Tonsils - lymph formations located mostly in the area of the pharynx. Surely you have heard about these structures, but you probably do not know how important they perform. Unfortunately, like all other organs, tonsils are prone to infections and other diseases.
Naturally, it is important to know what symptoms are accompanied by certain diseases. And since the largest is the pharyngeal tonsil (also referred to as nasopharyngeal in medicine), it is worth first considering the features of the course of certain pathologies in this structure.
Pharyngeal tonsil: structure and general information
To begin with, it is worth saying that the pharyngeal ring consists of six tonsils (they even have their own numbering). The structures themselves are an accumulation of lymphoid tissue of an oval shape. They can be paired and unpaired.
- Palatine tonsils (I and II) are located in the so-called tonsillar niches, on the sides of the tongue hanging from the sky. In shape, they resemble almond nuts. Quite often in medicine, these structures appear under the name "glands." Their inflammation is the cause of the well-known tonsillitis and tonsillitis.
- The pharyngeal tonsil (photo above) is also known as the nasopharyngeal and tonsil Cannons (III). The structure is located almost on the arch of the pharynx, occupying also the upper and part of the posterior wall of the nasopharynx. It looks like several transversely arranged, protruding folds of the mucous membrane lined with ciliary epithelium.
- The lingual tonsil (IV), located on the root of the tongue, with the median groove dividing the structure into two halves. The tonsil has a tuberous surface, as well as shallow crypts, at the bottom of which the salivary ducts open. The structure is covered with flat stratified epithelium.
- Tubal tonsils (V and VI) are the smallest structures that are located near the pharyngeal openings of the Eustachian tube.
In addition, there are smaller lymphoid formations in the tissues of the larynx and pharynx. Together, they form the lymphoepithelial apparatus, the main function of which is to protect the body from the effects of negative factors.
The main functions of the tonsils
Tonsils are part of the immune system, as are lymph nodes, spleen, and other structures. Accordingly, the main functions in this case are hematopoiesis and body protection.
For example, lymphocytes are formed in the lymphoid tissue of the tonsils - blood cells that provide humoral immunity. In addition, it contains a large number of macrophages that have the ability to absorb and neutralize various antigens, including viral particles and bacterial cells.
And in the tonsils, lymphocyte cells come very close to the superficial epithelium. In some places, the tissues are so thin that the cells go to the surface of the tonsils and, accordingly, can interact with various foreign agents.
Tonsil inflammation: causes
Adenoiditis is an inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil. As a rule, the acute form of the disease develops against the background of other respiratory diseases, in which the infection penetrates the lymphoid tissues. In addition, the disease often develops with the activation of conditionally pathogenic microflora of the nasopharynx. As you know, a huge number of bacterial microorganisms live here. But while their number is tightly controlled by the immune system, bacteria cannot do serious harm. Nevertheless, with weakening or malfunctioning of the immune system, microorganisms begin to multiply actively, which, accordingly, leads to the development of the inflammatory process.
Unfortunately, inflammation of the tonsils quite often remains without attention and the necessary treatment. Frequent diseases lead to the fact that the lymphoid structures themselves become a source of infection, which spreads to neighboring organs, causing sinusitis, otitis media, tracheobronchitis and other ailments.
By the way, such a disease is most often diagnosed in children. Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil in adults is a dangerous condition, as it can cause a severe form of retronasal tonsillitis.
The clinical picture of inflammation
This disease of the pharyngeal tonsils in the initial stages resembles a common cold. First, body temperature rises and symptoms of intoxication appear, including chills, weakness, body aches, and headache. Symptoms include an obsessive cough.
As the disease develops, pain appears in the depths of the nose, which extends to the posterior sections of the nasal cavity. Quite often, patients complain of pain in the back of the head. Swelling of the mucous membrane often extends to the rosemule fossa, which is accompanied by pain in the ears, hearing loss, impaired nasal breathing. In addition, patients complain of tickling and sore throat.
On examination, you can notice an accumulation of mucus in the nasopharynx. An increase in the pharyngeal tonsil is also observed. Fibrous plaque can be seen on its surface, and its grooves are often filled with purulent exudate. An increase in the occipital, submandibular and posterior cervical lymph nodes is observed. In infants, the disease can be accompanied by asthma attacks, as with laryngitis.
The acute form of the disease lasts about 5-7 days. Unfortunately, the likelihood of relapses, even multiple ones, is very high, which ultimately can lead to the appearance of a chronic form of the disease. Moreover, against the background of inflammation in children, complications such as otitis media, sinusitis, lesions of the lacrimal passages, pharyngeal abscesses, bronchopneumonia, laryngotracheobronchitis and other respiratory diseases often develop.
