There are many diseases in which the patient’s normal breathing process may be disrupted. One of them is inflammation, in which certain tissues in the nasal cavity become inflamed. This disease can cause serious damage to health, and therefore you should know the main symptoms of adenoids in adults and, when they appear, contact them for help.
Inflammation of the adenoids - features of the development of pathology in adults
First of all, it should be noted that adenoids are a collection of lymphoid tissue that is located in the nasal cavity. Their main function is to protect against various kinds of negative influences, including infections. In addition, adenoids participate in thermoregulation processes, which are necessary to ensure that the air inhaled into the lungs is at the optimal temperature.
When the adenoids become inflamed, their normal functioning is disrupted, as a result of which the air entering the nose is not cleaned, but almost immediately enters the lungs and other respiratory organs. Against the background of such a disorder, regular infectious diseases begin to hurt.
Inflammation of the adenoids is a disease that can be independent or act as a symptom of another disease.
In view of this, there can be quite a lot of reasons why this problem occurs.Causes of inflammation of the adenoids:
- Injury to the fetus during pregnancy. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the formation of the main systems and organs of the unborn child takes place. The development process can be influenced by many factors, including various infections. This can lead to abnormalities in which the organ is enlarged from birth.
- ENT diseases. The likelihood of developing inflammation of the adenoids is directly influenced by the cases of others. In particular, the likelihood of illness increases significantly after diseases such as,.
- Allergy. Since the adenoids are an immune organ, it often suffers when exposed to certain irritants. When an allergic reaction occurs, an almost immediate enlargement of the adenoids occurs, which leads to difficulty breathing and all subsequent consequences.
There are a number of reasons why an increase in the size of the adenoids may occur, and they can be either congenital or acquired during life.
Main symptoms
Inflammation of the adenoids is a rather complex pathological process, which, as a rule, is protracted. develops gradually, while having a negative impact on the functioning of the entire body. Knowing the specific symptoms of adenoids in adults, you can identify the disease in the early stages of development.
The disease manifests itself primarily in a lack of air, due to the fact that a person is not able to inhale the required amount through the nose. Because of this, a constant feeling of fatigue may occur, mental activity and memory deteriorate. At the same time, drowsiness increases, which can accompany the patient at any time.
Main symptoms of the disease:
- Labored breathing. When the adenoids become inflamed, it becomes difficult for the patient to breathe through the nose. As a rule, the patient himself does not notice this, since he breathes calmly through his mouth. Significant difficulty breathing is observed already in the later stages of the disease.
- Snore. Due to impaired nasal breathing due to inflammation of the adenoids, the patient experiences night snoring. In addition, a sound similar to a whistle may be observed during sleep.
- Symptoms of infectious infection. Decreased immunity due to adenoids leads to the body becoming more sensitive to various diseases. The presence of diseases that cannot be treated for a long period of time may indicate a pathological process in the adenoid organs. In particular, we are talking about diseases such as and.
- Hearing impairment. In the later stages of the disease, the adenoids increase significantly in size. This can cause them to block the canal that is located between the ear and mouth. In the future, this causes minor hearing impairment, as well as a feeling.
- Change . Severely inflamed adenoids can completely block the nasal canal. This leads to a change in the timbre of the voice, as well as the appearance of nasality.
- Changes in the facial skeleton. With prolonged disruption of the nasal respiratory process, deformations of the facial part of the skull occur. This is due to the fact that a person's mouth is constantly open to maintain breathing. In addition, the face may become a little longer, and the nasal passages become narrower. Against the background of such disorders, deformation of the dental bite may occur.
In general, there are various symptoms of adenoids in adults that may indicate the development of such a disease. The main one is difficulty breathing through the nose, which is associated with impaired patency of the canals.
Diagnostic methods
Modern medicine uses a large number of different diagnostic methods necessary to detect an increase in adenoid tissue in the nasal cavity. Most often, diagnosis begins with studying the symptoms of the disease that are observed in the patient.
The following are considered the most informative diagnostic methods:
- Feeling. This procedure is aimed at determining the degree of enlargement of the adenoid tonsils. The doctor inserts his index finger into the patient's mouth, while assessing the patient's condition. The method is absolutely safe and painless.
- Rhinoscopy. This method allows the doctor to carefully examine the cavity using a special medical mirror. The disadvantage of this method is that the patient’s mucous membrane may be irritated, which leads to the formation of a gag reflex.
