Glue ear

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Glue ear is a condition in which fluid builds up in the middle ear. It is a common cause of impaired hearing in young children. It is also known as secretory otitis media, otitis media with effusion, or serous otitis media.

The middle ear is the part of the ear on the inner side of the eardrum. In the middle ear are three tiny lever-like bones that carry sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The middle ear has a mucus-producing lining and a drainage tube, called the Eustachian tube, running forward to a point high up on the back of the throat. Close to the front opening of the Eustachian tubes are masses of tissue called adenoids.

If the front opening of the drainage tube gets blocked by enlarged adenoids or swelling from frequent colds, mucus will gather in the middle ear and will soon become thickened and sticky. This gums up the three tiny bones, so that they canâ€™t move freely. Sounds coming in to the childâ€™s ear then appear muffled.

People of any age can develop glue ear. However it is most common in children under the age of eight. This may be because the passages in the ear grow as a child ages, becoming less easy to block.