Causes, Symptoms and Home Remedies For Adenoids

upu Health Tips

Adenoids are tiny lymphatic tissues present just behind the tonsils. On opening your mouth wide open, you can see tiny ball like structures on either side of the throat, they are called tonsils. Adenoids are situated just behind the tonsils and usually they are not visible. Being lymphoid tissue adenoids are important glands that protect the body from bacteria and viruses that enter through nose and mouth.

They filter the pathogenic organisms and kill them. However, while performing their function just like tonsils they are vulnerable to get inflamed and swollen, thus leading to enlargement of adenoids. Adenoid hypertrophy is common condition in childhood. In adults the disease is uncommon because by the age of 5 years, adenoids start to shrink. A child suffering from adenitis present with symptoms such as sore throat, middle ear infection, stuffy nose, sinusitis, ear pain. It can also cause cholesteatoma, the child starts to feed slowly. Some children may have behavioral problem. In majority of cases treatment consists of antibiotics or surgery if the condition worsens or recurs frequently.
There are several natural remedies that can help to reduce the swelling.

Causes:

Adenoids are two tiny lymphoid tissues behind the tonsils. Being lymphoid tissues, they protect the body from invading organism that enters through mouth and nose. While trapping the germs, they may become enlarged and swollen. As the infection reduces adenoids return to their normal size. Usually enlarged adenoids are a problem of childhood. It can also develop due to allergies, and weak immune system. After the age of 5 the size of adenoids shrinks. In some cases adults too can suffer from adenitis. Adenitis is often associated with otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis, etc. Bacteria such as streptococci infection, staphylococcal infection, adenovirus, rhinovirus, EB virus are responsible for causing infection and enlargement of adenoids.

Symptoms:

The anatomical location of adenoids is at the back of nasal passage in the throat behind the tonsils. When adenoids become enlarged they obstruct proper breathing through nose. Other symptoms of hypertrophied adenoids include;

  • Ear pain and recurrent ear infection
  • Blocked nose
  • Snoring
  • Sore throat
  • Speaking with nasal tone.
  • Swelling of neck glands
  • Difficulty in sleeping due to nasal obstruction.
  • The child breathes through mouth
  • Sleep apnea
  • Dry mouth

Treatment:

Treatment of adenoid enlargement is use of antibiotics and anti inflammatory medicines. In rare cases surgery may be necessary. There are several home remedies that help to reduce the size of hypertrophied adenoids. Parents must also try these simple home remedies that usually are without any side effects.

  • Salt water gargling is the best suited medicine for enlarged adenoids. Salt has natural anti bacterial properties. It helps in killing the pathogens and reduces the size of adenoids.
  • Garlic contains sulfur compounds. This quality makes garlic potential antibacterial agent. Extract garlic juice from one or two garlic cloves. Add one teaspoon of honey and lemon juice to it and give the mixture two times in a day.
  • Mixture of honey and turmeric powder is effective in reducing the swollen adenoids. The natural antibacterial qualities of turmeric powder are useful in curbing the infection.

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