Glue ear / grommets in adults

[matildanz]

Has anyone ever had grommets inserted as an adult? I thought it was a 'child' ailment but it appears I might need these.

cheers

[Ira]

Has anyone ever had grommets inserted as an adult? I thought it was a 'child' ailment but it appears I might need these.

cheers

Only tends to be children because as you grow so do your eustachian tubes.

[oneeyedfrog]

My husband has had grommets inserted in his 40's.

He had glue ear as a child and went into hospital to have grommets put in but they took out his tonsils and adenoids instead :roll:

He has alway been a bit deaf but it got worse and he got bad breath. Kept going to the Dr for yonks- no result so I made him go to an ear nose and throat specialist who took one look and said "glue ear".

I guess GPs don't expect adults to have it.

He had the grommets which helped the infection but not the deafness.

When he had the grommets put in the Dr suspected he may have a cholesteotoma - a cyst type growth caused by repeated glue ear. Turned out he did so he had surgery to remove , then another surgery to try to repair the small bones in the ear.

He is still pretty deaf and still gets ear infections maybe once or twice a year but they clear up quickly with ear drops.

I guess some adults are prone .

Good luck

[matildanz]

Thanks for that, seems I'm not entirely abnormal then!!

I never suffered from glue ear as a child and this is the first time that flying has ever affected my ears. I did end up with the flu while on holiday in Oz last week so I wonder if this may have been the cause.

On the upside, I think the antibiotics are starting to kick in - my hearing is starting to come back so here's hoping the grommets won't be needed!