giant spider-leg looking telescope that he intends to shove up both my nostrils. The medication didn't help the utterly icky feeling of having a giant spider-leg looking thing shoved up both my nostrils...

And what it boils down to is I will have surgery on Thursday to have the 4 (found) polyps removed from my nasal passages, as well as correct my deviated septum. Didn't even realize I had a deviated septum...

Maybe this will help with my snoring problem also, my wife will surely be pleased...

I heard they pack the nasal passage with gauze for a week or two after a surgery of this type. if I can't breath now I suppose it won't hurt to not breath for a couple more weeks...