Posted: 11/8/2009 4:04:59 PM EDT
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Can anybody here comment on having their adenoids removed at adult age?
I'm 20 right now and for quite some time I've had a hell of a time breathing through my nose. Every now and then I'll get a small stint where I can breathe through my nose fine but not very often. Other than that though I always have to breathe through my mouth. I've recently looked into having them removed though. It's supposed to be a pretty simple surgery not taking more than a few minutes. I also plan on entering the Marine Corps in January and I don't know if having a blocked nasal passage would hurt anything but it surely won't help. I'm mainly just looking to get a little better quality of living. Can anyone comment on having their adenoids removed at an adult age and what it was like afterward? Instant relief? Bad side-effects, etc.? |
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Generally, adenoid removal alone is not that big of a deal. It is outpatient surgery and, other than having a couple of sore days, there isn't much to it. It is usually not as bad as tonsilletomy. With that said, it would be a bit unusual for a twenty-something person to have adenoids which are large enough to affect breathing. Typically, the adenoids shrink with age and when combined with natural growth of the facial bones, usually aren't a big source of obstruction. It can happen, but there are usually oter factors that come into play.
In your age group, there are usually two factors that will affect your ability to breath through the nose: bony/cartilage anatomic problems and problems with swelling of the lining issues. Anatomic issues are usually things like enlarged turbinates or a deviated nasal septum. These things can sometimes be helped with surgery. Lining issues usually have to do with things like allergies, sinusitis, and irritants like cigarette smoke or certain nasal sprays. These issues cannot be fixed with surgery, but can often be helped with medications. A good exam by an ENT doc should be ale to let you know where your problems are (including whether your adenoids are part of the problem), and help you come up with a plan to deal with them |
