by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
© December, 2009
A man explained:
I am the father of a seven year old hard of hearing (moderate and profound) child. Recently he was diagnosed with enlarged adenoids and an Adenoidectomy was advised by the ENT. The Dr told me it would improve his hearing. My question is, in what way do adenoids affect hearing, and how will an Adenoidectomy help to improve his hearing?
Good question. The adenoids are a part of the body’s immune system in children. Therefore, it is generally not a good idea to take them out like they once did back in the 1950s because the child is then left with a somewhat weakened immune system. Incidentally, the adenoids naturally “disappear” as a child grows into a teen.
At times, the adenoids become enlarged from doing their jobs and “grabbing” any viruses that try to enter the child’s body via his nose. This is not a bad thing—they are just doing their jobs and should be left alone in my opinion.
However, sometimes the adenoids become so big that they interfere with a child’s breathing, or block the Eustachian tubes from draining properly. If this happens, doctors typically recommend taking them out. This procedure is called an Adenoidectomy. (Personally, I think you should strengthen the child’s immune system so they shrink back to their normal size.)
When the adenoids become sufficiently enlarged, they can prevent the Eustachian tubes from working properly. The result is that fluid cannot drain from the middle ears. When that happens, the child often has chronic middle ear infections. These infections fill the middle ear up with a thick mucus-like fluid. Temporary hearing loss occurs because the 3 tiny bones in the middle ear can’t vibrate freely in this “gunk”. When the fluid eventually drains away and is replaced by air, the bones again vibrate freely and hearing returns.
When doctors remove the adenoids, they no longer block the Eustachian tubes so fluid can drain from the middle ears, thus hopefully not causing bouts of temporary hearing loss.
Doctors also typically take the adenoids out if a child has too many ear infections each year. However, removing the adenoids does nothing to reduce the number of ear infections a child has. That is why I believe you should strengthen the child’s immune system in the first place, rather than removing the adenoids. The adenoids are really part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Before you decide to take out your child’s tonsils and/or adenoids, I highly recommend you read this article by Dr. Mercola on the subject. It will give you a medical doctor’s perspective, and one I wholeheartedly agree with. Click here to read “Removing Your Tonsils Is a Bad Idea”.
Now that you know what is going on, you can make an informed decision together with your doctor.
i was deaf until age 3, they found that the cause was the adenoids blocking my hearing. Once removed i could hear… which to my mother was a miracle. So in conclusion why dont you talk to me since your 80’s doctors messed my hearing up while taking those adeoids out.
Hi.. Candace Roy, my son 7 yrs with moderate adenoid and big tonsils. I’m scared to go for surgery. I don’t believe in any Doctors in bangalore.my son hyperactive as well. Anaesthesia may harm him?
He is perfectly alright with hearing. But after removal of adenoid will he lose hearing? Anyone pls help… I’m scared and worried.pls suggest me whether I have to go for Surgery??
Suma:
Taking out his adenoids will not hurt his hearing.
Cordially,
Neil
I am 21 years old, with enlarged adenoids. I am an audio engineer in Missouri.
I did a test a few years ago and I can’t hear frequencies over 13 kilohertz.
Can removing my adenoids at my age cause this hearing to return?
Hi Michael:
I rather doubt it. I wouldn’t be surprised if your high frequency hearing was caused by listening to music that was too loud. You shouldn’t listen to music any louder than you do normal speech. Then you can be sure you are not damaging your ears.
You should ask your ENT what effect removing your adenoids would make on your hearing. He’s the one that can assess whether they are blocking anything or not.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Candace,
What symptoms other than hearing loss were caused by the adenoids? Thank you!
Hello, so after you had your adenoids removed you could hear? My son is 5, has profound hearing loss, has had tubes 3 times, going on 4th set of tubes. I suggested to the dr. To have his adenoids removed. Are you saying that there is a chance my son may hear without the use of hearing aids if he has his adenoids removed? That would be a miracle.
My daughter had her adenoids out at age 3. At age 5 she had mild hearing loss and her first set of tubes were inserted. Tubes were inserted every year for the next 7 years and our ENT still insisted that she would grow out of it. From the age of 12 she was wearing hearing aides full time as the tubes were not helping anymore and her hearing loss had progressed to profound. At age 15 a CT scan showed very large adenoids. These were removed (again) and instantly her hearing was normal. Talk about miracles – my daughter could hear normally for the first time in 10 years. Sadly 1 year on her hearing seems to be deteriorating again. A CT scan has shown her adenoids have started to grow back again. So my reply to your question is yes – adenoids can definitely have an effect on ones hearing.
