The ability of humans to hear many sounds surrounding them is indeed a blessing in disguise. Many people take ear function lightly until their ears are affected by a certain disease or condition. There are many kinds of ear problems that can occur to anyone of any age. Some ear problems may cause symptoms while others may have none at all. In this DoctorOnCall’s article, we will learn about glue ear and how to fix it.
Before learning more about glue ear, it is best to understand a bit more on how the ear works. There are 3 parts of the ear which includes the external part or the outer area, the middle ear or also known as the tympanic cavity and the inner ear which consist of the nerves and receptors for both hearing and balance. What divides the external part of the ear with the middle part is the eardrum (tympanic membrane). In the middle ear, you can find the 2 ossicles or small bones that assist in the hearing process. There is also a canal that connects the middle ear with the area at the back of the nose known as the Eustachian tube. When there is a sound in the environment, the sound is transferred into the ear canal. This will cause the eardrum to move or vibrate. The vibration will then be transferred to the ossicles. This ossicle amplifies the sound and sends them to cochlea in the inner ear. Sound is then transferred as information via electrical signals to the brain. The brain will then process this information as what humans perceive as ‘sound’ that is recognized or meaningful.
Glue ear is known as otitis media with effusion (OME). OME is a collection of fluids in the middle ear. OME often describe symptoms of the middle ear effusion without signs of infection. You may wonder what glue ear has to do with the fluid collected within the middle ear. Glue ear occurs when there is accumulation of fluid in the middle part of the ear. As time goes by, the fluid gets thicker in viscosity and becomes sticky like glue. This occurs when the Eustachian tube is somehow unable to drain the fluid, which then causes the fluid build up to be stagnant. Glue ear can last for weeks or even months.
Glue ear is mainly due to the blockage of the Eustachian tube. This blockage can be usually caused by previous ear function. It may also be caused by smoking or allergies. Glue ear is common in children with cold as the Eustachian tube is relatively short, horizontal, narrow and less rigid compared to adults, making it easy to get stagnant with fluid from the cold.
Temporary hearing loss is regarded as the main symptoms for glue ear. Most may not realise they have hearing problems caused by glue ear but having trouble listening when someone is talking or the need to ask people to repeat what they said is a sign of hearing problem. At times, the need to turn the volume up on TV or any electronic device could signify a problem. Problems with balance, earache or ringing buzzing sound (tinnitus) can be symptoms of glue ear. Children may show symptoms of being irritable or behaving badly. This can be mistaken as rude which should be checked by doctors as it could be an ear problem.
Fixing glue ear can improve the ability to hear and in children, can greatly benefit them as it helps them to stay focused in school and enjoy their childhood. Glue ear may actually go away on its own without any treatment as long as there is no cold. Glue ear that is caused by allergy needs to be treated with anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by the doctor. Glue ears that do not improve after 3 months or start to cause significant hearing problems should warrant a visit to the doctor. Doctors may recommend Otovent nasal balloon to open up the Eustachian tube. In severe cases, placement of grommets is recommended. Grommets are small tubes placed into the eardrum to drain the fluid and prevent build-up fluid. Grommet should fall off naturally within 6 to 12 months as the symptoms improve. For certain cases, adenoidectomy is done. It is a surgery to remove the adenoid glands to improve the Eustachian tube function and reduce the frequent glue ear after the grommets are off. Hearing aid may be provided in certain cases such as in children with repeated glue ear or unable to undergo grommet surgery.
It can be concluded that glue ear or otitis media with effusion, is a condition characterised by the presence of fluid accumulating in the middle portion of the ear. It is common in children especially after a previous ear infection or cold. While it is a harmless condition, symptoms can be serious as it can cause speech delay and language development problems. This can cause detrimental effects for the child in future.
