What is nasal polyps?
Nasal polyps are pale, grape-like swellings of the inflamed lining of the nose and sinuses. They are not cancerous and not painful, but as they enlarge they block airflow, dull or abolish the sense of smell and taste, and cause persistent congestion and runny nose. Polyps usually affect both nostrils and are most common in adults over 40, particularly those with asthma, aspirin sensitivity or chronic sinusitis; single-sided polyps are unusual and always need specialist assessment.
A GP may spot larger polyps with a simple look inside the nose, but diagnosis is confirmed by an ENT specialist using a thin nasal endoscope, with a CT scan of the sinuses if surgery is being considered or the diagnosis is in doubt.
Common symptoms
- Persistent blocked or stuffy nose in both nostrils
- Reduced or complete loss of smell and taste
- Runny nose or post-nasal drip
- A feeling of pressure across the face
- Snoring and mouth breathing
- Recurrent sinus infections
How long will you wait?
Polyp patients needing surgery join the heavily backlogged ENT queue — only around 55% of ENT patients are treated within 18 weeks — so referral to operation commonly takes six months or more, during which smell may deteriorate further.
Privately, you can typically see an ENT consultant within 3–7 days, with endoscopy at the first visit and polyp surgery, if needed, usually scheduled within 2–4 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Steroid nasal drops and sprays. First-line treatment that shrinks smaller polyps and keeps treated polyps from regrowing.
- Short courses of oral steroids. Tablets can shrink larger polyps quickly, though the effect is temporary without maintenance treatment.
- Endoscopic polypectomy / sinus surgery. Keyhole removal of polyps through the nostrils, usually combined with opening the sinuses, when medical treatment fails.
- Biologic injections. Drugs such as dupilumab offer a powerful option for severe recurrent polyps, particularly with asthma.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, private nasal polyp removal with sinus surgery typically costs £3,000–£5,500, with an initial consultation around £200–£300 and a CT scan £300–£500.
Does health insurance cover nasal polyps?
Nasal polyp treatment, including endoscopic surgery, is generally covered by private medical insurance when the condition develops after your policy begins. Because polyps have a well-known tendency to regrow, insurers will usually fund each acute episode of treatment but not indefinite maintenance therapy, and long-term biologic drugs are often subject to specific approval or excluded. Polyps diagnosed before the policy started are typically excluded as pre-existing.
Frequently asked questions
Will my sense of smell come back after treatment?
Often, but not always — and time matters. Smell loss from polyps is caused by physical blockage and inflammation, so shrinking or removing the polyps restores smell in many people, sometimes dramatically. The longer severe blockage has persisted, the less complete recovery tends to be, as the smell receptors themselves can deteriorate. That is a genuine argument for not leaving longstanding polyps untreated for years.
Do nasal polyps grow back after surgery?
They can, and it is fair to be upfront: polyps regrow within a few years in a substantial minority of patients, because surgery removes the polyps but not the underlying inflammatory tendency. Using steroid sprays or drops faithfully after surgery greatly reduces regrowth, and for people with aggressive recurrent polyps, biologic drugs now offer an effective way to keep them at bay. Think of surgery as resetting the clock, with maintenance keeping it running.
Could a nasal polyp be cancer?
Typical polyps — soft, painless and affecting both sides of the nose — are benign inflammatory swellings, not tumours, and carry no meaningful cancer risk. The situation that warrants prompt specialist assessment is different: a growth or blockage on one side only, especially with bleeding, pain, facial numbness or a change in vision. One-sided nasal masses have other possible causes that need ruling out, so they are always examined and usually scanned.