Adenoiditis is a disease that often occurs in children against the background of pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy . The disease is a chronic, subacute and acute inflammatory process. Adenoiditis can also bother an adult. Most often, this phenomenon occurs due to an enlarged and not removed in time tonsils.
It is worth noting that with such a disease, inflammation is infectious and allergic in nature, since it is caused not only by bacteria, but also proceeds with a violation of immunological reactions. The most common symptom is a cough with adenoids. Treatment is a long and complex process.
Why does adenoiditis occur?
Most often, a cough occurs with adenoids in children aged 1.5 to 14 years. In adults, this symptom is extremely rare. In this case, the inflammatory process can be a complication of acute respiratory viral infections or colds. Often, adenoiditis occurs during the course of diseases such as sinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and other ENT pathologies. Acute inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil is an unpleasant ailment, which is accompanied by a cough.
Causes of Cough
Cough with adenoids is a clinical sign of a disease that occurs due to direct irritation of the nasopharynx nerve roots secreted by mucus or pus. A similar symptom develops during the course of an infectious process. Adenoiditis is characterized by a quick and acute onset, accompanied by an obsessive cough. Most often, the symptom bothers at night.
With a sluggish chronic disease that develops with hypertrophy of the pharyngeal tonsil of the 2nd or 3rd degree, a cough often arises, which is permanent (adenoid cough). The symptom disturbs the patient at night, when the child or adult takes a horizontal position. The causes of cough with adenoids in children are several:
- The reflex reaction that occurs when an irritant acts on receptors located in the oropharynx and nasopharynx, as well as on the pharyngeal tonsil itself. It is activated at night. Most often, a cough is disturbed by the drainage of mucus along the back of the throat.
- Drying of the mucous tissue of the throat and mouth at night. This unpleasant phenomenon occurs due to impaired nasal breathing.
- Swelling of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and its tissues. With adenoids, the vessels are constantly in an inflamed state and become permeable.
It is worth noting that day and night cough with adenoids, as well as other disorders and changes do not cause complications and are not dangerous to the health of the child. Such attacks are not able to cause the development of inflammatory processes in the bronchi or in the lungs. Against the background of coughing, severe consequences do not occur. However, the exception is those cases when the inflammatory process flows from the upper respiratory tract to the lower.
What happens after removal of adenoids
If a cough with adenoids often disturbs the child, interferes with sleep at night and does not go away for a long time, then an adenotomy is performed. The procedure is the removal of hypertrophied tonsils. Most often, after such an operation, the cough ceases to bother the child, since the main source of infection disappears. However, this does not always happen. Coughing may also occur after elimination of the organ. Symptom occurs due to a small area of inflammatory tissue left behind. This often happens when the operation is performed blindly. If a cough occurs several months after surgery, this indicates a re-growth of adenoids.
In addition, a cough can bother a child after tonsillectomy due to better outflow from the paranasal sinuses, as stagnant mucus begins to recede. In this case, the inflammatory process gradually subsides. Coughing may be reflexive, as mucus irritates the back of the throat. If the symptom persists for 3 weeks, then it is recommended to visit a doctor to listen to the lungs.
Allergy Cough
Cough with adenoids is often caused by an allergic reaction. This disease affects the severity of the symptom. Otolaryngologists and pediatricians conditionally classify adenoiditis as an ailment without or with an allergic component. Moreover, it has its own characteristics. As practice shows, in allergy sufferers adenoids grow much faster. As a result of this, surgery and removal should be done more often.
Dry cough with adenoids can be observed not only due to exposure to the stimulus, but also because of pronounced swelling of the tissues. A similar symptom develops as a result of an allergy. This is due to the immunological reaction that occurs in the patient's body. At the local level, the growth of lymphoid tissue is significantly accelerated. Therefore, allergy sufferers often remove adenoids - the cough is constant and often dry. In this case, tissue edema may occur. The treatment in this case is radical.
Cough Features
It is worth noting that cough with adenoids in children, the treatment of which is not recommended to be postponed, has some features. However, not every doctor is able to identify it. Many experts confuse cough with adenoids with that which occurs against the background of colds. As a result, antiseptics and antiviral agents are used to treat the disease and related symptoms. It is worth noting that the treatment of cough with adenoids can last for several months. With the tonsils running, the problem can be solved only by removing them.
