After a few months of nasal congestion, it was found to be nasopharyngeal carcinoma through "endoscope"

As the weather turns from cold to hot, it is common for the nasal congestion to get better at once, but in fact there has been no good nasal congestion, which may be something growing in the nose. If it can be found early, the possibility of follow-up treatment will increase.

Nasal congestion is a warning sign of cancer. Taiwan Province Province is a hot and humid place with unstable air quality. Not only allergic people feel bad, but even ordinary people sometimes can't stand it. I always have a stuffy nose when I wake up during the day, and I feel depressed all day because I can't breathe air. And you can only breathe through your mouth, and it will make your throat dry and itchy.

However, because nasal congestion is a very common symptom, it is often easily overlooked, thinking that it is allergies or poor air quality, while ignoring the physical warning brought by nasal congestion.

Chen Liangyu, director of the Head and Neck Surgery Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Asian University, said that he had treated a patient with a stuffy nose for more than four months. He always thought it was caused by sleep apnea, poor air quality, or curved nasal septum, and he didn't go to see a doctor until he coughed up blood. It turned out to be a stage I nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Endoscopic examination Chen Liangyu said that because the nasopharynx is located behind the nose and at the junction with the throat, it is not easy to be found by general physical examination, and the early symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma are not obvious, unless there are cold-like symptoms, such as runny nose and inflammation, it is difficult to find it.

Yu Yulin, the attending physician of the Department of Otolaryngology, Renai Hospital, Taipei United Hospital, also said that it is not easy to see the nasopharyngeal part in general physical examination, but some other diseases can be ruled out first. If the cause is still unknown, other tests should be done to confirm the diagnosis. "In the past, you may have to do nuclear magnetic resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance, but after all, it is expensive and time-consuming, and there are radiation problems. But in fact, nasopharyngeal carcinoma has a very useful tool, which is' endoscope'. 」

Yu Yulin said that the concept of nasopharyngeal endoscope is like gastroscope and enteroscope, but it is almost painless. "Because the nasopharynx does not have a long stomach, the uncomfortable feeling will be reduced a lot. When you go in, it will probably feel like a hair sticking in, itchy and stinging, but you don't need to spray anesthetic. None of the patients I have seen have any pain. 」

The thickness of nasopharyngoscope is only about 0.25 cm, which is thinner than a straw. You only need to enter the nasal cavity from one side and check the nasopharynx on both sides. The whole process only takes 2 minutes. You can know the result immediately after the inspection, and you only need to pay a little material fee for health insurance. Yu Yulin said that this can be used for outpatient consultation and is very convenient. You can quickly know where the problem is, and if you see the shadow, you can know it again.

Therefore, if you often feel uncomfortable, stuffy nose, or nosebleeds or blood in sputum, but you can't find the reason, it is recommended to ask the doctor if he has the technology and equipment to operate the nasopharynx mirror, and find out the possible traces of cancer with the simplest method.