Patient's question:
My child has adenoid hypertrophy. Recently, he occasionally coughs a few times during the day. About four hours after falling asleep at night, he suddenly has a continuous coughing spell that lasts for about half an hour. Then, in the morning, he coughs a few times. Exercise-induced fatigue, crying, and other triggers can also cause coughing, but there is no wheezing sound.Does adenoid hypertrophy cause coughing?
Doctor's answer:
Adenoid hypertrophy can cause cough if it leads to conditions like bronchitis, but simple adenoid hypertrophy should not necessarily do so. When the adenoid tissue abnormally proliferates and enlarges, it blocks the upper respiratory tract, resulting in symptoms such as nasal congestion and mouth breathing, which are particularly pronounced at night. In severe cases, it may lead to sleep apnea, where children experience brief pauses in breathing, even waking up, and then fall back asleep after changing their sleeping position, thereby reducing sleep quality. Due to airway narrowing, oxygen saturation in the blood may be insufficient, placing the brain in a state of chronic, sustained hypoxia. Children may feel drowsy and mentally sluggish during the day. Long-term nasal congestion and poor breathing can cause discomfort from coughing and may also affect heart and lung function. In severe cases, it can lead to cor pulmonale, myocardial damage, or even right ventricular heart failure.