How is adenoiditis treated?
The treatment regimen for a similar disease depends on the condition of the patient and the massiveness of the inflammatory process. In the presence of ulcers, they may need to be opened with subsequent irrigation with antiseptic drugs.
If the cause of the inflammatory process is a bacterial infection (most often this is what happens), then the patient is prescribed antibiotics. In addition, it is necessary to take antihistamines (Tavegil, Suprastin, etc.), which help to avoid the development of an allergic reaction to drugs and relieve swelling of the mucous membrane, thereby facilitating breathing and swallowing. The use of vasoconstrictor drops for the nose is also recommended. Nasal passages, the wall of the nasopharynx are irrigated with antiseptic solutions (for example, silver solution, protargol, collargol). With fever, it is possible to take antipyretic drugs, anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs (for example, Nurofen, Ibufen, Paracetamol).
To speed up the healing process, sometimes patients are prescribed immunomodulators. Vitamin therapy is sometimes necessary. By the way, taking vitamins and drugs that strengthen the immune system (for example, Aflubin) is recommended twice a year to prevent relapse.
If this disease of the pharyngeal tonsils develops severely, accompanied by severe fever, the formation of an abscess, various complications, then hospitalization of the child is necessary. Therapy is aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process and preserving the tonsils. However, in some cases, surgical removal is necessary.
What is pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy? Photos, symptoms and stages of the disease
In addition to inflammation, there is another fairly common disease. In particular, in modern medicine, hypertrophy of the pharyngeal tonsil is often recorded, which also appears under the name "adenoids."
This disease is accompanied by an increase (growth) of the tonsil. According to statistical studies, the disease is more often diagnosed in children aged 3 to 14 years. During puberty, the volume of the tonsil decreases. In adults, this disease is rarely diagnosed.
Adenoids look like structures of irregular shape, which is a bit like a cockscomb, as they are divided by connective tissue septa into several segments. They have a pale pink color and soft texture. Often, the disease spreads to the side walls of the pharynx and down (this is hypertrophy of the palatine and pharyngeal tonsils), and sometimes to the openings of the auditory tubes.
Three degrees of hypertrophy are distinguished:
- In the first degree, the adenoid covers about 1/3 of the opener.
- Hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsil of the 2nd degree is already more pronounced - the structure covers almost 2/3 of the vomer.
- The third degree of the disease is characterized by complete closure of the choanas (internal nostrils), which, of course, is fraught with a lot of breathing problems.
The main causes of hypertrophy
In fact, the mechanism of hyperplasia of the tissues of the pharyngeal tonsil is not fully understood. Alas, it is not possible to find out the reasons for the development of such a pathology in every case. Nevertheless, in modern medicine it is customary to distinguish several main provoking factors:
- There is a certain genetic heredity, which is associated with some disorders in the structure and functioning of the lymphatic and endocrine systems.
- Increases the chances of an adenoid increase in problematic pregnancy and difficult birth. For example, it is customary to include risk of fetal hypoxia, viral diseases that the mother suffered in the first trimester of pregnancy, toxic drugs and antibiotics that she had to take as risk factors. In addition, the tendency to form adenoids can be caused by asphyxia of the baby and some injuries during the birth process.
- Naturally, the features of the first years of life are also important, for example, whether the child was sick in infancy and what medications he took, what the diet looked like, whether the baby’s diet included preservatives, whether he was breast-fed, etc.
- Frequent colds and viral diseases also increase the risk of hyperplasia.
- The pharyngeal tonsil is often hypertrophied in children suffering from allergies (by the way, the tendency to allergies in itself indicates a malfunction of the immune system).
Other factors are also important, including an unfavorable ecological environment, poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, etc. Quite often, the growth of adenoids is stimulated by several factors at once.
What disorders cause adenoids? Symptoms of the disease
Naturally, a similar pathology is accompanied by a number of some symptoms. If you find some signs in your child (or yourself), it is better to immediately consult a doctor. In the initial stages, the disease can still be cured conservatively. So what does the clinical picture look like?
- The very first and characteristic sign is difficulty in nasal breathing. The child breathes very often, with the mouth.
- Often, sleep is accompanied by sniffling and snoring, sometimes at night the patient wakes up from attacks of suffocation.
- The patient is constantly disturbed by a runny nose, and discharge from the nose is serous.
- Due to the fact that the discharge constantly flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx, the child suffers from frequent coughing.
- As the disease develops, voice changes, hoarseness, and nasal can be noted.
- A patient with hypertrophied tonsils is more prone to various diseases of the respiratory system, including tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis.