- Endoscopic examination. This diagnostic method is considered the most reliable and informative. Examination of the nasopharynx and oral cavity uses a special device that displays an image on the monitor. Endoscopy can detect not only enlarged adenoids, but also other pathologies that may occur in the nasal and oral cavity.
In the majority of cases, the methods described are sufficient to identify an increase in the size of the adenoid tonsils and prescribe treatment that will be most effective for a particular patient.
Treatment methods
At the moment, treatment of adenoids is carried out quite quickly and without any negative consequences for the body. Two main methods of therapy are used - conservative and surgical.
Conservative methods involve taking various medications. The use of this method of therapy occurs in cases where the patient has a slight increase in the size of the adenoids. In addition, the presence of aggravating factors, disorders of the glands of the adenoid tonsils, which are responsible for protecting the body from infection, is taken into account.
Basically, in the treatment of inflammation, various medications are used, which are necessary to reduce the allergic susceptibility of the body. This allows you to eliminate substances that provoke the inflammatory process.In addition, therapy can be used that have a detrimental effect on the bacteria that cause the disease. When treating inflammation of the adenoids, it is important to strengthen the body’s immune properties. For this purpose, it is recommended to use fortified preparations.
In addition to the use of medications, it can occur with the help of special physiotherapeutic procedures.
Surgical treatment of adenoids involves their removal. This method is used if conservative therapy has not been effective. Also, they can be removed if they have significantly increased in size, as a result of which nasal breathing has become impossible. Another indication for surgery is infection of the adenoid glands, in which pathogenic microorganisms enter the body.
More information about inflammation of the adenoids can be found in the video.
Adenoid removal is performed only in hospitals. The operation is quite simple, and therefore it is usually performed under local anesthesia. The patient can leave the medical facility within 1-2 hours after surgery if he does not experience long-term complications. After the operation, the patient is advised to remain in bed for 2-3 days, not eat hot solid food and engage in heavy physical work.
In modern medicine, both conservative and surgical methods of treating adenoids are used, depending on the degree of enlargement and other important factors.Undoubtedly, inflammation of the adenoids is a very serious pathology, which, if left untreated, can lead to negative consequences for overall health. Objective symptoms of adenoids in adults make it possible to identify the disease in the early stages of development and provide effective treatment.
Adenoids, or adenoid vegetations, can occur both in children (this occurs in most cases due to the child’s weak immunity) and in adults. This is a chronic, sluggish disease, which is characterized by the proliferation of lymphoid tissue so much that over time, the nasopharyngeal tonsils (namely, the adenoids are formed from them) close the nasal passages. Despite the fact that the disease can last for many years and not show obvious signs, the consequences of an advanced pathological process can be quite serious.
In modern tactics for the treatment of adenoid vegetations, priority is given to conservative therapy, which is preceded by an exhaustive diagnosis. After clarifying the diagnosis, he prescribes a complex of pharmacological agents that break the links of the pathological mechanism of the disease. Surgery in the classical form is rarely resorted to, although this method is quite effective. It is performed according to strict indications.
Clinical manifestations and treatment tactics depend on what part of the lumen of the nasal passages is covered by enlarged tonsils.
What are adenoid vegetations, and why do they occur?
The immune system is a coherent system that consists of many components. One of these components is cellular immunity - special cells are produced in lymphoid tissue. The largest accumulations of this tissue are the tonsils - nodes that are located on the border between the body and the external environment. They protect the upper respiratory tract from infections that can enter with inhaled air. But if the immune system fails, inflammation of this tissue may begin.
There are two main causes of the disease: compensatory hypertrophy of lymphoid tissue and adenoiditis (inflammation of the hypertrophied nasopharyngeal tonsil, i.e. adenoids). If the appearance of a painful condition is associated with chronic infectious diseases or allergic reactions, which constantly stimulate an increase in tonsil tissue in size, compensating for the immune response to any pathogen, they speak of compensatory hypertrophy. Normally, the accumulations of lymphoid tissue decrease immediately after the immune response stops. But if its size does not decrease, and the lymphoid tissue, depleted, is overgrown with connective tissue, this indicates the appearance of adenoids. This is the main reason.
