Nasal endoscopy (en-dah-skuh-pee) is a procedure used to look at the inside of your nasal cavity and openings to your sinus passage. Your healthcare provider inserts an endoscope (a long tube with a camera and a light) into your nose to examine your nasal and sinus region. The camera captures video images and projects them onto a screen.
Your healthcare provider may recommend nasal endoscopy if you have:
Nasal congestion or blockage
Rhinosinusitis (nasal and sinus inflammation or infection)
Headaches
Facial pain above your eyes and around your sinuses
Chronic nosebleeds
Nasal polyps
Nasal tumors
Anosmia (loss of sense of smell)
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (a rare condition in which the clear fluid that surrounds your brain escapes through a hole or tear in connective tissues).
Nasal endoscopy is also used for certain procedures, including:
Obtaining a sinus culture or tissue sample (biopsy)
Removing a foreign object from a child’s nose
Treating sinus infections, nasal polyps and nasal tumors.
Generally, there aren’t any special preparations required for your nasal endoscopy procedure. Your healthcare provider can tell you if you need to do anything specific before your visit. People who take blood thinners should inform their healthcare provider and may need to temporarily stop taking these medications, but this is rarely the case.
Nasal endoscopy shouldn’t hurt; though, you’ll probably feel pressure during the procedure. The numbing spray may numb your mouth and throat, as well as your nose, and it does have a bitter taste. The numbness should go away in approximately 30 minutes. Nasal endoscopy after-effects may include slight soreness in your nose and throat. These symptoms usually resolve on their own in one or two days.
Due to the lingering numbness from the anesthetic spray, it’s a good idea to avoid eating and drinking for about an hour after your nasal endoscopy. Your healthcare provider will let you know if you need to follow any additional instructions.
Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations regarding follow-ups and medications. In many instances, your healthcare provider will schedule another nasal endoscopy in the future to monitor your progress.