After a permanent nasal congestion, loss of smell and difficulty sleeping at night hides an under-diagnosed pathology: nasal polyposis.

before we talk about the pandemic loss of smell It was rare. However, this particular symptom of covid has become from the great unknown. trending topic, now what With the new variants it seems that lack of smell is less common We must not forget that there are people who live with this difficulty throughout their lives, without any virus responsible.

The origin may lie in an untreatable disease called chronic rhinosinusitis. polyposis nose (For polyposis, friends). It is, perhaps The “ugly duck” of overcrowding-related pathology,

Numbers: incidence and prevalence of allergic rhinitis and nasal polyposis

when Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common allergic diseases (WHO considers it one of the six diseases that most often affect the population), Nasal polyposis is a matter of the “chosen few” And the worldwide prevalence is between 0.2% and 4.3%.

apparently it doesn’t affect everyone equally and boys take the worst part (The male-to-female ratio ranges from 2:1 to 4:1) in relation to age, it usually appears Between 30 to 60 years (The median age for starters is 42 years).

What are the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and what are the symptoms of nasal polyposis?

Although the diagnosis should always be made by a specialist, It is important to be vigilant if we suspect allergic rhinitis For symptoms such as sneezing, nasal obstruction, intense and irritating cough, itchy nose, runny nose, conjunctivitis, or itchy eyes.

On the other hand, living together polyposis nose for example persistent severe cold and not breathing at all, They are patients who have a headache, are not breathing properly, and have a stuffy nose difficulty sleeping affecting their personal, family and work life. Loss of smell may be one of the major symptoms in the differential diagnosis.

if anyone has loss of smell And a congestin what affects you life standard As far as insomnia is concerned, we can talk about polyposis. However, if symptoms are related to an itchy nose, conjunctivitis or sneezing, it is more likely to be allergic rhinitis.

Is it possible to confuse covid with polyposis?

Although these are pathologies that have nothing to do with Anosmia is a very striking symptom Which may confuse some people.

As an anecdote, there are experts who comment that some patients who come to the clinic today are concerned about persistent loss of smellBelieving that he is suffering from covid continuously, and he learns that he is suffering from nasal polyposis.

It is important to know the cause of anosmia so that proper treatment can be done. Because yes, luckily there is hope for these patients.

Rhinitis Allergica VS Polyposis Nasal, Diagnostic from CMO?

First Diagnosis is made based on symptoms and risk factors, in the cases of persistent rhinitis or moderate-severe, it is appropriate to confirm suspicion through allergy studies, with prick-like skin tests, or by prescribing specific IgE.

refering to polyposisbeing graphic, we can imagine that the polyps are similar Grapes visible inside the sinus, Therefore, in this case, in addition to the clinical history, a physical examination (nasal endoscopy) would be important, as well as performing complementary tests, such as computed tomography of the nasal sinuses, testing for allergies, obstruction, nasal inflammation, And olfactory..

Living without smell, a nuisance and risk

Smell is one of our five senses, which, among other things, transmits sensations and alerts us to potential dangers. A A person with anosmia may find limitations in functioning in various fields. (as in hotels or the cosmetics sector) or do not expose yourself to serious hazards, for example smoke from something we have left in the kitchen or a gas leak.

Unfortunately, Living without smell is possible beyond coronavirus, The good news is that today there are treatment options.