Your child likely had some conductive hearing loss or exaggerated her level of hearing loss. If it was truly profound SNHL, it would be over 90dB with no response to bone conduction.
Your story makes no sense. Either the auxiologists were misunderstood or somebody is lying.
My baby has severe to profound hearing loss..can removal of adenoids help with her hearing?
Hi Joyce:
If you baby’s hearing loss is conductive, removing the adenoids may help, but if the hearing loss is sensorineural, I doubt removing them will help.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello. Thank you for your excellent article. You mention strengthening the child’s immune system…How is that done?
thanks,
Hi M:
You strengthen a child’s immune system just like you do yours. There are three things that can make quite a difference.
1. Eliminate or cut way down on sugars–especially fructose and high fructose corn syrup.
2. Eat fermented foods (yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, etc. and/or take probiotic supplements such as lactobacillus acidophilus. (Some authorities state that 80% of your immune system is in your gut. That is why having healthy gut flora is so important.)
3. Bolster Vitamin D stores–sunshine and/or Vitamin D supplements.
Just doing these three things can really boost your immune system.
Regards
Neil
I had my adenoids removed aged 6 in 1970. My hospital experience was completely untraumatic, and seems to have had very little effect on my immune system – I’ve had to take antibiotics just once in the last 20 years.
Having my adenoids removed had, I think, quite a profound effect on my life. I went from fairly profound deafness to perfect hearing. I think that without the surgery, I would have struggled academically, whereas I have a PhD and speak four languages.
I remember one incident in particular from that time. I was playing in a sandpit, when I suddenly realised that I had a different accent from everyone else around me; we had recently migrated to the UK from Canada. That was the moment when I became English rather than Canadian.
my three year old had his tonsils and adnoids removed and tubes put in his ears in feb 2012 now just a few months later he has failed a hearing test and now has to be tested to find out what is causing the issue
After a search regarding deafness and adenoids I had to weigh in on this. I was taken to a Pediatric practice in my home town in 1972. It was discovered I was nearly completely deaf. At that time in 72 I was eight years of age (it was hidden fairly well as I gained the ability to read lips)8 year olds generally don’t realize they are gradually going deaf. For the next two years it was given a diagnosis of excessive ear wax. For the next two years once every month like clockwork I was subjected to the bulb filled with water for an excruciating ear cleaning. TWO YEARS of this. It was after this that my father no longer trusted the practice and took me to an ear nose and throat specialist. My adenoids were removed in 1974. Except for the after effects of surgery I could hear perfectly as if I had never had an issue. I did have some readjusting to contend with, noises that would wake me out of a sound sleep and sudden loud noises. I am still somewhat bitter about the length of time and pain I had endured over the two year time. Yale New Haven Hospital performed the surgery at that time.
Wow,,iam so happy to hear this,,,my one year old son has profound hearing loss and aim suspicious that he has the adenoids,,this gives me a little hope that he may hear again,,,,,,I pray to god that by removing it he will hear ,,,,,
Hi Candace Roy ,,iam so happy to hear this!my son also born with profound hearing loss,,and he looks like he has adenoids,,I hope the same will happen for him and the miracle make him hear,,,I hope so,,,and good luck for you too,,,
I was born in 1962 and had profound hearing loss until my adenoids were removed at age 4. I had no ear infections and one doctor told my mother he believed I was mentally impaired. My speech was garbled and I was often confused. The surgery changed all of that. I was provided speech therapy and was somehat delayed until junior high. I wonder who I would be if I didn’t have the surgery or had it later in life? I tell everyone about this, I can’t believe that anyone would advise against this surgery if hearing is affected.
Thank you for your sharing, Christi. My 5 year olds son looks like your case in the past. Recently, he diagnose mild to moderate hearing loss. He speaks with a lisp and too hyperactive. Audiologist recommended him to wear the hearing aids.
I took him to see the ENT doctors, and he said that no need to wear hearing aids now, he found the enlarged adenoids without infections. He prescribed the drugs first and monitored the conditions.
I really hope that in case that the treatment is cured, my son hearing loss can be improved.
Thank you so much for these information that you provided me with,,and Iam so happy to know that you are hearing,,,,but I have a question do you use hearing aids before removing your adenoids??
Thanks again because your words give me a big hope that my son may have the same issue,,especially that he was recently found that he have enlarged adenoids,,,I pray everyday that he could hear soon,,,,
thanks again
No hearing aids. I didn’t have congenital hearing loss. I don’t know when my adenoids started to affect my hearing. It just got worse over time. When they were removed I remember feeling like a fog had lifted. Like I noted, I was delayed during grade school, kids teased me because of my vocal tone. Speech therapy helped.
