Many people have heard of glue ear but are not sure what it is. Here are some key facts about glue ear so you will know the signs and symptoms in yourself or your child.
1. How Does Glue Ear Develop?
The middle ear from the ear drum to the ossicles (tiny bones in the middle ear) is usually filled with air. The middle ear is connected to the back of the nose by a thin channel called the Eustachian tube. Most of the time, this tube is closed. However, when we swallow, chew or yawn, the tube opens to let air into the middle ear and drain any fluid out. If you’ve ever yawned to clear your ears, you might notice a definite improvement in your hearing.
With glue ear, the Eustachian tube stops working properly, so the balance of fluid and air in the middle ear will change. The tube can be narrow, get blocked, or not open properly. This could be due to medications, and colds, flu, allergies, or anything that causes nasal congestion.
If air in the middle ear is not replaced by air coming up the Eustachian tube, the air can pass into the nearby cells and cause a vacuum. A vacuum can allow fluid to seep into the middle ear from the nearby cells and turn into a glue-like fluid.
2. Glue Ear Can Affect Your Hearing
Glue ear is a problem because the thick liquid can muffle sound so you or your child will not be able to hear as well. This is because both the eardrum and the ossicles vibrate when they are hit by sound waves. The vibrations are received by the cochlea. If you have glue ear, the vibrations will be dulled and the “volume” will be turned down.
3. Glue Ear Can Happen at Any Age
Children commonly develop ear infections which lead to glue ear, but glue ear can also happen to adults. It can happen in one or both ears.
Glue ear is quite common, with 8 out of 10 children having at least one episode by the age of 10. It most often manifests between the ages of 2 and 5. Boys are more commonly affected than girls, and most cases are treated in winter.
4. Glue Ear Is Not Always Caused by an Ear Infection
Glue ear can become an ear infection, but in some cases, it starts out as the result of a cold or other upper respiratory issue, or through excessive production of mucus.
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5. Some People Are More Prone to Glue Ear Than Others
Children most at risk of glue ear include:
* Children fed on infant formula, rather than breast fed
* Children in daycare
* Those with an older sibling
* Anyone exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke
* Those with hay fever
* Those with Down’s syndrome
* Those with a cleft palate
6. Signs of Glue Ear
A loss of hearing that varies from day to day, and sometimes earache, are all signs that someone could have glue ear. Muffled sounds and a feeling of fullness in the ear can be signs you’ve developed glue ear. If you’ve had a cold or the flu, or feel stuffed up a lot due to allergies like hayfever, it’s also possible you’ve developed glue ear.