Adenoid

What is Adenoid?

The grape-like tissue mass in the rear of the nasal cavity is known as the adenoid, or adenoid. Like the lymph nodes, the adenoids are part of the immune system and are formed of the same tissue.

It captures bacteria and viruses that enter the nose and creates antibodies to aid the body’s defence against infection. The Eustachian tubes that ventilate the ear must reach dimensions that will obstruct or stop the air passage through the nose for the adenoids to cause issues.

Adenoid, which is part of the body’s defence mechanism, may make the youngster more susceptible to infection. With the formation of the bacterial layer, adenoids might become a source of germs for the body. The enlargement of the adenoid obstructs the nasal airway, making nasal breathing impossible.

In the adenoids and other lymphoid tissues, white blood cells circulate, reacting to external intruders in the body. Adenoids are present at birth and throughout infancy, but they begin to diminish as puberty approaches. The majority of people’s adenoids have vanished by adulthood.

If your child has regular adenoid hypertrophy or irritation, Adenoid surgery may be considered. Children do not become unwell more frequently when the adenoid is removed because other tissues in the body that conduct the same function can replace the void.

Reasons of Adenoiditis

Adenoid infection is mainly caused by bacteria or viruses. Infection or unknown causes might cause the adenoids to grow in youngsters. Adenoids that are too big can obstruct breathing or mucus passage.

During sleep, enlarged adenoids can occasionally impede airflow from the throat. This can cause a person to stop breathing for a few seconds and can happen multiple times throughout the night.

Infections of the ears (otitis) Enlarged adenoids in children can block the Eustachian tubes, which drain fluid from the ears to the throat. Recurrent ear infections may develop if these tubes cannot be drained.

Symptoms

Various symptoms can be encountered in cases of adenoid enlargement:

• Persistent mouth breathing due to difficulty breathing through the nose
• Nasal speech
• Wheezing when breathing
• Snoring during sleep
• Holding your breath for a few seconds during sleep (Sleep apnea)

It is important for the families who witness the symptoms to take a video while the child is asleep so that the doctor can diagnose it.

Discomforts That Can Be Caused by Adenoid

• Hearing loss
• Snoring and respiratory arrest during sleep
• Urinary incontinence
• Otitis media
• Sinusitis
• Restless sleep
• Developmental delay
• Growth problems due to changes in growth hormone
• Facial deformities
• Anorexia
• Distractibility
• Hyperactivity and behavioural disorders in children who cannot sleep well
• Failure in school
• Chronic sinusitis and nocturnal coughing attacks
• Loss of fluid from the body due to mouth breathing and bad breath
• Dental caries due to mouth breathing
• Nose bleeding

Diagnostic Methods

Endoscopy

A small, flexible tube with a lighted camera at the end is inserted into the nose and throat so that adenoids can be seen.

Computed Tomography(CT)

The computer builds comprehensive images of the sinuses, nasal cavities, and adenoids using several X-rays taken by a CT scanner.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The images of the nasal passages, sinuses, and adenoids are created using high-powered magnets and computers.

Treatment Methods

Antibiotics are used to begin the treatment of adenoid cysts in children. If the adenoid is not inflamed, your doctor may advise you to wait a time because some adenoid size changes are typical. Furthermore, your child’s adenoid may decrease on its own over time.

The adenoid size should be evaluated in children who have symptoms such as nasal obstruction, sleeping with an open mouth, snoring, and otitis media that are not improved by pharmacological therapies. If the examination and evaluation reveal a narrowing of the airway, a surgical procedure can be considered.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics kill bacteria and heal sinus or ear infections caused by bacteria.

Adenoid Surgery (Adenoidectomy)

In cases where the adenoids are large enough to cause other health problems, surgery is required to remove the adenoids.

In Which Situations Is Adenoid Surgery Decided?

If you have breathing problems, Sleep Apnea, regularly reoccurring adenoid inflammation, or a speech impediment, your doctor may consider adenoid surgery.

Surgical procedures are also used to treat infections that persist despite medicinal treatment and produce an obstructed airway for at least three months.

Adenoid surgery is a quick 20-minute procedure that doesn’t require any incisions. There is no risk of adenoid recurrence if the adenoid is removed properly and effectively.

Does Growth Rate Increase After Adenoid Surgery?

After the procedure, there is no need to adhere to any kind of eating or drinking regimen. It is recommended that soft foods be consumed for only three days and that lots of water be consumed. It is preferable to use seawater or saline sprays to clear the nose.