If the disease is acute and develops quickly, against the background of a systemic inflammatory reaction to the infection (fever, chills, redness of the mucous membrane in the nose and nasopharynx, soreness, a feeling of local heat), then inflammation of the tonsils occurs - adenoiditis. It goes away faster, it is easier to treat hypertrophy, usually a course of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents is enough. The quality of human life with this form does not deteriorate in the long term, which cannot be said about chronic proliferation.
Prolonged hypoxia manifests itself in adults as a decrease in cognitive abilities, deterioration in general well-being, headaches, and sleep disorders.
The prerequisites for the disease are previous viral or bacterial infections, in particular childhood diseases - measles, rubella, chickenpox. A long-term allergic process also leads to hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil.
What do adenoids look like? The photo of the adenoids shows that these are lumps of mucous tissue, a rather soft consistency, about a centimeter in size, loose. Their mucous membrane is congested with inflammation, and the vascular pattern on the surface is pronounced. With significant hypertrophy, connective tissue nodes and an uneven and bumpy surface of the formations can be detected.
Since the tonsils are located in the nose, where there are thin partitions that form the nasal passages (turbinates), their enlargement becomes the cause of the main problem - complete or partial blockage of the respiratory passages. This is what the main symptoms of the disease are associated with.
Classification
The disease has a code according to ICD 10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision) in the category Chronic diseases of the tonsils - J35. The pathology is regarded as potentially dangerous and requiring mandatory treatment.
Clinical manifestations and treatment tactics depend on what part of the lumen of the nasal passages is covered by enlarged tonsils. Depending on the hypertrophy, there are three degrees of adenoid growths:
Degree 1
The enlarged tonsil covers 1/3 of the vomer and the height of the nasal passages. Clinically, this is not much different from the norm; in general, nasal breathing is preserved, but during night sleep the child may snore, sniffle, or breathe with an open mouth.
Degree 2
The pharyngeal tonsil occupies 2/3 of the nasal passages and the vomer. At this stage, the first pronounced symptoms appear. It is at this stage that the diagnosis is most often made. Active conservative treatment of second-degree adenoids can provide regression of hypertrophy.
The prerequisites for the disease are previous viral or bacterial infections, in particular childhood diseases - measles, rubella, chickenpox. A long-term allergic process also leads to hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil.
Degree 3
The enlarged tonsil covers almost the entire vomer, completely blocks the nasal passages and makes nasal breathing impossible. The signs of the disease are obvious, in addition to constant mouth breathing, the patient suffers from prolonged hypoxia, which is especially dangerous for children (in particular, for their nervous system). At this stage, conservative treatment may be unsuccessful, in which case they resort to surgical removal of the tonsils.
Each degree is characterized by its own clinical manifestations.
Symptoms of adenoids
At an early stage, the disease has few symptoms or is completely asymptomatic. The first signs of the disease in children are night snoring and susceptibility to respiratory infections. In adult patients, the disease can also manifest itself as night snoring, however, as a rule, this does not cause any suspicion.
Symptoms of the second stage are worsening nasal breathing, frequent colds and a general decrease in resistance to pathogens, changes in voice timbre, distinct snoring, restless sleep, dizziness, possible coughing, and during physical activity the patient breathes through the mouth. Unusual weakness, drowsiness, loss of appetite, and decreased motor activity may appear.
At the third stage, there is no nasal breathing, and the patient constantly breathes through the mouth - this is the main symptom. This type of breathing cannot fully provide the body with oxygen; the shortage is approximately 20%. Hypoxia, or oxygen starvation, develops. Prolonged hypoxia manifests itself in adults as a decrease in cognitive abilities, deterioration in general well-being, headaches, and sleep disorders. For children, this condition is extremely dangerous and can have far-reaching consequences, since the nervous system experiences a lack of nutrition during the period of its active development.
If the disease is acute and develops quickly, against the background of a systemic inflammatory response to infection, then inflammation of the tonsils occurs - adenoiditis.
This is manifested by a lag in mental and physical development, deterioration of attention and memory. If treatment is not prescribed promptly, cognitive impairment may become irreversible. Progressive vegetation leads to hearing impairment.
Due to constant breathing through the mouth, children develop an adenoid type of face (since the skull has not yet completely ossified) - the mouth is slightly open, the bite is changed, the teeth are curved, pushed forward, the upper jaw is elongated, drooping, and the palate is high “Gothic”.