Hi Candace Roy,,I hope you will see my comment soon,,,I just want to ask you if you hear right away after removing the adenoids?or does it take time before you could hear?I hope if any body have an idea to tell me please
I was born in 1973 and my adenoids were removed when I was 6 and half years old. Before that I had pretty serious hearing problems. However these were only diagnosed after several years of teachers believing that I had learning difficulties or dyslexia. If I remember rightly, the benefits were apparent in only a short space of time and within a year or so my advancements at school were also much improved. It did however take me a little while to make up the lost ground- but it certainly changed my life.
In the mid 1950s, as an approximately 5 year old boy, I had repeated ear infections. They finally suggested I have my adenoids removed.
Once removed, the seemingly endless nights of crying out in pain ended, and I had no more infections.
My daughter had her adenoids removed at 3 yrs old because she wasn’t hearing well. We removed them and it improved her hearing 100%. Because others could understand her better her personality became more out going. She wasn’t a child that got sick often either before or after the surgery.
Thanks to all of you
you guys giving HOPE that our child can be recover soon from this.thanks a lot.God bless you all & specially dr.
My daughter is 3, had adenoids at 8months. Discovered at age 2 that she wasn’t picking sound, was diagnosed of sensorineural hearing loss. she communicates by gestures to eat, poo, sit, sleep, etc. I have so much faitht hat taking off the adenoids will help. Any one?
My daughter is 3 1/2 and just had her tonsils and adenoids removed after having strep throat 6 times in one year and chronic clogged ears. It has been 2 weeks since the surgery at Vanderbilt Children’s, I am amazed at her improved use of sentences and ability to communicate from another room. It is a miracle how well she hears and communicates now.
When I was 10 years old I started to lose my hearing to the point of near deafness. Doctors removed my adenoids and I’ve had perfect hearing ever since (I’m now 33 years old).
My 5 yr old daughter is due to have her adenoids and tonsils removed this summer. It’s taken over 2 years of me questioning her hearing and trying to get it right before she started school. Now she will have finished her 1st year in school and the operation is near. I have worried that it may not help her but reading your posts has helped me feel confident that it’s for the best! I can’t wait to see her face when she can hear properly again!! I had hearing problems as a 4-9 yr old and hope my little girl won’t miss big parts of her lessons like I did.
My son is 6 and is having his adenoids removed for the second time…..Apparently they dont actually remove them but shave them. So his need to be done again. This will also be his 3rd set of grommets and he has had his tonsils removed. His hearing improved by about 90% after the first operation at 2 but 4 years later it has deteriorated enough that hearing aids have been suggested.
DD had her op this summer. Adenoids, tonsils both removed and grommets put in. Her breathing the same night was amazing, I could hardly hear her. Her hearing, sense of smell & breathing is so much better, I can hardly believe how poor it all was before the op. She was sore for a good 11 days before I could ease off with the pain relief but so worth it for her. So, if anyone reading this like me, who was doubting putting their child through it, it’s hard watching and waiting but it’s so worth it.
my son is one year old..he was diagnosed profound hearing loss in both ears..we have done bera test 2 times..it was a failed…2 weeks back we found he has moderately enlarged adenoids..but how is this adenoid and hearing connected…if inner ear is having problem does adenoid removal helps in hearing…???please answer me… am eagerly waiting for my baby to hear n speak…
Hi Rais:
Enlarged adenoids can lead to a conductive loss in the middle ear. So you are quite right in wondering whether enlarged adenoids can affect inner ear hearing. As I understand it, the answer is no. Your son has a sensorineural hearing loss and taking out his adenoids won’t affect that. However, it is entirely possible that he has both a conductive and a sensorineural hearing loss (called a mixed loss). If this is the case, taking out his adenoids could fix the conductive loss, but would do nothing for the sensorineural hearing loss. From your description, it sounds that the sensorineural hearing loss is the major component.
If it was my child, I wouldn’t have his adenoids taken out based on what you have told me.
Regards
Neil
Hello my child has had at least 6 ear infections since 6 months he’s 21 months now. He snores while he sleep and awake his sinus always draining an barley get any sleep. We done a hearing test and test came back good I’m a little uneased about doing surgery do you think i should go through with the surgery.
Hi Mar:
First, I’d investigate why your son is having so many ear infections. It could be related to his diet, vaccinations, etc. For example, I’ve heard that babies that lay on their backs and drink their bottle have more ear infections since some of the milk runs to the back of their throats and gets into their Eustachian tubes.
Breast fed babies basically don’t have this problem.
Why does the doctor want to take his adenoids out? Can he guarantee that this will solve the problem?
