Multiple nasal polypi always arise from the lateral wall of nose, usually from the middle meatus.

Common sites are uncinate process, bulla ethmoidalis, ostia of sinuses, medial surface and edge of middle turbinate. Allergic nasal polypi almost never arise from the septum or the floor of nose. On anterior rhinoscopy, polypi appear as smooth, glistening, grape-like masses often pale in colour. They may be sessile or pedunculated, insensitive to probing and do not bleed on touch. Probing of a solitary ethmoidal polyp may be necessary to differentiate it from hypertrophy of the turbinate or cystic middle turbinate.