Quite often you can see children and adults who breathe through the mouth, which is why it is constantly open. At first glance, it may seem that a person has a commonplace cold with a stuffy nose. In fact, this can turn out to be a very serious disease with serious consequences.
Adenoids are an inflammatory process associated with the proliferation of connective and lymphoid tissues in the nasopharynx. Basically, this pathology occurs in children aged 1 year to 15 years.
Normally, the nasopharyngeal tonsils (adenoids) are part of the pharyngeal lymphatic ring that surrounds the oral cavity and nasopharynx. Their lymphatic follicles are not developed at birth. By the age of three, the formation of a protective system of the body occurs, the purpose of which is to prevent the entry and spread of infection. It is in the lymphatic follicles that there are immune cells that play the role of “defenders”.
Adenoids (photo) can manifest as an independent disease, or be combined with other inflammatory processes, therefore, the causes of this ailment are diverse. First of all, infections transmitted by a woman during pregnancy make themselves felt, which can lead to abnormalities in the development of the fetal organs. Also during this period, an excessive use of drugs by the mother is an unfavorable factor for the forming adenoids.
Already in the process of the development of the child and his immune system, acute diseases such as laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis and others can provoke inflammation of the adenoids. The cause may also be an allergic predisposition and chronic infection.
Adenoids are a chronic process that develops gradually and has an adverse effect on the entire body. With their increase, a change in the normal structure of the tissue occurs. Damaged adenoids grow, gradually closing the lumen of the nasopharynx, hence the corresponding symptoms:
- nasal voice;
- difficulty in nasal breathing;
- irritability and tearfulness;
- constant fatigue;
- drowsiness;
- delayed physical development;
- snore;
- hearing loss;
- headache
- frequent colds and otitis media;
- respiratory arrest;
- rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis.
In childhood, it is very important to prevent deformation of the facial skeleton in the form of an adenoid
facial expression. Due to the constant nasal congestion and the mouth always open for breathing, the child is elongated, the nasal passages and the lower jaw are narrowed, malocclusion, and lack of lips closing.
Adenoids in adults, as in children, are manifested by difficulty in nasal breathing and the release of purulent fluid. Also a constant symptom accompanying the disease is a headache (brain tissue suffers from a lack of oxygen and ceases to function normally). And adenoids are an eternal source of infections in the body, so complications such as acute otitis media, glomerulonephritis, rheumatism, myocarditis, and chronic diseases of the respiratory system are possible.
Treatment of adenoids is not particularly difficult for modern medicine. It is carried out by a conservative method (drugs) and surgical, in which removed tonsils are removed.