Patient's question:
My child has been suffering from a stuffy nose since he just turned five years old. He has difficulty breathing at night while sleeping. When I took him to the hospital for a check-up, they said it was due to hypertrophy of the adenoids. I don't have much knowledge about this condition, so I'd like to ask what are the symptoms of adenoid hypertrophy?Doctor's answer:
Adenoid hypertrophy is a pathological proliferation of the adenoid due to repeated inflammatory stimulation, which leads to symptoms such as nasal obstruction and mouth breathing. These symptoms are particularly severe at night, causing snoring during sleep, sleep disturbances, and frequent turning over in bed, especially when lying on the back. In severe cases, it may even lead to episodes of apnea. This condition is most commonly seen in children and is often accompanied by chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy.