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Although glue ear is commonly associated with children, it can also affect adults. Despite this, many adults are unaware of the symptoms to look for in glue ear and what causes it. In this article, our audiologists discuss not only the symptoms associated with glue ear but also what might have caused the issue in the first place as well as treatment options.
What are the symptoms of glue ear? The most common symptom of glue ear is hearing loss. This is due to the build-up of fluid in the middle ear. Other symptoms that you may experience with glue ear include earache and tinnitus (ringing or buzzing noise in the ear).
What causes glue ear? Glue ear occurs when the middle of the ear canal is filled with a sticky fluid. This part of the middle ear should usually be filled with air. The sticky fluid is what causes hearing loss in most adults as this means that the middle ear can’t move freely.
Read on to find out more about the symptoms you should look out for in glue ear, what may be causing these problems and how you can get treatment to help.
There are a number of symptoms associated with glue ear in adults, many of them the same as what children experience. It’s important to be able to look for these symptoms in order to understand when you should seek professional advice, we’ve highlighted these in more detail below.
Hearing loss is the most common symptom associated with glue ear in both adults and children. Hearing loss can be selective or full and is caused by the build-up of fluid in the middle ear. The fluid reduces the vibrations entering the ear through soundwaves which is why the noise will sound more reduced.
Although this symptom is not as common as hearing loss many adults still confirm experiencing a ringing or buzzing noise in the ear with glue ear. The noise that you can hear cannot be heard by other people as the noise is caused by an internal problem that only you are aware of.
As with most ear problems, ear pain is a potential symptom of glue ear. Glue ear can cause forms of irritable pain or pressure. This earache is especially difficult at night time and can cause problems with sleeping.
There is no direct cause associated with glue ear in adults but with most patients, glue ear commonly follows after an acute ear infection – either a virus or bacteria or following a cold or flu. Other possible causes of glue ear in adults can include:
Treatment options can vary. Usually your GP may wait to see if the symptoms of glue ear get better on their own. Sometimes this can take upto 3 months. It is usually advised to trial autoinflation to help drain the fluid in the middle ear. At North London Earwax Clinic we recommend using Otovent a non-surgical treatment you can try at home.
If your symptoms are not relieved by this or your symptoms last beyond 3 months, it is recommended you seek an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) referral for further treatment. In extreme cases, your doctor may recommend hearing aids or surgery to help relieve your symptoms but this is very uncommon.
Glue ear is not the only condition that can cause a painful blocked feeling in the middle ear. The symptoms associated with glue ear are very similar compared to other ear infections. Conditions which can also cause a blocked feeling in the middle ear include:
Ear wax build-up is the most common condition which can cause a built-up feeling within the middle ear. The production of too much ear wax creates a painful blockage in the ear canal especially when it begins to harden. Although ear wax build up shares many of the symptoms associated with glue ear, the two are in no way related.
Unlike glue ear, in order to relieve the symptoms of excess ear wax, a trained specialist will use an ear suction tube to gently dislodge and remove excess ear wax from the ear canal. This procedure is called microsuction. To find out more about how to spot the symptoms associated with earwax why not check out our recent blog?
We offer a safe and comprehensive ear wax removal service both in-clinic and at home. Contact one of our specialists to find out how we can help or find out more today on our website.
At North London Earwax Clinic we provide a professional and safe environment to conduct microsuction ear wax removal for patients across North London. Our audiologists are trained to offer services for both children and adults, with special training in helping children over the age of 6 or those who may be anxious.
Book your comfortable appointment with us today by simply filling in the contact form on our website or exploring more about our services.
North London Earwax Clinic uses endoscopic microsuction to remove build-up ear wax in the safest and most comfortable way.
We offer a safe and comfortable service for children’s ear wax removal, both in-clinict and at home.
Our team of friendly Audiologists offers both in-clinic and at-home professional ear cleaning services, removing earwax buildup safely and efficiently through microsuction. Contact us today to book an appointment.