The third stage requires immediate contact with a specialist, since structural and functional disorders of many systems can become irreversible and cause developmental disorders and serious illnesses.
Diagnostics
In children, the clinical picture is usually more pronounced, while adenoids in adults may not appear for a long time. In any case, making a diagnosis requires examination by an ENT doctor.
They resort to the following studies:
- Finger examination. The doctor feels the tonsil with a sterile gloved hand, assessing its size and consistency. This is an unpleasant procedure, so it is used infrequently and only in adults.
- Inspection using a nasopharyngeal speculum. A special mirror surface made of sterile metal is inserted into the oral cavity, in which the tonsils are reflected.
- Endoscopic examination (rhinoscopy). A thin probe with a camera can penetrate into the tightest spaces and assess the condition of surrounding tissues and auditory tubes. In addition, it allows you to take material for histological examination.
- X-ray diagnostics - often used before surgery.
In difficult cases, computed tomography is used.
Differential diagnosis of adenoids is carried out with other airway obstructions - deviated nasal septum, rhinoscleroma.
Due to constant breathing through the mouth, children develop an adenoid type of face - the mouth is slightly open, the bite is changed, the teeth are curved, pushed forward, the upper jaw is elongated, drooping, and the sky is high “Gothic”.
Treatment
How to reduce the size of growths? For this, drug therapy is used. Treatment is always preceded by rinsing the nasal cavity, i.e., its sanitation. For this purpose, pharmaceutical saline solutions and nasal sprays with a disinfecting effect are used. Dr. Komarovsky advises rinsing your nose with saline, an inexpensive solution that is an isotonic saline solution.
In case of inflammation, local anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agents are used. To relieve the symptoms of the disease, vasoconstrictor nasal drops and general antihistamines are used. Inhalation of drugs using a nebulizer is indicated. If a bacterial infection is detected, a course of antibiotic therapy is prescribed.
Hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil of 1-2 degrees can be treated without surgery quite effectively. Adenoid vegetations of the 3rd degree also require active conservative treatment (medication, physiotherapy), but it may be ineffective. If several courses of anti-inflammatory therapy have not led to results, and hypertrophy continues to progress, if hearing loss and signs of oxygen starvation are detected, the question of surgical removal of the adenoids is raised.
The operation is called adenotomy. It consists in the fact that under local or general anesthesia, hypertrophied tonsils are cut out with a special instrument - a semicircular adenotomy. It is optimal to carry out the manipulation under endoscopic observation so that during removal there are no particles of lymphoid tissue left that could contribute to relapse.
In children, the clinical picture is usually more pronounced, while adenoids in adults may not appear for a long time.
An advanced treatment method is laser removal of adenoid vegetations, which allows you to effectively get rid of the disease, avoiding the risks of classical surgery.
Video
We offer you to watch a video on the topic of the article.
Previously, it was believed that adenoids only occur in childhood. Now doctors are increasingly saying that adenoids also occur in adults. What are the differences between them and how are adenoids treated in adults? Candidate of Sciences answers our questions. honey. Sciences, otolaryngologist Ivan Nikolaevich Zubarev.
Why did doctors only recently start talking about the fact that adults also have adenoids? Weren't they there before?
Not at all. Adenoids in adults were probably as common in the past as they are today. They just weren't identified before. The fact is that until recently, an otolaryngologist had very a meager set of means for inspection. A special mirror and your own fingers - that's all. And compared to children, an adult has a different structure of the nasopharynx. The part where the adenoids may be located is less accessible. Therefore, the problem remained unnoticed. It was believed that by the time of puberty, adenoids, even if they were present in childhood, disappear. But not so long ago new ones began to be used, endoscopic, research methods. The doctor inserts an endoscope tube into the nasal cavity. Since the examination is carried out under anesthesia, the doctor has enough time. Thanks to this, he can carefully examine the nasopharynx and make a more correct diagnosis. This is how adenoids began to be discovered in adults. And after some time, it became clear that every third adult who complains of difficult nasal breathing has adenoids.
- How dangerous are adenoids for an adult?
Adenoids are a constantly stuffy nose, feeling of lack of air. You often have to breathe through your mouth. And this not only looks ugly, but also leads to frequent colds. Cold air inhaled through the mouth heats up much less on the way to the bronchi than when breathing through the nose. Breathing in adults is especially difficult at night. This often results in snore And apnea- short pauses in breathing during sleep. And they can provoke a rise in blood pressure and other heart problems.
