It is a disease that causes an inflammation in the adenoid tissue. This is a medical condition which can be treated using proper medication. Here are stated its popular myths.
Adenoids act like a shield for filtering out bacteriaIf you thought that adenoids filter the bacteria out, then you are wrong. There is no evidence to suggest that adenoids act like a sponge to trap bacteria. As a matter of fact, the medical community now believes that tonsils or adenoids have little role to play after the first year of our physical development. Hence, it is advisable to get them removed as early as possible. Research shows that people who have undergone surgery to get their adenoids or tonsils removed have led a more or less infection free life than those with the tonsils still intact. Therefore, believing in such stories about adenoids will do more harm than good.Adenoidectomy cures only sore throats
Many patients believe that the only purpose behind surgery for adenoiditis is to heal sore throats. However, it should be remembered that adenoids are removed to meet two basic ends. Apart from curing sore throats, the most general reason for performing adenoiditis surgery is to treat the obstruction of air passages. Studies show that in about 75 percent of the total adenoiditis cases, this is the most common reason. Blockage of air passages triggers difficulty in breathing. It is when the situation becomes extremely worrying that people prefer to undergo surgery. Even if a sore throat does not give you much trouble, airway blockage certainly will. Keeping such considerations in mind, it would be advisable to consult a doctor the moment there is a suspicion of adenoid inflammation.
Airway obstruction is the most severe result of adenoid infectionAir way blockage or sore throat apart, adenoiditis may also give rise to nose blockage problems. At times, the symptoms can get so severe that they make the patient suffer from a congested nose, or speak in a nasal voice. If the adenoids are too large, the patient may not be able to eat properly. Additionally, the patient may also face choking problems. The affected person snores loudly, being unable to breathe properly during sleep. In extreme cases, he or she will stop breathing for a fraction of a few seconds. If left untreated, the condition may affect the functioning of lungs and heart.Adenoiditis is the only cause of airway blockagesA section of the population believes that all airway blockages are caused by tonsils or adenoids. This is another fictitious presumption about the true reasons behind a potentially dangerous condition. There are several cases where children without adenoiditis suffered from airway obstruction. So what could be the possible causes of obstructions in air passages? Nasal septalspur is the common reason. Other factors, like swelling of nasal membranes, may also play a crucial role here. Whatever the reason, it is always advisable to consult a doctor in case you are suffering from airway blockages.Adenoiditis will heal on its own and does not require treatmentThe primary function of adenoid tissues lies in trapping germs that try to enter your body. Since the tissues act like shields, they are also prone to several problems, swelling of adenoid being the most common among them. While the swelling might subside on its own, to think that the condition will never require treatment is wrong. In extreme situations, you may need to consult a doctor and get treated for adenoiditis. At times, bacterial invasions wallop the adenoid tissues to such an extent, that the latter ends up getting affected. Swollen adenoid tissues may even cause problems in breathing. Hence, the sooner you consult an expert, the better.Surgery is the only remedy for adenoiditisAdenoiditis does not necessarily require the patient to go under the knife. There are several ways of treating adenoiditis. The treatment process generally includes gargling, drinking plenty of liquids and following a diet. Antibiotic therapy is known to work well for infections triggered through bacterial invasions. So, when is surgery recommended to get rid of adenoiditis? Surgical treatments come into play only when the situation becomes severe. If medications fail to produce desired results, doctors suggest surgery. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy operations are performed to remove both the tonsils and the adenoid tissues. None of the above listed operations will, however, require stitches. The bottom line is that adenoiditis can be treated in a variety of ways apart from surgery. And even if your doctor recommends surgery, it will only be a minor one.Adenoidectomy is a painful and risky operationContrary to popular belief, the surgery for curing adenoiditis is a fairly simple one. Patients get back to their normal life in less than a week. To access and remove the tonsils, doctors use curette or micro-debrider that, unlike many other devices around, does not make an incision in the soft tissues. Moreover, during the surgery, the patient receives special medications that make him or her fall asleep. It also insures that the patients do not feel pain while being operated upon. In certain cases, surgeons get the glands cauterized. In doing so, the surgeon may use heat to seal tissues and thereby permanently prevent adenoids from functioning.Adenoiditis only affects childrenWhile adenoiditis is a syndrome that primarily affects children, it may occur in adults also. Such cases, though, are generally rare. But all the same it would be wrong to think that being a grown up you cannot develop adenoiditis. The symptoms of adenoiditis are similar in both children and adults. However, what people above the age of eighteen years generally face are serious adenoid symptoms that require adenoidectomy. Again, adenoid surgery may also be recommended to adults with a severe snoring problem or those suffering from cancer of the organ. It should be remembered that adenoiditis is not a life threatening disease. However, where the symptoms get severe, people must seek immediate medical attention.Tonsillitis and adenoiditis are one and sameAlthough similar in nature, yet tonsillitis and adenoiditis are different from one another. Tonsillitis is a condition where fleshy tissues at the back of the mouth get affected. Adenoiditis, however, refers to the inflammation of tissues at the back of the mouth’s roof. A tonsil is much more visible compared to adenoid tissues. Doctors can detect a case of tonsillitis merely by asking the patient to open his mouth and examining the insides with a torch. For adenoids, however, experts would need a special device and a tiny mirror to see and detect. In extreme situations, patients may even be instructed to undergo X-Ray tests.Sore throat is the only symptom of adenoiditisAdenoiditis has several symptoms, of which sore throat is only a part. Symptoms vary from one person to another depending on the infection-causing agents. The most common symptoms of adenoiditis include stuffy nose, sore throat, swollen neck glands, and ear problems or ear pain. A stuffy nose can cause difficulties in breathing. Hence, in case of adenoiditis, one problem or symptom simply leads to another. Apart from the ones listed above, adenoiditis has other symptoms too. Of them, breathing through mouth, sleeping disorder, sleep apnea or snoring and speaking with a nasal tone are a few worth mentioning. Hence, if you are suffering from any two of the conditions referred to above, then do get in touch with a doctor right away.Enlarged adenoid tissues mean you have adenoiditis and will require surgeryAdenoids do not come in standardized sizes. They may vary widely in terms of length. Hence, what appears as swelling to you may as well be the normal size of the adenoid in others. In Infants and babies, adenoids act as filters to keep the bacteria out. However, adenoids continue to grow with age. In most cases, adenoids disappear by the time the child reaches his or her teens. Enlarged adenoids can never be a strong basis for surgery. The patient is made to undergo a series of tests and examinations before the doctor can consider performing a surgery.
