Prevention

You may help reduce your chances of developing nasal polyps or having nasal polyps recur after treatment with the following strategies:

• Manage allergies and asthma. Follow your doctor's treatment recommendations. If your symptoms aren't well controlled, talk to your doctor about changing your treatment plan.
• Avoid nasal irritants. As much as possible, avoid breathing airborne substances that are likely to contribute to swelling or irritation in your nose and sinuses, such as allergens, tobacco smoke, chemical fumes, and dust and fine debris.
• Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly. This is one of the best ways to protect against bacterial and viral infections that can cause inflammation of the nasal passages and sinuses.
• Humidify your home. Using a humidifier may help moisten your breathing passages, improve the flow of mucus from your sinuses, and help prevent blockages and inflammation. Clean the humidifier daily to prevent bacteria from growing.

• Use a nasal rinse. Use a saltwater (saline) spray or nasal wash to rinse your nasal passages. This may improve mucus flow and remove allergens and other irritants.

  You can purchase over-the-counter saline sprays or nasal wash kits with devices, such as a neti pot or squeeze bottle, to administer a rinse.

  Use water that's distilled, sterile, previously boiled for one minute and cooled, or filtered using a filter with an absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller to make up the irrigation solution. Rinse the irrigation device after each use with the distilled, sterile, previously boiled, or filtered water and leave it open to air-dry.