Large adenoids - second and third degree - bad effect on hearing. Their tissue blocks the ear canal - and a person has a constant feeling of stuffiness in the ears. Adenoids make life especially difficult for allergy sufferers. Therefore, everyone who suffers from allergic rhinitis should come to an ENT doctor during the “quiet” season and undergo an examination for adenoids. This should also be done for those who have difficulty breathing through their nose and whose hearing is deteriorating.
- Who needs to be examined for adenoids in advance, before it comes to hearing loss?
First of all, people who have I had adenoids in childhood, and then allegedly disappeared. They could have remained in place, they just weren’t seen during the inspection.
However, if there were no adenoids in childhood, this does not mean that they did not appear later. Adenoid tissue increases in size and grows to protect our body. In fact, the appearance of adenoids is immune reaction. It most often occurs this way. A person begins to have a runny nose, mucus flows into the nasopharynx - and the pharyngeal tonsil reacts. The adenoids are slightly enlarged.
If the runny nose goes away within a week, then the tonsil gradually returns to its normal state. But if he lasted for four months, or became chronic, or turned into sinusitis- then the tonsils have no choice but to grow more and more. That is why a runny nose needs to be treated promptly. And people with chronic or allergic rhinitis should definitely be examined for the detection of adenoids.
Another category of people who should come to see an ENT specialist are those who adenoids were removed as a child. Unfortunately, it also happens that they grow back. This may be due to a poorly performed operation or genetic predisposition.
- What types of examinations do you need to undergo to detect adenoids?
First of all this endoscopy of the nasopharynx. The fact is that not only adenoids, but also cysts and tumors can grow in the nasopharynx of an adult. Therefore, after the doctor discovers something “extra”, he does biopsy- takes a small piece of tissue for examination. If the analysis shows that the tissue is adenoid, the otolaryngologist carries out treatment. Otherwise, other specialists are already treating.
- How to cure adenoids?
- “Cure” is not quite the right word. There are no tablets or drops that can reduce enlarged adenoids or prevent their appearance. You can get rid of them only surgically. Moreover, when it comes to adults, it is almost always advisable to perform the operation. There is no hope that adenoids will disappear in the future, and they greatly interfere with the life of adults.
Those people who had their adenoids removed in childhood remember this with horror. How is this operation performed now?
Nowadays, when removing adenoids, they must use anesthesia. During the operation, a person may be worried and afraid. This usually causes him to make involuntary movements, disturbing the doctor and causing pain to himself. Therefore, in order to make the operation to remove adenoids most effective, they are increasingly resorting not even to local, but to general anesthesia. If a person does not tolerate it well, you can get by with “freezing”, but practice shows that such an operation is of lower quality.
The second difference between current operations is that they are under endoscopic control. A small camera must be inserted through the mouth or nose: the doctor must very clearly see what and how he is doing. Unfortunately, there are still clinics where the operation is performed the old fashioned way. If possible, it is better to avoid them.
- There are several methods for removing adenoids. Which one is best for adults?
Preference should be given operations using special surgical instruments. This removal allows you to completely get rid of the adenoid tissue. Otherwise, it may grow again.
Surgery also has options. Can adenoids be removed? through the mouth And through the nose using a special thin tube with a small “blade” at the end. The choice here is up to the surgeon: he has the right to decide how he is comfortable working.
- What rules need to be followed after surgery?
Babies are usually sent home a few hours after removal or the next day. But an adult should stay in the hospital for two or three days. The fact is that even in 25–30-year-old people, the healing process is slower than in a child. They already have more “worn out” tissues and blood vessels, so after the operation the doctor should observe them a little.
Otherwise there are practically no differences. Within two weeks to a month after surgery you should refrain from strenuous physical activity. At first try don't take hot showers and especially visit the bathhouse or solarium. You should also not spend a lot of time in stuffy or hot rooms.
For a while you will have to reconsider your diet. After removal of the adenoids, a wound remains in the nasopharynx, which gradually heals. So as not to disturb her again, avoid rough, hard and hot foods. Soft or liquid foods, juices, milk, broths, cereals are suitable. You need to stick to this diet from 3 to 10 days after operation.