Cordially,
Neil
Great Article Dr Niel. My child 3 years old has large tonsils and adenoids. doctor advised to get them removed but with some different technique as he is also Cochlear implanted. My doctor said that his brain will not get proper rest while sleep due to large adenoids and tonsils. It takes 10 years to get the adenoids back to normal and this is the time of brain development for kids.Can you please comment.
Hi Neeraj:
If it is necessary to remove the tonsils and adenoids, go for it. But only do this if it is really necessary.
Cordially,
Neil
Bob’s Adenoids
Recently
• I over heard a woman explaining that her 3 year old grandchild’s severe hearing problem was fixed by simply removing his adenoids.
• All this time, I thought my condition was so rare I didn’t tell anyone. My wife told me I was being dramatic. Finding this site was comforting. Thank you. Below is my story.
Early Days
• There was a medicine bottle (ear drops) with a dropper kept on the gas stove pilot (kept liquid warm) that provided relief from the pain. Known as “Bobby’s medicine”.
• The best way for me to describe the pain, it was like painful TMJ. As an adult I have experienced TMJ and its pain was located near the same spot and severity.
• Beginning in Kintergarden through third grade, teachers considered me uncooperative and a day dreamer. Reports sent home were not complimentary. Bare butt spanking was the norm.
• I failed all subjects except for art (coloring) and arithmetic.
Detection
• 4th grade (Age 9 – 1960)
o On the first day of school, the teacher placed my desk in front of her desk
o My mom says that she noticed I never looked her in the eye, but focused on her lips
o My responses were typically head nodds or one word responses
o This nun convinced my mom that I had a serious hearing problem
• So, my mother did her own tests
o Confirmed teacher’s conclusion
o Took me to Ears/Hearing Specialist in the city
• Doctor – Hearing Specialist on West State Street
o He confirmed to my mom that I was deaf,
? I remember him turning me around alot
o He told her I had developed good lip reading skills
? Even today in my early sixties, I catch myself lip reading
• My adenoids (& tonsils) were removed a week before Halloween.
o Back home in time for Trick or Treating
o It was 1960, so no catch up help. Just you are fixed, so no excuses.
o Subsequently, all my silings had their adenoids removed.
I did not realize I had gone deaf, I did not know what normal was.
• Most of the time, I was just scared that I would be punished again for being bad.
• Mom was too busy with three younger children and Dad worked long hours
Interestingly as I progressed academically, my friends changed.
• By eight grade, I was passing all subjects / averaging C’s.
• By twelve grade, I was doing fine.
To this day, phonics & sounding out words to spell is not automatic for me.
• When my son was in 2nd grade, I attempted to help him with phonetics homework,
o He said to me, you don’t know this … I’m going to get mom.
• I have mechanically learned to pronouce difficult words, avoid words that I can’t pronounce.
o People that work with me, are amused the way I interchange like sounding words.
Thank you,
• Sister Mary Clare where ever you are.
Hi,
My child has frequent ear infection for the past 3 years.she is 5 now. This past school year (beginning in September) she got the fourth ear infection.antibiotics doesn’t seem to help. Ent suggested adenoid removal plus tubes in the ears. She has snoring in the night and breathes through mouth often. Hearing test gave 33% hearing loss.She also has some allergies (dust,pollen etc).would removing adenoids help her with ear infection? She has been having fluids in her ears for a long time.
Bob suggestion and comments:
• Remove adenoids and wait on the tubes
o With adenoids gone, I never had infections again.
• Antibiotics would not have helped me.
o I had constant ear infections.
Wishing your daughter the best!
my son had a terrible tonsil infection, he spent a week in the hospital, after he was getting better i realized that he had no hearing in both his ears. one ear he can hear at a certain frequency while the other keeps leaking puss. what could be the cause for this as the doctors here in Belize are just treating the ear with ear drops. can someone enlighten me with something here, anything please.
My son at the age of 3 was diagnosed with enlarged adenoids. I tried to improve his immunity by giving him more herbal foods. He used to catch cold/fever often. Then he improved and further X-ray at 4 years showed adenoids didn’t worsen. So we continued normally. At 5 yrs his kindergarten teacher reported hearing test failure. Subsequent visit to ENt shows enlarged adenoids 99% blockage and mild hearing loss and fluid collection behind his ears. His speech has been stuttering since age 2.
Now I seriously think of removing his adenoids. Will his stuttering improve? I’m quite confident about his hearing restored.
Hi Gita:
Sorry, I can’t help you on the stuttering. Not my area of expertise at all. But, like you, I’m sure taking out his adenoids will improve his hearing and if you hear better, you tend to speak better.
Cordially,
Neil
How we know if the large adenoid blocks Eustachian tube? by X-ray or MRI. Please help me. My son just now is diagnosed mild-moderate hearing loss and ENT doctors diagnosed the large adenoid.
