Glue Ear
What is Glue Ear?
Glue ear (otitis media with effusion) is fluid behind the eardrum. It often occurs after a cold and may affect one or both ears. The main symptom of glue ear is hearing loss. Some children with glue ear may get recurrent ear infections.
Normal left eardrum
Left glue ear
Left grommet (ventilation tube)
What causes Glue Ear?
Glue ear occurs due to inadequate ventilation of the middle ear, usually due to dysfunction of Eustachian tube, the tube that joins the back of the nose to the middle ear. It is very common in young children due to the configuration of the Eustachian tube. Children with glue ear may also have enlarged adenoids.
An important cause of glue ear in adults in Singapore is nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC, or cancer at the back of the nose). Nasopharyngeal cancer is the most common head and neck cancer in Singapore and occurs mainly in people of southern Chinese origin.
How is Glue Ear treated?
Glue ear usually resolves by itself. However, if it persists and causes hearing loss then it may need to be treated. It is usually recommended that children with glue ear for more than three months who have hearing loss are treated so prevent any detrimental effect on their speech and language development. The hearing may be restored by using hearing aids or by grommet insertion.