Sometimes the day after surgery may temperature rise. It's okay: this means that the wound is healing. As a rule, the temperature does not exceed 38°C. You only need to knock it down if you cannot tolerate it well or have problems with the cardiovascular system. Under no circumstances should you use medications containing aspirin to relieve fever. They can cause bleeding.
To the wound healed faster, the ENT doctor usually prescribes nasal drops. Most often, these are the usual vasoconstrictor drugs in combination with drugs containing silver, which dry out the wound.
All signs of pathology can be conditionally divided, depending on localization, into general and local (or focal).
Local symptoms
Photo: Location of adenoidsNasal breathing disorder
The first and most obvious sign. Adenoids in the throat grow gradually, which causes the development of the symptom “increasingly”. Over time, the pharyngeal tonsil blocks the lumen of the nasopharynx, narrowing the anatomical respiratory passages.
As a result, this leads to a complete inability to breathe through the nose.
Manifestation is dangerous: Ambient air is not intended for direct inhalation. The nose acts as a kind of barrier. Passing through the respiratory tract, the surrounding atmospheric air is warmed, moistened and disinfected. As a result of mouth breathing, the passages dry out and a cough occurs.
In addition, there are signs of sleep apnea (interruption of the breathing process). Apnea increases the risk of sudden death, cardiac arrest, and heart attack. If nasal breathing is impaired, it is recommended to consult a doctor and begin treatment.
Snore
It is a secondary phenomenon to a runny nose. It is dangerous because it increases the risk of developing apnea with all the ensuing consequences.
The maxillary sinuses, designed to act as resonators, cease to perform their functions, since the surrounding air simply does not enter them. The symptom itself is not dangerous, but it brings a lot of discomfort to the patient: both physical and psychological.
Cough
Adenoids in the nose in adults are also characterized by coughing. The intensity and nature of the reflex varies from case to case.
In "classical" situations The disease is characterized by a dry, scratchy cough. It lasts constantly, intensifies in the evening and at night. Sputum production is completely absent, or the amount of exudate is scanty.
If pharyngitis joins, the cough reflex changes. The symptom becomes more intrusive, a large amount of viscous sputum of a greenish or yellowish hue is released.
The symptom is conditionally dangerous: the whole point is that coughing increases the likelihood of developing bronchospasm with all the ensuing consequences (shortness of breath, suffocation).
However, physical discomfort is observed to a greater extent: coughing is a painful phenomenon. Over time it leads to headaches and sore throat.
Photo: Adenoids through an endoscope Sore throat
Appear when lymphoid tissue is infected. Also, enlarged adenoids can cause the formation of tonsillitis (tonsillitis is considered a particular form), which is accompanied by intense pain in the throat.
Runny nose
It is considered a sign of secondary sinusitis (inflammation of the maxillary sinuses). Observed in the vast majority of cases. It is characterized by the release of a large amount of viscous purulent exudate from the nose, pain in the sinuses.
Sinusitis is a dangerous secondary pathology that is associated with an increased risk of developing severe infectious complications such as meningitis, etc.
Hearing loss
This symptom of adenoids in adults is caused by secondary otitis (inflammation of the eardrum).
Inflammation of the adenoids in adults is often accompanied by hearing loss, since the disease is diagnosed much later.
The patient writes off all the symptoms as a cold, wasting precious time. The danger of the process lies in the possibility of complete loss of the ability to hear.
If not treated in a timely manner, adenoids can affect the formation of facial bones - the so-called. “adenoid face” The same manifestation can be detected when the pharyngeal tonsil is gigantic in size, when the adenoids literally grow into the cavity of the auditory tube.
Appearance changes
The so-called “adenoid face”. The facial expression changes, the mouth is always slightly open. In adult patients, critical deformations are not observed, since the bite has already been formed.
The manifestation itself does not pose a threat to health, much less life. However, it causes the development of cosmetic defects and psychological problems.
General symptoms
- Increased body temperature (hyperthermia). Depending on the primary pathology that caused the increase in thermometer values, we can talk about low-grade fever or febrile condition (from 37 to 39 degrees). It is important to note that the adenoids themselves are not capable of causing fever. The symptom is dangerous due to the possible development of complications: high thermometer readings often lead to dyskinesia of the neck muscles, rapid dehydration, etc.
- Headache. Occurs due to intoxication of the body.
- Dizziness.
- General weakness, weakness.