Audiologist recommends he should wear hearing aids.
ENT doctors prescribe some medications to him.
Hi Trang:
I think the doctor can see it. If your ENT thinks that the drugs will shrink the adenoids, I’d go that route. His hearing should come back then.
Any child that has a mild to moderate hearing loss should probably wear hearing aids. The alternative is to use some sort of application while he is on the medications until his hearing returns to normal. I don’t see that you need to buy expensive hearing aids if this is going to be just a temporary condition, but he does need help to hear better in the meantime.
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you so much Dr. Neil.
We already prepared him the hearing aids and went that route following the ENT doctors as well.
Hopefully, the miracle can happen to my son.
I appreciate the tips on adenoids and how taking them out can help. My wife has been debating on getting her adenoids taken out because they have become quite a problem for her the past couple years, I didn’t know that they were actually just doing their job though. I agree that one of the first steps we should take is to try and strengthen her immune system before we try anything else.
Hi Ben:
Unless you have a teenaged wife, your wife shouldn’t have any adenoids now. They disappear as your grow into adulthood.
In any case, if your wife’s adenoids are causing problems, take them out. She won’t have them much longer anyway.
Cordially,
Neil
My daughter (4 year 10 months) is having mild hearing loss as per ABR with Type ‘A’ Tymp.
She used to have repeated cold, nose block, face pain. We observed her hearing loss is kind of fluctuating.
Now our ENT asked for a X-ray and in that it is found ‘Soft tissue fullness in posterior nasopharynx, mild enlarged adenoids pressing the airway’.
Will enlarged adenoids be the cause for her hearing loss ? can this be fixed without going for hearing aid.
Thanks in advance for your advise.
Hi Vinu:
I can’t tell from the information you have given whether your daughter has a conductive hearing loss (from the adenoids, etc.) or a sensorineural hearing loss (inner ear loss) in which case having her adenoids out won’t make a difference.
Since her doctor has said her adenoids are enlarged, it may help her hearing, but he should know whther her loss is conductive or sensorineural.
Cordially,
Neil
i was just told by a paediatrician that my 6 months old son has adenoids. and the symptoms i read is exactly what i have observed. i ask does this happen to all babies, and what is the cause, and how can it be prevented.
Hi Constance:
All children have adenoids–they are part of a child’s immune system. Problems arise when the adenoids become chronically enlarged. If a child’s immune system is kept robust, he should never have problems with his adenoids.
When they cause problems, doctors can remove them. Adenoids naturally disappear when a child reaches the teen years.
Cordially,
Neil
Wow, found this site by chance while researching adenoid and hearing loss. My grandson had tubes put in his ears when he was 4y.o., he is now 7. I noticed about 2 month ago that he has been experiencing hearing loss again because he has the television extremely loud while he sits directly in front of it. I’d asked him if he was having hearing issues and he said yes. I’ve been telling his mom every time I see him that she needs to take him to get his ears checked but her reply has been the same for weeks, “he has an appointment”. Well today she recieved a phone call from his school right after she dropped him off regarding him complaining about his ears and not being able to hear. She and I spoke while she was on her way to pick him up and I mentioned that she needed to take him to an ENT doctor rather than his pediatrician. I also mentioned that she needed to speak with the ENT about his sleeping because I think he has sleep apnea because it sounds as if he is struggling to breathe and he loses contiousness while sleeping and I am very concerned that he has problems with his adnoids which is causing the sleeping issue and possibly the hearing issue. She took him to his pediatrician who gave him a hearing test and he failed, she referred him to ENT. They gave him another hearing test at the ENT and he failed, in fact, he has significant empeded hearing loss. 1 tube came out and the other is partially out, he has fluid on his ears again and an ear infection. I say all of this to say that you all have confirmed my thoughts/grandmother diagnosis that she speaks with the ENT doctor about the enlarged adenoids (so I think) and sleeping issues. I also told her that I think it could have an affect on his hearing. You all have experienced the same issues and most have confirmed that having the adenoids removed has helped with confirmation.
DR Neil,
You are the first doctor that has commented on the fact that adenoids are part of the immune system and that we should work on strengthening that up before removing them…My 5 years old has been mouth breathing for the past 3 years off and on…She has had 3 chest infections and chronic runny nose for 5 mths now too.. I do give her probiotics but im finding it hard to build her immunity… I dont want to operate as my son had his adenoids and tonsils out at age 5 and i’m battling with weight gain and excessive eating every day.. I truely believe this was a side effect of his operation and don’t want that for my daughter… her hearing is not affected at all.. Im hoping she will grow out of it.
