Adenoid hypertrophy is a disease faced by a very large number of people on our planet. Therefore, it is very important to understand in what cases it occurs, how it manifests itself, and also how to treat it. You can find out all this information in this article, so read it very carefully in order to protect yourself as much as possible.
Introductory Information
Adenoid hypertrophy is a disease in which the nasopharyngeal tonsil begins to increase significantly in size. Such a process usually begins to develop when the human body is very often attacked by various viruses, which is why the amygdala is constantly in an inflamed state. As a result, it ceases to perform its functions and simply interferes with the process of normal life.
More recently, clinic staff recommended that patients have their adenoids removed. However, this treatment method is not alwaysgave good results, because after the mentioned procedure, the immunity is weakened, which means that the body becomes very unstable to many bacterial and viral diseases.
Today, medicine does not stand still, so there are many other methods to cope with adenoid hypertrophy. Although in many children's clinics, doctors still use the old methods of treatment and recommend that parents agree to the procedure for removing overgrown tonsils. But still it is better not to rush to do it. Be sure to study all the nuances of this pathology and only after that make the final decision.
A few words about the structure
In fact, the structure of the tonsils is not much different from the structure of the lymph nodes. Both components of our body are responsible for the development and maturation of blood cells such as lymphocytes, which are able to distinguish the type of infection that has entered the human body. Lymphocytes determine the type of pathogenic organisms and transmit all information about them to the cells that are responsible for the functioning of the human immune system.
When a child is just born, his tonsils do not yet perform their functions and are somewhat enlarged. If the baby is very often sick, then they become inflamed, and this condition can already be extremely dangerous. Pathological processes can lead to the fact that the original lymphoid tissue simply turns into connective tissue, and then the described organ simply ceases to fulfill its important functions.functions.
Etiology of adenoid hypertrophy
In fact, there are several reasons that can affect the development of such a dangerous pathology. Specialists distinguish such of them:
Weakened immunity. If the human defense system does not work at full strength, then this leads to the fact that the body begins to attack various pathogenic microorganisms. In this case, the body simply cannot cope with the load, which means that the tissues of the adenoids begin to grow and become inflamed, which leads to the fact that the named organ simply ceases to perform its functions
- Another reason why adenoid hypertrophy can be observed is a genetic predisposition. According to research, if one or both parents suffered from adenoids in childhood, then their baby will develop them too. In this case, the child's lymphatic system has a special structure from birth.
- It is also worth paying attention to living conditions. If the air in the room where the child lives is too dry, and the temperature is high, then this will create all the conditions for breathing difficulties (by the way, the same is observed if there is an air conditioner in the room). Both a child and an adult living here will be prone to developing various colds, which, as a rule, are recurrent.
- Another reason may be constant contact with substances that provoke the development of allergies.
How does tissue hypertrophy occur?
It is very important to understand whereare adenoids. In fact, determining their location is very simple. The described amygdala is located right at the base of the nasopharynx, in the throat itself. It is a mistake to think that the adenoids are located in the nose. This opinion is due to the fact that their hypertrophy can lead to difficulty breathing.
So, most often, lymphoid tissue increases significantly in size in children from three to seven years old (by the age of 15-16, adenoids, as a rule, atrophy). Although the disease can progress in infants and in all other age categories.
However, adenoid hypertrophy in children is most common, as their immune system is not yet fully formed, and the body is susceptible to attacks by various foreign organisms.
Symptoms of disease
After we have determined where the adenoids are located, it is worth understanding the symptoms that indicate their hypertrophy.
First of all, you need to pay attention to how the baby breathes. Usually it becomes very difficult for him to do this through his nose, so the child begins to inhale air through his mouth. He does the same when he sleeps.
Symptoms of adenoids in adults in most cases coincide with the manifestations of this pathology in children.
If the disease develops at an early age, then the baby may have an abnormal structure of the chest, and a special type of face appears - adenoid. At the same time, the upper jaw will lengthen, which will contribute to the fact thatit will be easier for the child to breathe through the mouth. In this case, the upper teeth will protrude slightly.
Also very often these children have impaired hearing and speech. At the same time, thought processes can also be disturbed, and in addition, insomnia periodically occurs. Very often, children complain of nasal congestion and constant runny nose.
Adenoids in adults also make themselves felt (the symptoms of this pathology in them, however, are not so pronounced). Inability to breathe through the nose, frequent runny noses, headaches, weakness and sleep disturbances should make adult patients see an otolaryngologist for an accurate diagnosis.
Degrees of adenoid hypertrophy
There are three degrees of development of this pathology. Each of them has its own flow characteristics:
- The first degree of hypertrophy is characterized by adenoids overlapping only the upper part of the nasopharynx.