- Drowsiness.
Symptoms depending on the degree of adenoditis
In many ways, the specific signs of the disease depend on the degree of development of the adenoids.
What adenoids of different degrees look like in the photo (can be enlarged) | Degree | Characteristics of symptoms |
| First degree |
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| Second degree | Grade 2 adenoids do not exclude the possibility of breathing through the nose, but they significantly complicate the process.
|
| Third degree | The heaviest.
|
Frequent exacerbation of chronic diseases, prolonged runny nose, snoring during sleep and constant fatigue can be a consequence of the proliferation of adenoids. Adenoids or adenoid vegetations are an enlarged tonsil, which consists of lymphadenoid tissue and is located on the back wall of the nasal cavity. It performs a protective function in the body, but due to frequent colds and inflammation, its size gradually increases, which inevitably leads to breathing problems and constant nasal congestion.
What should be the treatment for adenoids? The symptoms of the disease can be quickly eliminated with surgical treatment.
However, operations are prescribed only in cases of severe proliferation of adenoid vegetations, when lymphoid tissues block the nasal canals by at least 50%.
In all other cases, signs of the disease and, accordingly, organ hypertrophy can be eliminated with the help of physiotherapy and medications.
Pharyngeal tonsil – forge of immunity
What are adenoids and how can they be cured? Not everyone knows that adenoids are not a disease, but an immune organ that protects the nasopharynx from the penetration of microbes, allergens, fungi and viruses. They are the first barrier to most pathogens that penetrate the ENT organs with air.
In lymphoid tissues, special antibodies are synthesized - immunoglobulins, which destroy pathogenic agents. But frequent colds, exacerbations of chronic diseases, hypovitaminosis and autoimmune disorders negatively affect the body's resistance. A significant increase in the infectious load on the immune organ “forces” it to grow in order to increase the production of protective cells.
If the adenoid vegetation grows unhindered, over time this negatively affects respiratory function, in particular breathing through the nose. Hypertrophied tissues block the choanae, i.e. nasal passages, as a result of which the patient begins to breathe only through the mouth. If they are not eliminated, this will lead to the development of complications, because the adenoids block not only the choanae, but also the openings of the auditory tubes.
Thus, delayed treatment of adenoid vegetations entails the development of otitis media, mastoiditis, sinusitis and other ENT diseases.
Features of therapy
Can adenoids be cured? In the initial stages of pathology development, symptoms can be eliminated with the help of pharmaceutical drugs and physiotherapeutic procedures. However, in cases where adenoid vegetations have already provoked disturbances in nasal breathing, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without adenotomy.
Conservative therapy is effective in treating stages 1 and 2 of proliferation of lymphoid tissues in the nasopharynx.
As a rule, the treatment regimen for adenoids includes drugs with anti-inflammatory, vasoconstrictor, disinfectant and immunostimulating effects. Medicines eliminate swelling and inflammation, due to which the volume of the pharyngeal tonsil is slightly reduced. But in case of severe overgrowth of adenoids, nasal medications, rinses and systemic anti-inflammatory drugs will be ineffective.
Adenoids are formed neoplasms that do not dissolve when using medications. Therefore, they can be completely eliminated only through surgery.
However, you should understand that fast is not always good. Complete removal of the pharyngeal tonsil leads to a decrease in immunity, which means an increase in the risk of infection of the ENT organs with pathogenic bacteria, yeast-like fungi, virions, etc.
Conservative treatment methods
How to shrink adenoids with medications? Only an integrated approach to resolving the issue allows us to achieve quick and, most importantly, positive results. It is advisable to combine drug therapy with physiotherapeutic procedures, which enhance the effect of drugs and accelerate the process of their penetration into the adenoid tissue.
With a relatively small increase in the pharyngeal tonsil, the treatment regimen includes:
- vitamin and mineral complexes;
- immunocorrectors;
- antihistamines;
- homeopathic medicines;
- vasoconstrictor drops;
- antiseptic solutions;
- local antibiotics;
- nasal rinsing medications.
Antibiotics and antiviral agents are used only in the case of septic (infectious) inflammation of adenoid growths, which is called adenoiditis.
Of the physiotherapeutic procedures, laser therapy, cryotherapy and electrophoresis are in particular demand. After 5-10 sessions, tissue regeneration improves and nasal breathing becomes easier.
