Nasal polyps are small growths of inflamed mucus membrane usually occurring in the top of the nose. Apart from causing blockage in the nose, they decrease the sense of taste and smell and make it harder to breathe.

As the small grape-sized polyps make the nasal cavity narrower, mucus forms behind the polyp and cannot drain properly. This may become infected and leads the sufferer to having to breathe through the mouth. Therefore, we see

respiratory complaints such as asthma, hay fever and chronic sinus conditions occurring alongside the polyps. About a quarter of people with cystic fibrosis also have polyps.

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Respiratory allergies are commonly thought to be the cause of polyps, though some research suggests that a chronic viral or bacterial infection such as staphyloccus of the sinuses may be the cause.

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One study reported a connection with house dust mite and house dust allergies, particularly in patients under 40. (1) Aspirin can also cause polyps suggested another. (2)

However, most evidence pointed to allergy as one study in Thailand confirms (3). 60% of the patients registered positive to the skin prick test, indicating they were allergic. The research concluded that in those patients suffering from allergy they were six times more likely to suffer from polyps. A further study (4) reported that 57% of children who were allergic were suffering from polyps.

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Conventional treatment aims to shrink the polyps using steroids, before surgery is considered. Often doctor’s will attempts a "medical polypectomy", by giving a one-to two week course of oral steroids, followed by three or four weeks of antibiotics, and then long-term use of intranasal steroids.

Surgery requires a nasal endoscopy and often has to be performed due to in-adequate response from the cocktail of medicines. Doctors try to further minimise the chance of the polyps returning by prescribing nasal steroids indefinitely after surgery (5). Long term use of steroids are detrimental to the persons overall health and can have horrible side effects including osteoporosis, growth retardation in children and thinning skin.

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The problem with these approaches is that they are not addressing the cause. The best form of treatment would be to find out what the patient is allergic to and try to eliminate it from his or her life. This does not only mean what can be inhaled, it can also be an allergy to food substances as well.

It is recommended the patient undergoes a complete allergy test, to see which inhaled or environmental substances he or she is allergic to. This should be combined with a food allergy test, carried out by an elimination diet to find out which food may be causing the problem. Although this process is not as quick or a drastic measure as the direct intervention means, it offers the person a definite answer as to the cause of their nasal polyp problem.

Electric acupuncture has also shown some positive results in the treatment of nasal polyps. (6)