Middle ear fluid, or serous otitis media, is responsible for causing most cases of hearing loss among children. Fluid often settles in the eardrum during a head cold or upper respiratory infection; after the illness clears, the fluid normally drains from the ears through a tube connected to the nose. When this tube, called the Eustachian tube, becomes blocked, fluid begins to build in the ear.
Treatment for fluid in the ears varies depending on the individual and may include changes to environmental factors, antibiotic therapy, placing tubes in the ears and removal of the adenoids.
Environmental Factor Changes and Antibiotics
In health individuals, prior to treatment with medication or surgery, changes in the environmental factors are recommended for initial treatment of fluid in the ears. These changes include avoiding cigarette smoke and staying away from known allergy triggers. Fluid will usually clear on its own after these changes are made. Fluid still present after six to 12 weeks may require treatment with antibiotics.
Until recently, most treatments for fluid in the ears involved antibiotics. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is the most common illness in children for which antibiotics are prescribed in the United States. Antibiotics are most often prescribed to treat fluid in the ears for anyone with ear pain or a fever over 102 Fahrenheit and a probable ear infection.
Ear Tubes
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, ear tubes are often recommended for people who lose hearing as a result of excess fluid in the ears. These tubes are inserted through small incisions in the ear drum and allow fluid to drain through the Eustachian tube. Most ear tubes are kept in place for six months to a year and often fall out on their own.
Removal of the Adenoids
The adenoids are glands located near the Eustachian tube. When infected or enflamed, the adenoids may cause the tube to become blocked, encouraging fluid retention and infection in the ear. The adenoids are larger in young children, leaving them more susceptible to this condition.
Removal of the adenoids is often recommended to treat chronic ear infection and fluid in the ears. This procedure, known as an adenoidectomy, has demonstrated that it can reduce the risk of recurrent ear infection and the need for repeated surgeries.
References
- Ear Surgery Information Center: Serious Ottis Media -- Fluids in the Ears
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Ottis media with effusion
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Ear Infections
- MayoClinic.com: Ear infection (middle ear infection)
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ear infections
- American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery: Ear Tubes
