What are adenoids?

The adenoids are aggregates of lymphoid tissue present in the nasopharynx.They are situated submucosally.They are also called as the nasopharyngeal tonsil.

What is the cause of adenoid hypertrophy?

Age: adenoid hypertrophy is the problem restricting itself to children.patients is usually between the age group of 3-10 yrs.

Physiological: the hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil is a part of the normal growth process. But it is considered to be unhealthy if it is symptomatic.

Infection: any infection of the upper respiratory tract can lead to an enlargement of the adenoid.

Predisposing factors: as mentioned in the article on acute tonsillitis.

What do patients with an adenoid hypertrophy complain of?

Features of adenoid hypertrophy are:

Nasal obstruction: this will lead to mouth breathing, snoring, and drooling of saliva from the mouth and difficulty in eating, particularly in infants. Adenoid facies may develop.

Voice becomes flat and toneless.

Ear problems like deafness and ear discharge may develop due to middle ear infections secondary to an obstruction of the Eustachian tube.

Nasal discharge: due to associated rhinitis of sinusitis.

Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections are of frequent occurrence. This may lead to recurrent attacks of cold, cough, pharyngitis.

Nocturnal enuresis (bed wetting) may be present due to suffocation.

Mental backwardness is not real, but the child may become backward in studies because of deafness.

What is the treatment of adenoid hypertrophy?

The treatment can broadly be divided into two broad categories:

Conservative:

Antibiotics may be useful in acute inflammation.

Decongestants relieve the nasal obstruction.

Breathing exercises should be advised.

Surgical:

Adenoidectomy (surgical removal of the adenoid tissue) is advised in recurrent cases.

Antral lavage is performed in cases of associated sinusitis

Grommet insertion into the ear may be required in cases of Eustachian tube obstruction.