Question:
What do adenoids do and what happens to a person after
they are removed?
Replies:
Adenoids are actually a type of tonsil; in fact, they are technically the
pharyngeal tonsils. Tonsils are a type of lymph node-their job is to act as
filters at points where it is likely that foreign material will enter the
body. You have lymph nodes up and down your neck, they form a ring around
your throat (the tonsils), they are clustered at the places where your limbs
attach to your trunk, ie. the groin and the armpits. The tonsils can get
enlarged and swollen when they are infected with bacteria. Some people get
chronic infections of the tonsils. They sound nasal and have a hard time
breathing because of the constant swelling. The old view was to remove them
to make the child more comfortable and able to breathe. It was a very common
surgery in children-most kids had their tonsils and/or adenoids removed. BUt
now, we realize that they are there for a reason and are only removed if all
other avenues have been explored and its a last resort.
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