What is glue ear?

Glue ear is an ear condition in which the liquid inside your middle ear gets trapped and becomes thick like glue. The medical term for glue ear is middle ear effusion.

Glue ear is common in young children. It can last for weeks or months, and can affect hearing, speech, learning and behaviour.

What causes glue ear?

Glue ear is caused by blockage of a small tube in the ear, called the Eustachian tube. When fluid is trapped inside this tube, it slowly gets thicker. This often happens after a head cold.

Glue ear can happen after repeated middle ear infections. Children living with smokers are more likely to get glue ear than those who don’t. Using a dummy for long periods can make things worse.

Glue ear signs and symptoms

Often there are no obvious signs of glue ear, so it’s a good idea to get your child’s ears checked regularly.

People with glue ear might:

• have problems with hearing, such as needing to turn the TV volume up
• have problems with balance
• have trouble sleeping
• feel pressure or pain in the ear
• be irritable

If you notice any problems with your ears, or your child’s ears, see your doctor.

Glue ear diagnosis

Glue ear is easily diagnosed. Your doctor can look in your ear with an instrument called an otoscope. They can also test your hearing.

Glue ear treatment

Once glue ear has been diagnosed, the doctor might ‘watch and wait’, since it often goes away on its own. If there is an ear infection, antibiotics may be prescribed to help the fluid clear.

If problems such as hearing loss don’t go away within a few months, treatment with tiny tubes called grommets might be suggested. During an operation, grommets are inserted into the ears to help drain fluid away.