Adenoids are tonsils located in the nasopharynx and are the first barrier to infections and bacteria. Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil - adenoiditis - affects children aged 3-7 years who are regularly ill and who have suffered diseases such as measles and scarlet fever.
Upon reaching 10-12 years of age, when the immune system is almost completely formed, the pharyngeal tonsil shrinks and disappears. But doctors record the presence of adenoids in some adults. We will look at the symptoms and treatment of this problem in this article.
Causes
Adenoids in adults can appear for various reasons, including due to genetic characteristics. Such adenoids can remain from childhood. But most often the cause of the proliferation of adenoids is frequent and long-lasting inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx.
Since the nasopharyngeal tonsil consists of lymphoid tissue (this tissue delays infection), it grows during infection. If the infection passes quickly, then the tonsil quickly shrinks, and if the process is prolonged, then adenoids may appear.
Adenoids in a child photo
Adenoids are a pathological proliferation of lymphoid tissue caused by excessive intake of viral and infectious agents into the patient’s body. To understand where the adenoids are located and what they look like, you need to briefly understand the anatomy of the nasopharynx.
Where are the adenoids located in a child and an adult? First you need to understand what adenoids are.
Everyone knows what the palatine tonsils (tonsils) are: they are located on the sides of the pharyngeal ring and play a barrier role.
But in the human body the following are also determined:
- tubal tonsils,
- lingual and pharyngeal tonsils.
The pharyngeal tonsil is a collection of lymphoid tissue. It is located at the border of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract, preventing infection from entering the trachea, bronchi and lungs.
As a rule, the proliferation of lymphoid tissue occurs between the ages of 5-12 years. In later years, atrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsil and spontaneous regression of the adenoid process occurs. This is not always the case, otherwise the disease would not occur in adults.
The trigger (trigger mechanism) of the pathological process is the constant exposure of the nasopharynx to pathogenic microorganisms.
Symptoms of adenoids in adults
The primary symptoms of adult adenoids are practically no different from the signs of adenoids in children:
- snore;
- difficulty breathing through the nose;
- constant nasal congestion;
- purulent discharge from the nasal passages during a cold;
- nasal and/or hoarseness of voice;
- headache - occurs as a result of oxygen starvation, which affects all systems and organs of the body and, first of all, the brain;
- frequent diseases (acute respiratory infections, rhinitis, sinusitis, otitis media, sinusitis).
Just as in the case of a child, “adult” adenoids come in different degrees. At the first stage, breathing is difficult only at night; during the day, complications may not be observed. If the form of the disease is acute, the temperature may rise. The second and third stages smoothly transition from one to another, so their symptoms are practically not separated and include the following:
- purulent discharge from the nose in large quantities;
- a person practically does not breathe through his nose;
- snoring during sleep, at the third stage the breathing of a sleeping person may stop;
- A dry cough appears in the morning, which can also bother you during the day;
- pronounced breathing through the mouth.
An otolaryngologist and modern research methods can distinguish adenoiditis from a common runny nose.
Square face type: features and methods of its correction
This type is significant in that in most cases the ratio of the length and width of the face is almost the same. Often the length of the hairline is completely identical to the chin line, but there are also some deviations.
The cheekbones are pronounced. Owners of such a face are not recommended to use hairstyles that lack volume. On the contrary, the best option would be high, voluminous hairstyles, such as those worn by Audrey Hepburn.
square face type photo
You shouldn't give up long hair either. They perfectly smooth out the sharp features of the face and slightly narrow the jawline. A square face type requires round or slightly angular eyebrows.
As for makeup, it is recommended to choose it from the category of discreet ones, so as not to draw attention to a high chin, and indeed to the length of the face as a whole.
Makeup technique for square face type:
- Apply makeup base. Then we choose a foundation, it should ideally suit your skin tone. In order to hide the corners of the jaw, apply a slightly darker tone to them and carefully shade them.
- We choose dark blush to give the skin a more natural look. The application technique is simply simple - from the middle line of the cheekbones to the temples.
- To give the correct proportions to the face, the chin should be slightly lightened, which will allow it to be slightly visually enlarged.
- If you use eyeshadow, choose solid shades.
- In order to highlight your eyes, you should apply mascara - preferably black or brown. Brown mascara will give your look softness and sophistication.
- We highlight eyebrows using a pencil that perfectly matches your natural color.
- We paint our lips at our discretion, but experts recommend not highlighting the corners of the lips and not using too bright shades.
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Treatment of adenoids in adults
If adenoids are detected in adults, treatment with conservative methods can be carried out only when adenoids are of the first degree. If the nose is very stuffy, then instill vasoconstrictor medications for several days or rinse your mouth with eucalyptus tincture. With a more severe exacerbation, treatment of adenoids in adults is carried out with antibiotics, having previously identified the sensitivity of infectious agents to them.
How to treat adenoids in adults when they are large - second and third degree. In this case, surgical intervention is necessary. In general, a clear indication for adenoid removal is the inability to breathe through the nose. If your nose doesn't breathe, you run the risk of falling asleep every night and never waking up again. It sounds creepy, but sleep apnea is a well-known medical phenomenon.