I wanted to thank you Dr Neil because my gut feeling was if the adenoids are not needed, why are we born with them… so im going to continue building her immunity before any decisions are made.
Since tonsils and adenoids removed my 7 year old child’s spelling has suffered. Seems to spell everything phonically now even when they know a word isn’t spelled that way. Still excels and enjoys reading. Any connection? Any suggested solutions?
Hi John:
Are you saying your child’s hearing is better now–and the result is spelling phonetically? Or is his hearing worse now?
If the former, maybe he is spelling things as he now hears them, rather than memorizing how those words are really spelled. I wonder if that is what is happening now.
For example, as I type, if I type the word ototoxic–but pronounce it in my head as awe-toe-toks-ik, my fingers automatically want to type it as I hear it in my head and type it wrongly as autotoxic, but if I pronounce it owe-toe-toks-ik in my head, then they type it correctly as ototoxic. These are two different pronunciations for this word, although technically the latter pronunciation is more correct, but in Canada I learned it as the former way.
I’m thinking that you child i doing much the same thing now.
Cordially,
Neil
At age 3 my son had his tonsils and adenoids out, because of chronic ear infections, snoring like a freight train, sleep apnea and always sounding nasally when he talked. Fast forward he is almost 12. The past 2 years ear infections are back. We were sent to a specialist head and neck…found out adenoids grew back and my son was tested twice over a 4 month period which confirmed some hearing loss. It was suggested he have surgery to have tubes put in. So at my appointment yesterday I asked the doctor and what about the adenoids? He added we can take those put too. The fact that he didn’t suggest it as an after thought to my question. Should I be worried? Get 2nd opinion? Do both procedures? Ugh! Your thoughts …thanks in advance
Hi Michelle:
My first thought is why your son is now having so many ear infections. Obviously, something is not right. Either his immune system is not operating at optimal levels or his diet is not the best, or likely both. That is the underlying thing you should focus on for the long term.
In the short term, you want to do something right now. Getting a second opinion certainly wouldn’t hurt, since, some studies show that putting in tubes doesn’t really make much difference. As a result, some doctors don’t do that anymore. See what the second opinion doctor says about taking out the adenoids.
Cordially,
Neil
My 7 yrs old daughter is diagonsed with enlarged adenoids D type nd 40% hearing loss due to infection in fluid behind eardrum. She sometimes breathe thro’ mouth and snore. Also catches cold(running nose only not cough ) easily. Doc has suggested some nasal spray nd anti allergic tablet for 1 month. I am worried . Should we go for adenoids removal surgeory if not improved. Any suggestions?
Hi Gupta:
I’d follow you doctor’s advice and if things don’t improve in a month, see what he thinks about removing the adenoids at that time.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi doctor,
My 7 years old son is diagnosed with mild enlarged adenoids and allergic rhinitis due to which he has suffered from 4 infections in both years in last 5 years. He breathes through mouth while sleeping and at times snores. he has got dizziness for past 1.5 years. His tumpanometry during ear infection shows Type C & B with eustachian tube dysfunction.
His ENT doc has suggested adenoidectomy with grommet. His paediatrician has suggested NOT TO DO ADENOIDECTOMY rather steroid nasal spray with montek air tablets and allegra syrup. Then after 1 or 2 months if tympanometry does not improve he suggested to do grommet only.
My questions:
1. If we do adenoidectomy would he not need the steroid spray and antihistamines any more for his allergic rhinitis?
2. Will grommet help at all for his dizziness and hearing problem?
Regards,
Sumi
mother of Master Sankalpa
Hi Sumi:
If he only has mildly enlarged adenoids, I’d tend to go with your pediatrician’s advice, but at the same time, I’m not in favor of taking drugs either. That’s a decision you’ll have to make. Since he has allergies, etc. I’m not convinced that taking out his adenoids will solve the underlying problem.
I don’t think the grommets will change his dizziness, but can help with his hearing by letting the gunk in his middle ears drain out. When that happens the bones in the middle ear vibrate more freely and thus hearing improves.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi doc,
Thanks so much for your reply.
In his early childhood he had dermatitis which no longer appears for past 2-3 yrs after onset of his rhinitis.
Can this lead to asthma in future?
I am not in favour of surgery or corticosteroid inhalers but could you suggest 1. what else should we do to improve his dizziness n allergic infection and 2. If we start IN is it that he will have to continue it throughout his life?
Thanks
Sumi
Hi Doc,
My 3.6 yrs old son have 75% enlarged adenoids, and also some enlarged tonsils, ENT doc advised for removing it.but worried and panic to remove, because both are protector for germs and bacteria. If I wanted to remove in a worst case..how will be my son’s health and frequency of sickness will be normal or worse? Can you please clarify.really worried.