Doctors with sufficient experience are able to immediately determine the cause of the cough. With adenoiditis, the symptom has its own characteristics. Cough with such an ailment, as a rule, is dry, paroxysmal, throat, often alternates with wet. The time of day also matters. During the day, the child can simply cough, and at night the seizures become stronger and can cause vomiting. This phenomenon is accompanied by draining along the back wall of the pharynx of a mucopurulent or mucous secretion.
Associated symptoms
If it is impossible to determine the disease by cough, then it is necessary to observe the child. The disease has other signs:
- Fatigue and insomnia.
- A protracted runny nose, which is practically untreatable.
- Swelling of the nasal mucosa. In this case, there may be characteristic discharge.
- Impaired nasal breathing. As a result, the child breathes through his mouth.
- Strengthening cough at night.
Is it possible to cure drugs
Is it always necessary to remove adenoids? Coughing at night can be very disturbing for the baby. However, in some cases, medication is allowed to treat this symptom. If the growth of the tonsil does not reach 3 degrees, then you can resort to conservative methods of treatment. In this case, the frequency of respiratory diseases increases significantly. In addition, from 6 to 10 courses of therapy are required per year. If treatment does not give results, then an adenotomy is performed.
What is prescribed
So, how to treat cough with adenoids? If the child has symptoms of pathology, then it is worth immediately contacting specialists. Only a doctor is able to prescribe adequate treatment in accordance with the type of course of the disease. If acute adenoiditis is diagnosed, then only a local or systemic antibiotic will help cope with the disease. However, such drugs are prescribed only in cases where the ailment develops against the background of acute respiratory viral infections, and is also not caused by the virus.
Amoxiclav and Flemoklav help cope with cough with adenoids. These drugs can quickly stop the inflammatory process, as well as calm the cough on the 3rd day of treatment. It is strictly forbidden to shorten the course of therapy without notifying the doctor, as the infection can flare up in the body with renewed vigor.
Other therapies
Dry cough with adenoids in children can be treated not only with medications. In some cases, an integrated approach is required. To combat the disease and its symptoms are allowed:
- Carry inhalation with mucolytics, eucalyptus oil, saline, mineral water.
- Take ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is considered a general strengthening agent and is necessary to increase immunity.
- Flush nose with saline or seawater preparations.
- Gargle with alkaline solutions and saline.
- When taking a dry cough, take antitussive drugs, for example, Libexin, Sinecode, and when wet, mucolytics, including Linkas, ACC, Ambrobene, Bronhopret, licorice root syrup or marshmallow.
- Instill vasoconstrictor drops into the nose, for example, Nazivin, Tizin, For Nose. You can also use drugs with an antiseptic and antibacterial effect: Miramistin, Polydex, Protorgol, Isofra, Albutsid.
- Irrigate the oral cavity with glucocorticosteroid drugs for the duration of the milking time. It is best to use the preparations Nasobek and Nazonex.
- Take antihistamines that can eliminate tissue swelling: “Loratadin”, “Zodak”, “Zirtek”.
- Take homeopathic remedies that eliminate swelling and thin out sputum: Umkalor, Compositum, Euphorbium, Sinupret.
- Dissolve pills to strengthen local immunity: "Lizobakt", "Imudon."
What can not be done
With a strong cough, it is not recommended to abuse the resorption tablets, which have an antiseptic and antibacterial effect, contain menthol. Often, such drugs dry the mucous membrane and lead to the development of an infection of a more stable form. It is not recommended to use solutions with a high concentration of salt, and also often gargle with alkaline drugs.
In conclusion
If a child is concerned about a cough caused by a disease such as adenoiditis, then the daily regimen must be strictly observed. In this case, outdoor walks are recommended. In addition, the child should drink plenty of warm fluids. Some experts recommend combining medication with physiotherapy. With this disease, electrophoresis, diathermy, laser exposure, tube quartz, and so on are often prescribed. If long-term treatment does not give results and a dry cough persists, then an additional examination is required, as a result of which the doctor can prescribe an operation.