When Do I Need My Adenoids Removed?

Adenoids are a patch of tissue at the back of your nasal passage. Adenoids are similar to your tonsils and help your body trap bacteria from reaching your throat. This helps prevent infection and irritation to the body. Adenoids are beneficial and don’t commonly cause issues. However, just like your tonsils, adenoids can become enlarged and inflamed. This causes various issues and can be debilitating. Thankfully, treatments like adenoid removal surgery can remedy this issue. Let’s take a look and when you need your adenoids removed and how adenoid removal surgery can help.

Understanding Adenoid Enlargement

Adenoid enlargement, also known as adenoid hypertrophy, is caused by similar things that can enlarge your tonsils. This includes viruses, bacteria, smoking, fungus, and infections. There are two primary issues with an enlarged adenoid, infection, and obstructive sleep apnea. Enlarged adenoids increase the risk of developing sinus and throat infections. In fact, a common sign of an enlarged adenoid is repeated infections.

The adenoid is found in the back of the nasal passageway. An enlarged adenoid can become large enough to restrict airflow in the nose. This can cause obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Your body will naturally relax and struggle to breathe as you sleep. You will unconsciously wake up multiple times throughout the night to be able to breathe. This causes a wide range of issues, from oxygen loss and a deteriorated quality of sleep. Thankfully, the removal of your adenoids can correct these issues.

Removing the Problem

As mentioned before, your adenoids are a powerful tool to prevent bacteria from entering the throat, especially at a young age. However, the issues caused by an enlarged adenoid often outweigh the benefits. That’s why Dr. David Volpi with New York ENT provides adenoid removal surgery services for people seeking relief from an enlarged adenoid. Dr. Volpi is an expert in his practice with over 30 years of experience. Dr. Volpi approaches every patient as an individual, even if they have the same diagnosis. He believes in providing efficient and comfortable results to all of his patients. If you’re struggling with an enlarged adenoid, contact New York ENT at 212-873-6036 today.