- Frequent among these children are hearing problems, frequent otitis media, a feeling of stuffy ears.
- Violation of normal breathing leads to the development of chronic hypoxia, in which the brain does not receive enough oxygen. It is believed that adenoids in schoolchildren can be the cause of a decrease in academic performance.
- In connection with a violation of nasal breathing, pathologies are observed in the development of the facial section (if we are talking about a sick child). An incorrect bite is formed, the mouth is always slightly ajar, the lower jaw lengthens and narrows.
- Chest deformity (with a prolonged course of the disease) can also be observed. Due to the shallow depth of inspiration, the chest is flattened, it can even take a sunken shape.
- In some cases, anemia and some disorders of the digestive tract develop, for example, problems with stools, loss of appetite.
Modern methods of treating adenoids
If, upon examination, the doctor found that the pharyngeal tonsil is hypertrophied, then therapy is prescribed. Naturally, whenever possible it is necessary to try to maintain the lymphoid structure. Nevertheless, conservative treatment is possible only at the first stage of the development of the disease.
As a rule, patients are prescribed antihistamines to help eliminate swelling. It is necessary to use nasal drops, as well as irrigation of the nasal passages and the posterior wall of the nasopharynx with antiseptic solutions. If there is a slight inflammation of the tonsils, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents may be needed. Massages of the face and collar zone will also have a positive effect on the patient’s condition (they will help prevent improper skeleton development), breathing exercises, and physiotherapy. Good results are obtained from climatotherapy, which boils down to regular relaxation in the mountains or on the seashore, as well as visits to specialized sanatoriums.
It is worth noting that the presence of adenoids requires constant monitoring by a doctor - regular examinations are necessary, since they make it possible to determine the increase in size of the tonsil in time.
Nevertheless, the second and third degree is an indication for surgical intervention. Adenoid resection is a relatively simple procedure. On the other hand, it is worthwhile to understand that in childhood, the removal of part of the immune system can undermine the body's defenses. Therefore, after the procedure, for some time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the health status of the child and, if necessary, carry out immunomodulating therapy.
Other tonsil diseases
Inflammation and hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsil are the most common ailments, but by no means the only ones. There are more dangerous and complex diseases.
For example, in middle-aged and elderly patients (this is rarely observed in childhood), an abscess is sometimes diagnosed. Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil in adults is sometimes accompanied by the appearance of an abscess with a membrane. A similar ailment is quite difficult. It is characterized by a rare increase in temperature (sometimes up to 40 degrees), weakness, body aches, dizziness, a sharp soreness in the throat, which becomes stronger during swallowing or talking.
In addition, the formation of tumors is possible, both benign and malignant. For example, in modern medicine, papillomas, lipomas, neuromas, myomas, fibromas, and angiomas are diagnosed. With such an ailment, the pharyngeal tonsil visually increases. As the disease progresses, patients note difficulty swallowing, discomfort during a conversation, a constant feeling of a foreign body in the throat. Benign tumors tend to grow slowly. The main treatment is surgical removal. But the growth of malignant neoplasms can be incredibly fast. Moreover, cancer cells can spread to other organs (metastasis). In such cases, in addition to surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or any other method is required, depending on the decision of the treating specialist.
A cyst is a defect of the pharyngeal tonsil, which is accompanied by the appearance of a benign formation with a membrane inside which the liquid contents are enclosed. Cysts can be either large single, or smaller, multiple. Neoplasms are located either on the surface or directly in the tissue of the tonsils. The causes of the development of the disease can be different, including hormonal disruptions, chronic tonsillitis, infection of lymphoid tissues, etc. The clinical picture depends on the size of the cyst. If the formation is small, then it may not cause any discomfort. As the cyst grows, difficulty swallowing and other standard symptoms may appear. And the presence of neoplasm is often accompanied by bad breath. Cyst rupture can provoke a massive inflammatory process, but because therapy in this case is simply necessary.
Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil can occur against the background of tuberculosis.Quite often, this disease proceeds secretly and disguises itself as chronic tonsillitis. The diagnosis can only be made after a thorough diagnosis and bacteriological studies.
The defeat of the tonsils can be associated with syphilis, and the inflammatory process can develop at almost any stage of the disease. Sometimes patients develop the so-called syphilitic tonsillitis, which is much more difficult than other forms of inflammation.
In any case, the pharyngeal tonsil is an important structure whose condition should not be ignored. Therefore, when discomfort occurs, you need to turn to specialists for help in time. It is much easier to cure the disease at an early stage than to get rid, for example, of chronic forms of a disease.