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The Curious Bag
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Glue ear occurs when the Eustachian tube--which runs from the middle of the ear into the nose and removes debris in the middle ear--clogs with excess mucus because the Eustachian tube no longer drains properly and dampens the ability to hear.
Cause
The specific causes of glue ear are not yet known, according to United Kingdom National Health Service, but the NHS believes that it is due to the Eustachian tube swelling or being too narrow. This probably induces a vacuum in the middle ear as air leaves, but does not get replaced--allowing mucus to seep into the area around the middle ear.
Illness
Sicknesses that make the body generate mucus sometimes lead to glue ear, especially in children because they are more prone to sickness due to their underdeveloped immune system.
Toddlers
Toddlers are especially prone to getting glue ear because they have smaller, straighter Eustachian tubes that do not let air flow as easily as in an adult's.
Prevention
Children are more likely to develop glue ear when in a smoking household and in those with multiple children, who often spread infections among each other, according to the UK National Health Service.
Treatment
Doctors usually just wait out a case of glue ear because they often heal on their own. Other treatments include surgery and a hearing aid in more serious cases, according to eHealthMD.com.
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