Adenoidal Hypertrophy

Adenoid hypertrophy means increase in the size of adenoids. Adenoids is basically a lymphoid tissue, which is situated behind the nose, in the roof of nasopharynx. This hypertrophy is more common in children than adults. In children, the hypertrophy occurs till 6-7 years of age and then it regresses by early teen age.

Cause
The adenoids may get enlarged due to acute infection or due to long standing and recurrent infections. This may increase in size due to allergies.

What happens when adenoid gets enlarged?
As adenoids are situated at the back of the nose, so when they increase in size, they cause nose blockage and difficulty in breathing through nose. The child will breathe through the mouth and there may be noisy breathing or snoring while sleeping. There may be discharge in the nose. The child may also have chronic cough. There may be difficulty in hearing and sometimes ear pain also. This happens due to the blockage of eustachian tube. In severe cases, the child may have obstructive sleep apnea.

Management
Dr. Satinder Singh who has a good experience in pediatric ENT problems, assess each patient in a detailed and comprehensive way. He compassionately and patiently hears to the problems and provides full opportunity to ask as many queries as one like, regarding the problem. A detailed examination is done by the doctor and an X-ray of the nasopharynx may be asked to confirm the diagnosis. In some children, a flexible nasopharyngoscopy/ laryngoscopy may be required.

Depending upon the situation, the doctor may prescribe some medication in the form of antibiotics, antiallergics and also a nasal spray. But, if the condition is such that medication may not help or already medications were given for an adequate period of time without much benefit, then surgery will be the answer to the problem. The surgery required may only be the adenoidectomy or it may be combined with tonsillectomy and or myringotomy with grommet insertion. This will depend on the condition of the tonsils and of the ear.