Symptoms
The symptoms caused by enlarged adenoids are mostly due to where this lymphoid tissue is located. The adenoids are in the midline of the nasopharynx, and the Eustachian tubes open from either ear to the right and left of them. Eustachian tubes ventilate the middle ear. Very large adenoids will block air passage in both the nose and the ears. This obstruction of normal air ventilation can lead to both sinusitis and otitis media. In children with excessive middle ear infections and chronic middle ear fluid, there is a high bacterial count in the adenoids as compared to children without problematic otitis media, even if the size of the adenoids is small. The adenoids in these cases provides a reservoir of pathogenic bacteria that cause ear infections and subsequent middle ear effusions (fluid).
The nasopharynx lies right above the throat. Splashes of excessive "drip" from infected adenoids may land directly on the vocal cords. Although the larynx and vocal cords do not ordinarily become infected from adenoiditis, their mucosa does become irritated. The vocal cords are extremely sensitive to touch, and any fluid drops falling on them cause an irresistible urge to cough. Adenoiditis therefore is one of the causes of cough.
Read more about this topic: Adenoid Hypertrophy
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