When the nose feels congested regardless of the constant use of  over-the-counter medicines for allergy or cold, it can be caused due to nasal polyps. These are noncancerous growths that can be found on the lining of the tissue of the nose. Knowledge of the early warning signs of nasal polyps can help you get timely treatment and prevent any complications.

How can nasal polyps cause complications?
In some cases, there can be one nasal polyp and in others, there can be more than one polyp growing in clusters in the nose. When the polyps are small in size, they do not cause any issue. But once they start growing, they can cause an obstruction in the nasal passage, eventually leading to problems with breathing.

To prevent this from happening, it is important to know the early warning signs of nasal polyps and get treatment accordingly. However, keep in mind that the growth can develop again even after surgery.

Early warning signs of nasal polyps
The indications that you must look out for include the following.

• Inhaling from the mouth area
  Whenever there is an obstruction caused in the nasal passage, it leads to mouth inhalation. When you have been inhaling through your mouth for a long time, without you suffering from a common cold or other, similar issues, it can be one of the early warning signs of nasal polyps that you should not ignore.

• Chronic stuffiness
  Once the polyps grow in size, they tend to  block the nasal passage. This blockage can give you a feeling of stuffiness in the nose. The stuffiness can be felt in both the nostrils.

• Microbe infections
  If there have been microbe infections that do not go away, it could indicate the presence of nasal polyps. People who have this condition can suffer from microbe infections after they have had a cold.

• Reduced sense of smell
  A person with this condition can experience a gradual loss of smell, as the walls of the nose are blocked by the growth of the nasal polyps. This may also, consequently, affect their appetite and interest in food as the sense of smell plays a huge role in eating.

Symptoms of nasal polyps
Polyps are painless growths that can block your nasal passage. They usually grow near the place where our upper sinuses drain into the nose. This is the spot where the eyes, cheekbones, and nose meet. Initially, it can be difficult to know if you have nasal polyps since they do not have any nerve sensation, and aren’t felt at all.

When the polyps grow in size, they can start blocking the nasal passage and that is when the symptoms are likely to be experienced. These can include the following:

• A feeling of blockage in the nose
• Running nose
• Stuffiness in the nose
• Congestion in the nose
• Feeling pressure around the face and forehead
• Snoring
• Sleep apnea