Glue ear
goodtoknow says: Around seven in 10 children get glue ear before they're four years old. The main symptom is mild hearing loss. It doesn't usually cause pain, unless the ear becomes infected. Glue ear means that the middle ear has filled up with fluid. No one really knows why this happens but for many children it only lasts a few weeks and the fluid drains away without the need for treatment. Around 5 in 10 children are back to normal within three months. If it persists, other treatments such as grommets may be offered.
For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of glue ear from patient.co.uk, read on.
Glue ear is a condition where the middle ear fills with glue-like fluid instead of air. This causes dulled hearing. In most cases it clears by itself without any treatment. Treatment with a balloon that is blown up by the child using their nose may help in some cases. An operation to clear the fluid and to insert grommets may be advised if glue ear persists.
What is the ear like and how do we hear?
The ear is divided into three parts - the outer, middle, and inner ear. Sound waves come into the outer (external) ear and hit the eardrum causing the eardrum to vibrate. Behind the eardrum, in the middle ear, are three tiny bones (ossicles) - the malleus, incus, and stapes. The vibrations pass from the eardrum to these middle ear bones. The bones then transmit the vibrations to the cochlea in the inner ear. The cochlea converts the vibrations to sound signals which are sent down the ear nerve to the brain which we 'hear'.The middle ear behind the eardrum is normally filled with air. The middle ear is connected to the back of the nose by a thin channel, the Eustachian tube. This tube is normally closed. However, from time to time (usually when we swallow, chew or yawn), it opens to let air into the middle ear, and to drain any fluid out.
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