Hi Jemima:
I can’t really answer your question. However, if you opt for taking out his adenoids and tonsils, you should boost his immune system by good diet, etc. For myself, I’ve found that eating much sugar really compromises my immune system so I can readily get a cold or virus that is going around. If I refrain from sugar, I almost never get sick. This has been going on most of my life. (Note, I had my tonsils and adenoids out when I was 5.) So improving the diet and avoiding most sugars will be a good step in the right direction whether you opt for the surgery or not.
Cordially,
Neil
I am 27 and I had my adenoids removed around 8 years of age when I started to lose my hearing. I constantly would ask my mom to repeat things and she became suspicious and took me to a specialist. I do not have any problems hearing whatsoever. I feel so lucky!
Hello, thank you for these replies. My question is: can large adenoids cause a conductive hearing loss that is unilateral?
Hi Angwns:
I’m certainly not an expert on this, but I think it is possible. You should ask your ENT about that.
Cordially,
Neil
I’ve had concerns about my son’s hearing for the last 2 years. We could never tell if he just wasn’t paying attention or if he couldn’t hear. Sometimes it was really bad and other times he seemed to hear us just fine when we would try to “test” him. He’s 5.5 now and recently failed 2 hearing tests. Both providers said it is a middle ear issue and the loss is moderate but could be remedied by increasing the volume or circumventing the middle ear. We saw the ENT today expecting to move forward with tubes, but he also recommended removing the adenoids. My son has never had an ear infection, strep throat, or any major sickness really. Seeing all the comments is making me feel more confident in the recommendation, but i’m still concerned. He starts kindergarten in a few months and I so want him to be able to hear by then. He has a lot of behavioral issues. I am wondering if many of them could be resovled if he could hear better. Do you think removal will help him hear?
Hi Amanda:
That is a question to ask your ear specialist. My take is that if his adenoids are normal size, then no, removing them won’t help his hearing. However, if they are enlarged, then it is possible. Find out from his doctor whether they are normal sized or not.
Cordially,
Neil
I’m joe, 25 years, I’ve had hearing loss since an year now..I’ve been consulting the ent and the doctor prescribed some medicines and I’ve been taking them but there is no difference..my hearing is deteriorating..and last week when I consulted ent doctor suggested me to take the hearing test and results were ok on the left ear and for the right ear it was moderate mixed hearing loss and Doctor by checking these results checked my ears and nose with a telescope and was talking about the adenoidectomy and prescribed me some medicines for one month and told me to return after one month so that he can take a final call..Will removal of adenoids and tonsils improve my hearing?..
Hi Joe:
You need to ask your doctor about that as he is the one that can see whether either your tonsils or adenoids may be partially causing some hearing loss.
There is no way I can tell you for certain one way or another.
Cordially,
Neil
My son 3 years old. He don’t make a sentence just few word .he cannot follow command. He has great sleep problem.
Now found enlarge adenoids block nose fully. Can adenoids removal help him to speak a sentence. Follow command?
Hi Lina:
You need to ask a knowledgeable ENT doctor about this. This is not in my areas of expertise.
Cordially,
Neil
My daughter now 5years is diagnosed as b/l sensorineural hearing loss today.. With type b impedance.. She was diagnosed Acute otitis media in rt ear 1 yr back… Now.. M very confused.. What to do.. Dr. Said she had adenoids too.. With Et dysfunction
Hi Riti:
If your daughter has only sensorineural hearing loss with type B impedance, something is wrong. I’d expect a conductive loss with type B impedance, or a mixed loss (both conductive and senserineural). Did they test her bone conduction hearing?
Perhaps you need a second opinion from a different place to see what is really going on.
Cordially,
Neil
I am a 49 year old woman who had recurring sinus infections after taking a 6 week swimming class. About 2 months ago I realized I was losing hearing in both ears. I was turning up the tv, asking people to repeat themselves, and missing phone calls because I couldn’t hear the ring tone. It progressed quickly. I learned to read lips, had to watch tv with captions, and stopped talking on the phone because I couldn’t make out what people were saying. After 3 ENTs told me my ears were clear and audiologists confirmed my hearing loss, it was suggested I get hearing aids. I was prescribed anti-depressants and felt as if I was losing my mind as well. The 4th ENT I went to for hearing aids checked my ears, found nothing but then questioned me about sinus infections. Long story short, she scoped my nose and gasped! She removed the probe and told me I had a “monster” adenoids infection! She started me on antibiotics and within DAYS my hearing returned!! I never want to feel like that again. If the doc want to take out my adenoids to avoid this happening again I SAY YES!!
