Adenoid hypertrophy is a disease that a very large number of people on our planet face. 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 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 an ailment in which the nasopharyngeal tonsil begins to significantly increase in size. Such a process usually begins to develop when the human body is often attacked by various viruses, which is why the tonsil is constantly in an inflamed state. As a result, it ceases to fulfill its functions and simply interferes with the normal life process.
More recently, clinic staff recommended that patients remove adenoids. However, such a therapeutic method is far from always yielding good results, since after carrying out the aforementioned procedure, 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 for dealing with hypertrophy of adenoids. 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 it’s 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 can distinguish between 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 baby is just born, its tonsils still do not fulfill their functions and have a slightly increased size. If the baby is very often ill, 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 a connective tissue, and then the described organ simply ceases to fulfill its important functions.
Etiology of Adenoid Hypertrophy
In fact, there are several reasons that can affect the development of such a dangerous pathology. Specialists distinguish such from them:
- Weakened immunity. If the protective system of a person does not work at full strength, then this leads to the fact that various pathogenic microorganisms begin to attack the body. In this case, the body simply can not 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 fulfill its functions.
- Another reason that adenoid hypertrophy can occur, is a genetic predisposition. According to research, if one or both parents in childhood suffered from adenoids, then they will develop in their baby. In this case, the child’s lymphatic system has a special structure already 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, this will create all the conditions for shortness of breath (by the way, the same thing happens if the room has air conditioning). Both a child and an adult living here will be prone to the development of various colds, which, as a rule, are of a recurring nature.
- 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 where the adenoids are. In fact, determining their location is very simple. The described tonsil is located right at the base of the nasopharynx, in the throat itself. It is a mistake to think that 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 significantly increases in size in children from three to seven years of age (by the age of 15-16, adenoids usually atrophy). Although the disease can progress in infants, and in all other age categories.
However, hypertrophy of adenoids in children occurs most often, since their immune system is not yet fully formed, and the body is susceptible to attacks by various foreign organisms.
Symptoms of a 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 is very difficult for him to do this through his nose, so the child begins to breathe air through his mouth. He does the same during sleep.
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 incorrect structure of the chest, and also a special type of face arises - adenoid. The upper jaw thus lengthens, which will make it easier for the child to breathe through the mouth. In this case, the upper teeth will protrude slightly.
Also very often in these children hearing and speech are disturbed. At the same time, thought processes can be disturbed, and in addition, insomnia periodically occurs. Very often, children complain of nasal congestion and a constant runny nose.
Adenoids in adults also make themselves felt (the symptoms of this pathology in them, however, are not so pronounced). The inability to breathe through the nose, frequent runny nose, headaches, weakness and sleep disturbances should force adult patients to consult an otolaryngologist to determine the exact 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 adenoid overlap of only the upper part of the nasopharynx.
- Hypertrophy of degree 2 adenoids 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 larger its number, the harder it becomes to breathe, which means that the greater the likelihood of surgery.
Diagnostic Methods
Of course, the described pathology can be noticed by conducting a routine examination and guided by patient complaints. But in order to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a special diagnosis. Only then can you think about treatment methods. First of all, the specialist will ask you to undergo computed tomography, as well as conduct palpation in the nasopharynx. A very important examination method is endoscopy.
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?
Keep in mind that hypertrophy of adenoids in children can lead to serious consequences if you do not start treating this pathology in time. So, the growth of lymphoid tissue can become, as we already said, the cause of a change in the shape of the face or malocclusion. Often these children have speech therapy problems and learning difficulties.
Inflammation of the tonsils leads to the fact that a large number of pathological secretions enter the digestive system, which leads to its malfunction.
It should be borne in mind that constant breathing through the mouth 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 condition of the child and show it to the otolaryngologist in time.
Useful properties of thuja oil
Thuja oil with adenoids for children (we offer instructions for the use of this tool in the article) is often recommended by doctors. It is capable of exerting anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects on the human body. In addition, this oil tones well and improves immunity.
Use thuja oil with 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 such a method of treatment will be effective only in the first and second degrees of hypertrophy.
Other treatments
Of course, each case is unique, so what is suitable for one patient may not be suitable for another. Very often, doctors recommend their patients precisely the methods of conservative treatment, especially if the disease has not yet managed to go to the third stage. However, if the pathology leads to the fact that the patient has hearing impairment or problems with speech, then other treatment methods should be considered.
Conservative therapy usually includes:
- the use of salt washings of the nose (for example, saline, preparations "Aqua Maris", "Dolphin");
- physiotherapy (quartzing, breathing exercises according to Buteyko);
- the use of vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory drops (Nazivin, Euphorbium, etc.);
- antihistamines (for example, Fenkarol).
There are several more treatment methods that allow you not to resort to surgery. Such techniques cannot guarantee a one hundred percent result, but very often they still significantly improve the patient's condition. This may include the use of a laser or liquid nitrogen. Such procedures should be carried out only in a specialized clinic by an experienced specialist.
Surgical intervention
Adenoid hypertrophy ICD code 10 has J35. Guided by these data, you can learn everything about the pathology, as well as about the methods of its treatment. Unfortunately, many doctors, even in the very early stages of this disease, recommend an adenotomy to parents. However, this is not entirely correct. Do not forget that the nasopharyngeal tonsil performs very important functions in the body, therefore it is necessary to remove adenoids last.
But if you still can’t do without this procedure, be sure to contact a good specialist. The procedure will be carried out under local anesthesia. It is done using a special medical tool that easily removes tonsils.
Preventative measures
Each parent should familiarize themselves with the clinical recommendations on otorhinolaryngology for adenoid hypertrophy. The fact is that it is not difficult to avoid the development of this disease. It is enough to adhere to a few simple rules:
- The first thing anyone can do is to stop drinking too much cold drinks. If it’s still hot in the street, and you don’t want to refuse it, 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 as little as possible with very polluted and dusty air.
- 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, temper, exercise and take vitamins. It is especially important to do this during the seasons of colds. It is also not recommended during such periods to visit crowded places.
conclusions
Adenoid hypertrophy is a very common disease in both children and adults. If you approach his treatment with full responsibility and start doing it on time, then you can avoid very serious consequences. Make a habit of controlling your health and teach your children this. After all, only in our hands is our well-being. Remember, tonsils do not always need to be removed. Very often, their hypertrophy can be cured by conservative methods. The main thing is to start treatment on time.
Take care of your health today, and you will find out how beautiful this world is. Be healthy and take care of yourself!