In addition, even while awake, constant breathing through the mouth causes the mucous membrane of the throat to dry out - and this leads to a sore throat and a dry cough. It’s not fatal, but all this interferes with rest, work, and life in general... and over time, permanent nasal congestion can cause increased fatigue and frequent headaches.
Why are adenoids dangerous?
Due to constant mouth breathing, the child’s body does not receive enough oxygen.
It is necessary to treat adenoids in the nose in a timely manner, otherwise complications cannot be avoided. The danger is not the proliferation of lymphoid tissue itself, but the diseases associated with it. Among the complications:
- chronic otitis;
- chronic sinusitis (sinusitis);
- hearing impairment;
- the appearance of speech defects;
- hypoxia;
- stopping breathing during sleep.
Chronic otitis is a sluggish inflammatory process in the middle ear. It is dangerous due to perforation of the eardrum and hearing loss. Otitis media does not lead to deafness, but a person with a chronic form hears about 20% worse than healthy people.
Chronic sinusitis, in particular sinusitis, is another common complication of adenoids. The disease manifests itself as inflammation of the nasal sinuses and requires complex treatment.
Note! Quite often, otitis media and sinusitis “go hand in hand” with grade 2 and 3 adenoids.
Another common complication is the appearance of speech defects. Since the child cannot breathe through his nose, he does not pronounce some sounds. Also, if nasal breathing is impaired, a noticeable nasal voice is observed.
Hypoxia, or oxygen starvation of tissues, is a complication of grade 3 adenoids. This is due to the fact that when breathing through the mouth, the body lacks oxygen. As a result, metabolic processes deteriorate, sleep quality decreases, and cognitive functions suffer. This is especially noticeable in children of primary school age who have problems concentrating in class due to the fact that the brain does not have enough oxygen.
The most dangerous complication is sleep apnea. This disorder manifests itself as a short-term cessation of breathing during sleep. In severe cases, there is a risk of complete respiratory arrest.
Adenoid removal
Today in surgery there are two ways to remove adenoids (adenotomy):
- Using an endoscope. A tube is inserted into the nasal cavity, at the end of which there is a television camera (endoscope). Using microsurgical instruments, the doctor removes the tonsil through the nose or mouth. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and lasts 30–60 minutes.
- Using a special surgical instrument - an adenotom. The operation is performed in a hospital under local anesthesia. The doctor inserts a thin ring-shaped knife (adenotome) into the patient's nasal cavity, which grabs and cuts off the adenoids. The procedure takes about 20 minutes to complete.
It is better not to use folk remedies to treat this disease. Incorrectly taken measures can lead to serious complications that will affect the patient’s condition in the future.
A dozen years ago it was believed that adenoiditis was a disease that affected only children of primary and school age, but the number of diseases identified in the population 20-50 years old is growing every year. This information gave reason to believe that the answer to the question “Do adults have adenoids” is positive. Has the disease become “older” or have new examination methods appeared? How is adenoiditis treated in adult patients?
The vicissitudes of diagnosis
The reason for the “growing up” of adenoiditis lies in the possibilities of medicine. Anatomically, the structure of a child's nasopharynx is very different from that of an adult . The pharyngeal tonsil of adult patients is located much higher and “further” to the nose, so it was previously not possible to identify the anomaly with the usual ENT instruments. Often, the doctor had only a special mirror at his disposal, with the help of which enlarged tissue could be seen only in children.
Now, thanks to endoscopy, identifying adenoids in the nose of adults (see photos of the pathological process in the website gallery) is not difficult. Diagnostics is carried out under local anesthesia using a thin and flexible tube, at the end of which a video camera is attached . With its help, the doctor examines the nasopharynx in detail and slowly, literally identifying features millimeter by millimeter and assessing the overall picture of the pathology.
It was thanks to the development of endoscopic diagnostics in ENT practice that it became clear that adults suffer from adenoiditis equally as children. Literally every 3-4 people are susceptible to the growth of the pharyngeal tonsil in one form or another.
Characteristics of facial types
Rectangular or elongated type - the lines of the temples and chin almost coincide, the horizontals prevail over the verticals.
Square – the length and width of the face are approximately equal, sharp, strictly defined features.
Round - the proportions are the same as with a square, but there are no sharp transitions, the face has a soft, smooth oval, and the cheeks are its widest part.
Oval - the ratio of length to width is 1.5, the face is symmetrical, smoothly rounded.
“Diamond” - cheekbones and temples are quite wide, the forehead is low and narrow, the chin is pointed.
“Heart” differs from “diamond” in that, with a sharp chin, it has equally wide forehead and cheekbones.
“Triangle” - from a narrow forehead, the shape of the face widens towards the chin.
This is how your face type is determined. Knowing it, you can create an image that will make you even more attractive. And don’t be embarrassed if your face is not the “oval” type, which is considered ideal. Stylists call it such only for the reason that it is easier to work with an “oval”. In general, any face shape can become a standard of beauty. A good example of this is Angelina Jolie. Take a close look at her face and try to classify it. Is there the desired ovality there? Not at all, the famous beauty has a square face. So, away from worrying about supposedly imperfect proportions - the main thing is to be able to competently present what is given by nature.
Rules are meant to be broken!
