What is the difference between tonsils and adenoids

If your tonsils or adenoids are frequently infected or causing other symptoms, you may need to have them removed. This is a very common procedure, and most people can return to their usual activities about a week after surgery.

Learn about what foods are good to eat and what foods to avoid if you have a sore throat. Use this guide to help decide whether or not your child should take a sick day from school. Is it possible for tonsils to grow back after a tonsillectomy? Find out. You can still get strep throat without tonsils, but you may be at a lower risk for this infection following a tonsillectomy. We break down some of the basics surrounding what masculinity is, how it harms men, and what we can do about it.

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It helps break it into stages: warm-up, action, climax, and reflection. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Tonsils and Adenoids Overview. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. Weight loss or lack of weight gain: Children may not eat sufficiently because of pain resulting from infections or because breathing takes constant physical effort. Very large tonsils may be normal, and chronically infected tonsils may be normal-sized.

To help determine whether infections are the cause of enlarged tonsils, doctors ask how many episodes of strep throat children have had during the past 1 to 3 years. Usually, to view the back of the nose and throat, doctors insert a flexible viewing tube through the nose called a nasopharyngoscope. Doctors also look for redness of the tonsils, enlargement of lymph nodes at the jaw and in the neck, and the effect of the tonsils on breathing.

In such cases, doctors may recommend the child undergo a sleep study polysomnography Testing The most commonly reported sleep-related problems are insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up early, or a disturbance in For this test, the child is monitored while sleeping overnight in a sleep laboratory and chest x-rays and certain measurements, including oxygen levels in the blood, are taken.

If they think the cause is allergies, doctors may give a nasal corticosteroid spray or other drugs, such as antihistamines, by mouth. If the cause appears to be a bacterial infection, doctors may give antibiotics. If these drugs are not effective or if doctors think they will not be useful, doctors may recommend surgical removal of the adenoids called adenoidectomy and possibly removal of the tonsils called tonsillectomy during the same operation.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are very common operations for children in the United States. Children who benefit from these operations include those who have the following:. Multiple throat infections defined by some doctors as more than six infections in 1 year, more than four infections a year for 2 years, or more than two infections a year for 3 years.

Removing enlarged tonsils and adenoids is useful when enlargement causes extreme discomfort, breathing problems, or recurring infections.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy do not seem to decrease the frequency or severity of colds or cough. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are often done on an outpatient basis. These operations should be done at least 2 weeks after any infection has cleared. The surgical complication rate is low, but postoperative pain and difficulty swallowing caused by tonsillectomy may last up to 2 weeks. Children typically recover from adenoidectomy in 2 to 3 days. Bleeding resulting from tonsillectomy is a less common complication but may occur at 2 peak times, within 24 hours after surgery or at about 7 days after surgery.

Bleeding after surgery may be serious or even life-threatening in children. Children who have bleeding after surgery should go to the hospital or doctor's office. Merck and Co. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world.

The Manual was first published in as a service to the community. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics. Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders in Children. In addition, they may have a poor appetite due to diminished senses of smell and taste resulting from poor airflow through the nose.

Delayed growth can be caused by associated eating problems. Delayed growth can also result from disrupted sleep because growth hormone is predominantly produced during deep sleep. In addition to these growth issues, severe obstructive sleep apnea can, on rare occasions, lead to heart and lung problems.

Enlarged adenoids, allergies, sinus infections and colds can all cause nasal obstruction. Determining which one is the cause of the obstruction can be difficult.

In general, enlarged adenoids cause constant nasal obstruction without significant discharge. In contrast, nasal obstruction from allergies may fluctuate based on different seasons, locations and activities. Allergies often cause other symptoms in addition to nasal obstruction including clear discharge and itchy nose and eyes. Nasal obstruction from sinus infections and colds occurs when the child is sick and is associated with infected secretions. Their enlargement leads to chronic mouth-breathing which may result in abnormal facial development, misalignment of the teeth, and tooth discoloration.

Admittedly, not all children with these enlarged tissues develop a poor bite requiring orthodontic work.

Orthodontists have differing opinions on the need for tonsil and adenoid removal to prevent or assist with dental braces. Prior to surgery, there is no routine need for blood test and no starting of IV's. The child is given a relaxing medication before going back to the operating room which minimizes separation anxiety from the parents. Once in the operation room, the child goes off to sleep by breathing an anesthetic gas and then the IV is inserted. Both are removed through the mouth without any external incisions.

The instruments used to remove them vary between surgeons because none has been proven to be consistently safer, less painful and more cost-effective than another. Bleeding is usually minimal and easily controlled with electrocautery, not sutures. The time in the operating room is typically less than one hour. A parent is allowed to go back to the recovery room once the child is becoming more alert. The child is initially upset and disoriented but soon settles down.

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy has an excellent chance of eliminating obstructive sleep problems. If a child has fatigue, irritability, or concentration problems due to poor sleep quality, then these problems can also be improved.

A child may eat better and gain weight after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. In addition, the surgery often allows a child to breathe better through the nose which potentially can help with normal facial and dental development.

Although removal has multiple potential benefits, these benefits cannot be guaranteed in every case. The main risk associated with tonsillectomy is bleeding. Scabs form where the tonsils are removed. These scabs fall off after approximately one week and can lead to bleeding. Stopping the bleeding may require going back to the operating room. Even in the cases of rebleeding, needing a transfusion or choking on the blood is extremely rare. Other uncommon risks of tonsillectomy include teeth injury, taste disturbance, and cautery burns.

The main risk associated with adenoidectomy is a change in voice quality. Adenoidectomy opens more space behind the nose which allows more air into the nose while talking, possibly resulting in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. While a temporary nasal voice is common, a permanent voice problem is rare.

Another uncommon risk of adenoidectomy is troublesome scarring. Dehydration can occur during recovery due to poor pain control.

The duration and severity of pain varies among children. In general, the pain lasts approximately one week and can be controlled with medications. On rare occasions, the discomfort prevents adequate fluid intake, requiring a return to the hospital for intravenous IV fluids. While life-threatening problems can occur, the chance is exceptionally low. In a healthy child, the risk involved with general anesthesia is equivalent to the risk associated with a long distance car trip.

Since the surgery is performed in an operating room, costs include fees from the surgeon, anesthesiologist and surgical facility. Fortunately, these charges are usually covered by insurance. We will assist you in trying to obtain insurance approval. Even with insurance approval, you will be responsible for any deductibles, co-insurance, or co-payments. Antibiotics are unlikely to permanently reduce the size of these tissues.

Daily use of a nasal steroid spray may reduce the size of adenoids, but not tonsils. Medical treatment of any associated allergies or chronic sinus infections may improve nasal breathing and sleep quality, but probably will not affect their size. Watchful waiting may be a reasonable alternative, as they typically get smaller as the child gets older. They usually are at maximum size around six years of age and have substantially reduced in size by around 12 years.

Adult snoring and sleep apnea are seldom due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. The issue usually is not whether the child will outgrow the problem. The other concern is any long-term consequences on the heart, lung, or facial development. The decision to proceed with surgery always involves weighing the potential benefits against the possible complications, postoperative recovery issues, and financial costs.

We will only recommend tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy if we feel the potential advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Cochlear Implants. Hearing Aids.