Silver preparations
Treatment of adenoids in adults may be accompanied by the use of medications based on colloidal silver. Not long ago it was proven that silver preparations have a complex disinfecting, drying, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect. Their use in the initial stages of pathology development allows one to reduce the volume of adenoid growths by 10-15%, which is very good.
The most effective pharmaceutical products include “Protargol” and “Collargol”. Colloidal silver forms a protective film on the surface of the nasopharyngeal mucosa that is impermeable to pathogens.
This leads to a decrease in the sensitivity of the ciliated epithelium, a decrease in swelling and constriction of blood vessels.
Important! To treat adenoids, only a 1.5-2% Protargol solution can be used, since large concentrations of colloidal silver cause atrophic changes in the nasal mucosa.
Disinfectants do not allow adenoid tissues to become inflamed and cause complications. Therefore, they are recommended for the prevention of adenoiditis in patients with grades 2 and 3 hypertrophy of the pharyngeal tonsil.
Inhalations
How can you quickly eliminate inflammation of the adenoids? Inhalations are one of the most effective ways to treat inflammation in the nasopharynx. At elevated temperatures, it is recommended to use not steam, but aerosol inhalers, which are called nebulizers. They convert liquid into an aerosol, due to which the drug particles are very quickly absorbed by the nasal mucosa and pharyngeal tonsil.
It is worth noting that it is not the procedure itself that has a therapeutic effect, but the medications used for inhalation. Adenoid vegetations will decrease only if inflammation resolves and tissue swelling decreases. For nebulizers, you can use pharmaceutical products that accelerate the liquefaction of mucus, destroy bacteria and promote tissue regeneration. The most effective remedies used in the treatment of adenoiditis include:
- "Dioxidin";
- "Lazolvan";
- "Rotokan";
- "Sinupret";
- "Pulmicort".
Local treatment has a beneficial effect on the state of the respiratory system and, accordingly, the patient’s well-being. If you regularly resort to physical therapy, the symptoms of the disease can be eliminated within a few days.
Cold treatment, or cryotherapy, not only inhibits the growth of adenoid tissue, but also leads to its necrosis, i.e. dying off. A painless and simple physiotherapeutic procedure is a good alternative to surgery, which sometimes causes complications. What is the essence of cryotherapy?
During the session, a thin tube is inserted into the patient's nasal cavity, through which the pharyngeal tonsil is treated with liquid nitrogen. When exposed to ultra-low temperatures (approximately -70°C), tissues freeze.
After 5-7 sessions of local cryotherapy, the nasopharyngeal tonsil becomes necrotic and falls off. Patients suffering from cold allergies, as well as women during pregnancy, should not resort to cryotherapy.
The advantage of the physiotherapeutic method of treating adenoids is the absence of burns and frostbite of healthy tissue surrounding the tonsil.
In addition, cryotherapy is a bloodless and low-traumatic method of removing a hypertrophied tonsil, which can even be used as part of pediatric therapy.
Operation
How to treat adenoids? Surgical treatment is a radical way to solve the problem with adenoids. Surgery is resorted to only if drug therapy is ineffective and there are serious indications.
Adenotomy is usually prescribed to patients with:
- holding your breath during sleep;
- otitis and tonsillitis;
- maxillofacial anomalies;
- hearing impairment;
- frequent development of acute respiratory infections (more than 5-6 times a year).
After the operation, the patient must undergo a rehabilitation course, which is aimed at restoring hearing and nasal breathing.
There are several surgical methods that are used to treat adults:
- classical adenotomy - excision of adenoid vegetations with a ring scalpel (adenotome);
- shaver adenotomy - removal of lymphoid tissues with a microdebrider, which is a device with a thin blade at the end;
- laser adenotomy - “evaporation” of the submucosal layer of the pharyngeal tonsil with a laser or cutting out soft tissues with a focused beam, followed by “sealing” the blood vessels;
- cold plasma surgery – bloodless removal of adenoids using plasma radiation, the temperature of which does not exceed 60°C.
Cold plasma coblation is the most progressive and least traumatic method, during which the tissues surrounding the tonsil are practically not damaged.
Adenotomy is usually performed under general or local anesthesia. Since there are no nerve endings in lymphoid tissues, surgery on adults is usually performed under local anesthesia, which does not create additional stress on the cardiovascular system.