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Hello
My 7 years had been diagnosed with conductive hearing loss (mild-moderate) a month ago. I took her to the audiologist because I suspected something wasnt right when I call her from far she wouldnt reply promptly. I took her even though my husband called me crazy! They said she had hearing loss in her left ear and seems she has otosclerosis. We did a HD CT scan and all came normal then the ENT said sometimes it doesnt show in the scan!!! How can that be???? We dont have anyone with oto in our family tree! I recall her having 1 ear infection and it wasnt a big deal. She was full term, born at 39 weeks by csection. I eas healthy during pregnancy, nothing was wrong.. she has large tonsils and adenoids. I did mention to the ENT what about adenoids and he said adenoids dont cause hearing loss. I am so heartbroken I want to help my baby girl, she breaks my heart, specially if this is her diagnosis?? How can it be?? He said 60% is oto but he cant diagnose. She is scheduled for hearing test after 6 months. Please someone help me..
Hi Sarah:
Your daughter seems awfully young to have otosclerosis. Typically it hits girls/women at puberty, gets worse with each pregnancy and finally at menopause.
Do you have a copy of her audiogram. If so, if you send me a copy, I’d like to look at it and form my own opinions. My email address is at the bottom of this page (and every page).
Has she had a cold or virus in the past month or so?
I disagree that enlarged adenoids can cause hearing loss. They can cause it indirectly by blocking the Eustachian tubes as I mention in this article, when the middle ear/Eustachian tubes fill up with gunk, you have some degree of a temporary conductive hearing loss–so hearing loss can be indirectly caused by enlarged adenoids. Note that this hearing loss is temporary.
Cordially,
Neil
Is there a way to remove the gunk. As a 67 year old adult and family history of hearing loss–although I think maybe noise induced–i am thinking of hearing aids. BUT I notice that my ears seem full at times and if I gently blow through my nose I can clear some of the in a barrel sound in short order which makes me wonder if it is something else.
Hi Karen:
When you yawn or swallow, your Eustachian tubes momentarily open to allow air exchange with your middle ears. When this works properly, changes in air pressure don’t give you that plugged up feeling.
You can get this feeling if your Eustachian tubes don’t open properly–even though there is no gunk present.
However, if you have had a cold or sinus problem that allows gunk to fill your Eustachian tubes you also get this plugged up feeling–but this time it is real. When the gunk eventually drains out into the back of your throat, then things work properly again and your plugged up feeling goes away and you hear normally again.
The question is, which is it in your case?
If you go to an audiologist and ask for a “complete audiological evaluation” the various tests should reveal whether your Eustachian tubes are the problem or just what is going on.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi, so my daughter (2years 4months) has a medical history of. Biliary atresia, and liver transplant. Her system is weakened and she takes medicine to suppress her immune system to avoid organ rejection. She also recently had a sleep study done and was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea. They said her tonsil are a 4 and they want to do a remove both her tonsils and adneoids. She also has a history of elevated EBV levels and the drs think this may harbor in the tonsils as they have seen it first hand in other patients and after removal of tonsils they no longer have EBV complications. I’m worried though this will leave her immune system even weaker. Is this the right thing? She does have such a hard time sleeping and snoring all the time that it scares me.
Hi Adrianna:
I think following her doctor’s advice is the right approach since she has various factors that need to be addressed besides her immune system.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Adrianna:
You have to do what is best for your daughter in the long run. In this case, if I were you, I think I’d opt for removal. It seems to be the better choice. I take it she will have to be on immune suppressing drugs for a long time, correct? But the final choice is yours.
Cordially,
Neil
My son who is two has sensorineural hearing loss but now they are saying mixed bilat mild to moderate. He just had bilat pneumonia and 5 ear infections back to back. He’s tonsils are pretty much touching. He had ear tubes put in over a year ago which are now clogged making him feel horrible for months. Tom we go for tonsils , adenoids removal as well as tube replacement in both ear and new abr test. Really confused at what will happen. I’m guessing he might have alittle improvement since he has mixed hearing loss. Feeling optimistic but at same time I do under stand the sensorineural can not be fixed. Wish us luck. Thanks for article I loved reading and looking at comments , having hope for your kid to get better never hurts.
Hi Katie:
I had my tonsils and adenoids out when I was 5 and I turned out fine. I hope your son does too. And I’ve had severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss since birth as well. Just treat your son as you would any other child EXCEPT when it comes to his communications needs. Then you have to make accommodations to meet his needs.
Too often parents make excuses for a child because he can’t hear. My parents never did that. They expected me to do my best and I think that two earned doctorates prove that I did. So expect great things from your son as he grows up.
Cordially,
Neil