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Purpose of the Adenoids

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery states that the adenoids and tonsils work together to protect the immune system. The adenoids are clusters of lumpy, spongy tissue found on each side of the throat. Because they are in the back of the throat behind the nose and mouth, adenoids cannot be seen with the naked eyes like tonsils can. In order for doctors to examine this area of the throat and mouth, doctors use special equipment to check the adenoids. The purpose of adenoids is protecting the body from infections; however, because of advances antibiotics, their infection-fighting purpose has become less important and they can actually turn on many people's immune systems.

  1. Fighting Infections

    • The Texas Pediatric Surgical Associates state that the primary purpose of the adenoids is protecting the body from bacterial or viral infections from entering the body via breathing or swallowing. Adenoids contain cells that have the ability to produce natural infection-fighting antibodies. The function of the adenoids is important in children, because their immune systems are not yet fully functional. However, the infection-fighting purpose of the adenoids decreases as children get older.

    Past Purpose

    • The Texas Pediatric Surgical Associates say that many of the infections that adenoids and tonsils were designed to protect children from, such as parasites and worms, are relatively rare during the early development of many children. On the other hand, adenoids do not fight many of the infections experienced by children in today's society. This may be the reason why adenoids and tonsils often malfunction in many adults and children.

    Blockages

    • Because the infection-fighting purpose of the adenoids has declined, they sometimes cause pain and suffering for people and need to be removed. One of the reasons for removal is blockages caused by enlarged adenoids. These blockages cause breathing difficulties, snoring and even life-threatening sleep apnea. Blockages occur because of fluid buildup because of ear and sinus infections.

    Adenoids and Children

    • The Texas Pediatric Surgical Associates state that even when children experience swollen adenoids, this is not a signal that they should be removed despite their minimal purpose. As many children get older, their adenoids shrink and no longer affect their breathing capacity. Instead of surgery to remove adenoids, doctors may prescribe antibiotics to reduce infections and swelling.

    When to Consider Removal

    • The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery says that, because there is no major purpose of the adenoids, doctors consider removal if antibiotics and minimally invasive methods do not stem the recurrence of inflammation. Doctors conduct a complete physical examination, including throat cultures, X-rays and blood tests. Once the data is collected and analyzed, they consider whether they need to perform adenoidectomies on children or adults. It takes 2 to 4 weeks to recover from this procedure.

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