- Hypertrophy of the adenoids of the 2nd degree blocks the nasal passages by more than half.
- But the third degree is characterized by an almost completely blocked nasal passage.
The degree of pathology is determined by the degree of growth of lymphoid tissue. The greater the amount, the harder it becomes to breathe, which means that the more likely it is to undergo surgery.
Diagnostic Methods
Of course, the described pathology can be noticed by conducting a routine examination and guided by the patient's complaints. But in order to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a special diagnosis. Only after that you can think about the methods of treatment. ATfirst of all, the specialist will ask you to undergo computed tomography, and also palpate in the nasopharynx. Endoscopy is also a very important examination method.
With its help, a study of the nasal cavity is carried out. Only comprehensive examination methods can give accurate results and help the doctor make the correct diagnosis.
What are the consequences of this disease?
Please note that adenoid hypertrophy in children can lead to serious consequences if this pathology is not treated in time. So, the growth of lymphoid tissue can become, as we have already said, the cause of a change in the shape of the face or malocclusion. These children often have speech and learning problems.
Inflammation of the tonsils leads to the fact that a large amount of pathological secretions enter the digestive system, which leads to its malfunction.
It is also worth considering that constant mouth breathing can lead to the development of dangerous diseases of the respiratory system. These include bronchitis, pneumonia and tonsillitis. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the child's condition and show it to the otolaryngologist in time.
Useful properties of thuja oil
Thuja oil for adenoids for children (we offer instructions for using this remedy in the article) is very often recommended by doctors. It can have anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects on the human body. In addition, this oil well tones and improvesimmunity.
Use thuja oil for adenoids for children, the instruction recommends at least one to two months. It must be instilled into the nose, performing this procedure two to three times a day, daily. Before this, it is very important to thoroughly clean the nasal cavity. However, it should be borne in mind that this method of treatment will be effective only with the first and second degree of hypertrophy.
Other treatments
Of course, each case is unique, so what works for one patient may not work at all for another. Very often, doctors recommend conservative treatment methods to their patients, especially if the disease has not yet reached the third stage. However, if the pathology causes the patient to have hearing loss or speech problems, then other treatments should be considered.
Usually, conservative therapy includes:
- use of saline nasal rinses (for example, saline, Aqua Maris, Dolphin);
- carrying out physiotherapy (quartz training, breathing exercises according to Buteyko);
- use of vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory drops ("Nazivin", "Euphorbium", etc.);
- antihistamines (for example, "Fenkarol").
There are several more methods of treatment that allow you not to resort to surgery. Such techniques cannot guarantee a 100% result, but very often they still significantly improve the patient's condition. Hereinclude the use of a laser or liquid nitrogen. Such procedures should only be carried out in a specialized clinic by an experienced specialist.
Surgery
Adenoid hypertrophy, ICD code 10 has J35. Guided by these data, you can learn everything about the pathology, as well as the methods of its treatment. Unfortunately, many doctors, even in the earliest stages of this disease, recommend adenotomy to parents. However, this is not entirely correct. Do not forget that the nasopharyngeal tonsil performs very important functions in the body, so the adenoids should be removed last.
But if you still cannot do without this procedure, then be sure to contact a good specialist. The procedure will be performed under local anesthesia. It is done using a special medical instrument that easily removes the tonsils.
Preventive measures
Each parent should familiarize himself with the clinical guidelines proposed in otorhinolaryngology for adenoid hypertrophy. The fact is that it is not difficult to avoid the development of this disease. It is enough to follow a few simple rules:
- The first thing anyone can do is stop drinking too many cold drinks. If, nevertheless, it is hot outside, and you don’t want to deny yourself this, then you need to drink them in very small sips, while heating the liquid in the oral cavity.
- It is also worth limiting contact with allergens, and try to breathe very polluted and dusty air as little as possible.
- Take care of the right atmosphere in your home. Ventilate it often and use a humidifier if necessary.
- Take care of your immune system. Eat right, exercise, exercise, and take extra vitamins. It is especially important to do this during cold seasons. It is also not recommended to visit crowded places during such periods.
Conclusions
Adenoid hypertrophy is a very common disease in both children and adults. If you approach its treatment with all responsibility and start doing it on time, you can avoid very serious consequences. Get into the habit of taking control of your he alth and teach it to your children. After all, our well-being is in our hands. Please note that tonsils do not always need to be removed. Very often, their hypertrophy can be cured with conservative methods. The main thing is to start treatment on time.
Take care of your he alth today and you will find out how beautiful this world is. Stay he althy and take care of yourself!
