Many people struggle with sinus-based inflammation, difficulty in smelling, breathing issues, and frequent risk of infections. Two conditions can cause these symptoms: nasal polyps and sinusitis. So you should know the difference between them to get the proper treatment. Here’s a list of nasal polyps vs. sinusitis differences that you should be aware of.

1. Definition
Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses – air pockets located under your face. These sinuses are connected to the nasal passage using small channels. They help drain mucus from the sinus to the nasal passage. Nasal polyps, on the other hand, are benign growths in the nasal mucosa. The polyps block the nasal passage and prevent the person from breathing normally.

2. Causes
Various factors can cause sinusitis, such as a cold, allergy, change in climate, blocked drainage ducts, and a deviated septum. Nasal polyps are caused because of non-tumor growths in the nasal mucosa. Most times, the condition is genetic. If your first-degree relatives had it, you could develop it too. Otherwise, no clear reasons for nasal polyps can be identified.

3. Symptoms
When it comes to nasal polyps vs. sinusitis, it’s challenging to find a clear differentiation in the symptoms. Both conditions more or less show symptoms like a stuffy nose, postnasal drip, the feeling of something blocking the nasal passage, pain around the face, and the constant risk of allergies and other infections.

4. Duration of the condition
When it comes to sinusitis, acute sinusitis can last for anywhere between two to four weeks. Inflammation in the sinuses and the nasal passage is diagnosed as nasal polyps if the condition persists for more than three months.

5. Treatment options
When talking about nasal polyps vs. sinusitis, there are distinct variations to know about. Doctors initially treat sinusitis using decongestants and saline-based nasal drops or sprays. If there’s an infection associated with sinusitis, you may need to be on antibiotics for a week. For extreme cases, steroids are prescribed. On the other hand, for nasal polyps, the first line of treatment is medications to bring down inflammation. Nasal steroid sprays are available to help quickly shrink the polyp. If nasal sprays don’t work, oral steroid drugs are used. For larger polyps, doctors perform a type of outpatient surgery called a polypectomy. Here, a suction device is inserted to remove the polyp. Endoscopic polyp surgery is also an option for a big polyp.

If you struggle with recurrent nasal infections and blocked nose, understand the differences between nasal polyps vs. sinusitis. When you can identify the problem right, you can check the risk factors and stay safe. If you have persistent stuffed nose and infections for more than a couple of weeks, talk to your doctor.