The tonsils and adenoids (tonsil adenoid) are one of the parts of our immune system. We can think of it as a piece of a big puzzle. At the entrance of our throat, the right and left 2 tonsils and the adenoid in the nasal region behind the uvula are structurally the same.
They protect us against pathogens such as bacteria and viruses in the air we breathe. The tonsils secrete protective substances into the oral cavity through small holes on it.
As a result of the weakening of the immune system, they become infected by pathogenic bacteria and viruses. In this case, we see edema, redness and dirty white formations on it.
At the same time, our lymph nodes in our jaw area become sensitive and pain occurs.
In the presence of symptoms such as difficulty in swallowing, fever, weakness, headache, a condition called acute tonsillitis occurs. Often, pathogens, not beta bacteria, are caused by viruses.
Medical treatment (antibiotics, mouthwash, painkillers), plenty of fluids and absolute rest are recommended.
Frequent recurrence of tonsillitis may cause unwanted effects on the kidney and heart valves. Frequent use of antibiotics, long recovery time are other negative aspects.
Surgery is recommended in cases such as 5-6 attacks in a year (once a month) or 2-3 attacks in a year and its recurrence for 3 consecutive years, abscess development in the tonsils, and febrile convulsions.
Surgery is a 30-40 minute procedure under general anesthesia. Thermal welling method is a painless method with less bleeding.
A special watery soft diet is mandatory for 10 days after the surgery. While the post-operative period in children is mostly easily overcome, the problem of pain becomes more prominent in adults. Necessary pain relief support is provided for this.
Adenoid enlargement problem is one of the childhood problems. Sometimes it is genetically large from birth or grows due to infection, allergic reasons over time, causing breathing and swallowing problems.
-Don’t sleep with your mouth open snoring
– nasal congestion
– mouth watering out
– restless sleep, frequent change of position during sleep, sweating in the head and neck region
– urination during sleep in some cases
– otitis media, fluid collection
-frequent sinusitis
-school age distraction, concentration disorder, learning difficulties
-growth and development retardation, inability to gain weight
-Deterioration of the chin and face structure, the chin coming forward, the elevation of the palate
In these symptoms, the size of the adenoid should be suspected. While direct imaging can be possible in cooperative children with the method we call flexible by entering through the nose, some children can be diagnosed with a simple imaging method (x-ray).
In the case of adenoid hypertrophy, the treatment is surgery. It does not shrink over time, the growth trend continues until puberty. Tonsil and pharynx surgery can be done safely over the age of 2 years.
The adenoid is removed by scraping or laser method by entering through the mouth under general anesthesia. No pads are placed. They are usually discharged on the same day. The post-operative process is comfortable. There is no serious problem in nutrition, it heals within 1 week.
After the decision for surgery is taken within the framework of the criteria I mentioned above, the operation of tonsils and adenoids does not cause a deficiency in the immune system of children. This has been proven by scientific studies.