Glue-Ear type symptoms

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nuyorican

Original Poster:

2,828 posts

114 months

Saturday 22nd February
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The initial message was deleted from this topic on 13 March 2025 at 19:31

KAgantua

4,472 posts

143 months

Saturday 22nd February
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Ive had something similar - essentially a wax build up, then when clear, the resultant 'stress' from the ear flushing causes some sort of infection (Clear discharge - that goes off like concrete!)

Which then causes a buildup of crap, resulting in a loop.

I find keeping the ears clear of hair helps, and regular swimming helps - perhaps the chlorine in the water dissuades any infections from growing in the ear.

KAgantua

4,472 posts

143 months

Saturday 22nd February
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Oh yeah and they said my ears are narrow inside, may be a factor. Hope you get to the bottom of what it is,

ChocolateFrog

30,790 posts

185 months

Saturday 22nd February
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Putting aside the fact you should probably see a GP I've had lots of ear issues since birth.

My ear canal has more of a kink in it than normal and water gets trapped quite easily.

If pull my ear up and back and jump up and down with the affected ear towards the ground then gravity is often enough to clear it.

The sense of relief as my hearing crackles back into clarity is bliss.

Might be worth a try.

popeyewhite

22,588 posts

132 months

Saturday 22nd February
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You can buy ear drops that will loosed most blockages within days.

MajorMantra

1,564 posts

124 months

Saturday 22nd February
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If you really want to gross yourself out, get one of those cheapo otoscopes off Amazon/ eBay and have a look inside.

popeyewhite

22,588 posts

132 months

Saturday 22nd February
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nuyorican said:
MajorMantra said:
If you really want to gross yourself out, get one of those cheapo otoscopes off Amazon/ eBay and have a look inside.
Such things exist!? What times we live in. How would you view it though?
Through an app on your phone [shudder]

InitialDave

12,911 posts

131 months

Saturday 22nd February
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nuyorican said:
Good lord. Mind. Blown.
Well don't shove it in so far, then.

Marcellus

7,187 posts

231 months

Saturday 22nd February
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I suffer similar, put it down to constantly getting water in my ears as I crash into waves (I’m a slightly competitive dinghy sailor), I also work in quite a noisy environment so spend most of my day with either ear plugs in or ear defenders on (I prefer the plugs as they’re moulded to my ears and I can keep them in even when on the phone)

I still get a buildup as described so go and see the audiologist every six months for a clear out.

Apparently there’s nothing I can really do to stop it from happening, it happens to some people but not others.

Fatherdougal

205 posts

62 months

Saturday 22nd February
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Afraid it sounds like what you’ve got. I have a build up of fluid in my inner ear which pushes up against the ear drum, meaning it doesn’t vibrate well and dramatically dulls hearing.

I’ve had gromets eight times but they won’t do it again as each time after the grommet pops out when it heals over it creates a scar. With eight of these my ear drum is now screwed anyway so it’s become something I just have to live with. I have a hearing aid in ear now but no point apparently in doing anything about the pressure/fluid in inner ear.

Alternatively you might just have a build up of wax 😀

craigjm

18,938 posts

212 months

Saturday 22nd February
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If it’s in your middle ear then your eustasian tube may not be functioning as it should. You can do specific actions to get it to open and you can also buy devices to help you open them like the otovent.

Sheepshanks

36,358 posts

131 months

Saturday 22nd February
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nuyorican said:
For about the last month or so I have what can best be described as 'glue-ear'. But the internet tells me that this is usually an aliment specific to children and not common in adults. Anyone else had it and have any tips to get rid. It's annoying as hearing is substantially diminished in the affected ear and I play piano, or try to, so it's causing me annoyance.
I've got the same thing, most noticeably in left ear, but also to a leser extend in right.

Started at Christmas and it's better now but for a while I couldn't hear anything through left ear.

Just felt like I needed to pop my ear all the time. Now and again it would pop, and I could hear for a while.

I think it was going anyway but wife got some olive oil drops and I used those a for a few days, then stopped and it seemed to dry up, although right ear is still a little iffy.

paddy1970

1,082 posts

121 months

Saturday 22nd February
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While glue ear (otitis media with effusion) is more common in children, it absolutely can occur in adults. The symptoms you're describing - the feeling of fullness, reduced hearing, and discharge - could indicate several conditions:
- Middle ear infection (otitis media)
- Eustachian tube dysfunction
- Glue ear/fluid buildup
- Outer ear infection (otitis externa)

The presence of discharge may suggest this isn't just trapped water - it could indicate an infection that needs treatment. The fact that it's lasted for about a month is also significant, as most minor ear problems should clear up within a week or two.

The Valsalva maneuver (holding nose and swallowing) typically helps with pressure equalization but if it's not helping after several attempts, this suggests the issue might need medical intervention.

Tagteam

355 posts

35 months

Sunday 23rd February
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I had the same symptoms a few months ago, turned out I had an ear infection and the ear was full of horrible stuff. It needed steroid drops to clear it (and it went in a couple of days) but nothing else moved it (antibiotics etc). I would see your GP they diagnosed it immediately.