About Chronic Nasal Polyps
Understanding your Chronic Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP)
Chronic Nasal Polyps is often misunderstood and underestimated. And if you have it, you’ll already know that it affects your health and well-being in many different ways.
Here you can find out more about what causes it, typical symptoms, and possible triggers. Getting to know your condition better is the first step to gaining control over CRSwNP.
What is CRSwNP?
Chronic Nasal Polyps is a condition where the tissue in your nasal passages may be inflamed for a long time.
If you’re living with CRSwNP, it's common for your nose and face to be affected.
These growths can cause a variety of symptoms that may impact your health and well-being.
A patient can have systemic inflammation even if they only feel the symptoms of CRSwNP in their nose
Key facts
About 3% of people worldwide are living with CRSwNNP
It’s more prevalent in adults and uncommon in children. Males are more likely to have CRSwNP than females
Many people living with CRSwNP have other conditions like asthma and allergies (comorbidities)
The link between Type 2 inflammation and CRSwNP
Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury, illness or something that doesn’t belong in your body, like a virus.
Type 2 inflammation, which may be causing your nasal polyps and the other symptoms of CRSwNP, often starts with a ‘trigger’ such as an infection, allergy, or irritant that can cause your nasal passages and sinuses to swell and thicken. Even when this trigger goes away, Type 2 Inflammation may persist. Your body keeps trying to fight it, which may eventually cause chronic changes.
Frequently asked questions
Type 2 inflammation may cause your nasal polyps and the other symptoms of CRSwNP.
By treating a cause of the condition, many symptoms may improve. If Type 2 inflammation is not addressed, your symptoms may return or get worse.
No one knows exactly why some people get CRSwNP. It's likely to be caused by a combination of different factors: genetic, environmental, and immune-related.
CRSwNP is a chronic condition, so it may not go away on its own but needs ongoing care and management to keep it under control.
There are some conditions that can co-exist with CRSwNP. These are known as comorbidities. They may share common causes, or be related to the way your immune system responds to triggers.
Some comorbidities that may occur with CRSwNP inlclude:
- Asthma | The chronic inflammation in CRSwNP may make existing conditions like asthma worse.
- Nasal allergic reactions | Allergic rhinitis and CRSwNP are frequently seen together.
Recognizing the symptoms of CRSwNP
If you’re living with CRSwNP, you’ll probably have experienced symptoms like a constantly runny nose, nasal congestion, facial pressure, or even the loss of your sense of smell.
Frequency and severity of symptoms can vary from person to person. As well as causing physical discomfort, they can also have a big impact on your quality of life, mental health and well-being.
Most common symptoms of CRSwNP
Nasal Symptoms
- Blocked nose (congestion)
- Runny nose (discharge)
- Decreased lost/sense of smell and taste
- Nosebleeds
Headaches and facial pain
- New headaches or migraines
- Facial pain or pressure
Other
- Postnasal drip
- Fatigue
- Snoring or sleep disturbances
Triggers, like the ones shown below, may irritate your nasal passages and make your nasal polyps worsen, so avoiding them may help reduce your symptoms:
- Tobacco smoke
- Incense
- Aspirin and other similar drugs called 'nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs' (such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium)
- Chemical fumes
- Dust or debris
Getting your CRSwNP diagnosis can be a rollercoaster, CRSwNP is often misdiagnosed or overlooked because many of its symptoms are similar to other conditions like acute rhinosinusitis, allergies, the common cold, or the flu.
Also because it's a chronic condition that develops gradually, some people often find ways to live with their symptoms without seeking medical attention, despite the discomfort and frustration they cause.
The diagnosis of CRSwNP typically involves a combination of:
- Clinical evaluation
- CT scan of your nose and sinuses
- Nasal endoscopy (a thin tube with a tiny camera and a light that's inserted into the nose)
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of CRSwNP could help you get the support you need more quickly.
Talk with your doctor
If your symptoms have been affecting your emotional and mental health, it's important that you speak to your healthcare team (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist).
Together with your doctor, you can create a treatment and care plan to help you get relief.
References
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- Laidlaw TM, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2021; 9: 1133–1141.
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- Teeling T, et al. Front Allergy 2024; 5: 1372919.
- Hopp RJ. Sinusitis 2017; 2: 7.
- Bachert C, et al. Lancet 2019; 394(10209): 1638-1650
- Cleveland Clinic. Inflammation. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21660-inflammation. Accessed: May 2025.
- Cleveland Clinic. Nasal Polyps. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15250-nasal-polyps. Accessed: May 2025.
- Allergy & Asthma Network. What is Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP)?. Available at: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/health-a-z/chronic-rhinosinusitis-with-nasal-polyps-crswnp/. Accessed: May 2025.
- Rizzi A, et al. J Clin Med. 2023; 12: 2841.
- Hwee J, et al. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 2024; 20:17.
- Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. Life with Nasal Polyps: The Patient Experience and Opportunities to Improve Care in the U.S. 2024. Available at: https://aafa.org/asthma-allergy-research/our-research/life-with-nasal-polyps-crswnp/. Accessed May 2025.
- Fokkens WJ, et al. Rhinology 2020; 58(Suppl. 29): 1-464Fokkens WJ, et al. Rhinology 2020; 58(Suppl. 29): 1-464
