Right Middle Ear Effusion (Fluid Behind the Ear Drum)

This is an endoscopic view of a right ear drum with a serous effusion (fluid behind the right ear drum). This patient presented with fullness, decreased hearing, after an upper respiratory tract infection. This video was performed at Northwest ENT and Allergy Associates in Marietta, Georgia, with 2 other locations in Woodstock, Georgia, and Canton, Georgia.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• ear drum
• ear fluid
• effusion
• ear tube
• tympanic membrane
• ear infection
• hearing loss
• northwest ENT
• marietta
• georgia

[NorthwestENT]

Ringing in the ear can be a normal symptom along with hearing loss and fullness in the ear. Ringing will not be the only symptom though.

[NorthwestENT]

Liquid in the ear can be from an outer ear infection, a middle ear infection, or from ear wax which can liquify when your body temperature reaches a certain threshold. Only your ENT doctor can tell you which.

[NorthwestENT]

You could have eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), which can be caused by allergies, sinusitis, or blockage of nasal airflow. It results in fullness/pressure in the ear, with mild changes in hearing (muffled or sounds like you could be under water). Actual effusions, fluid behind the ear drum, rarely come and go with, "popping your ears" (performing the valsalva maneuver as you described). Nasal sprays can be helpful, and you are not hurting your ears doing this. You should seek an ENT.

[NorthwestENT]

Sorry to hear about the vertigo. Vertigo can be caused by multiple things. If it is unrelenting, room-spinning, nauseating vertigo, without hearing loss or change in mental status, it is most likely vestibular neuritis. If there are only seconds of vertigo with changes in head position, no hearing loss, most likely BPPV. Changes in hearing, or ringing associated with the vertigo, could be Menieres Disease. Fevers, chills, hearing loss, vertigo, ringing, and fullness, could be labyrinthitis.

[KaratCake]

I've been suffering from what I suppose to be a eustachian tube problem from for about 8 years now, and I have a few quesitons, so please bear with me.

1) Does holding heat such as a rice sock to the ear help evaporate fluid?

2) Sometimes ear feels as if it's clearing, but as it clears there's also a build up of a slight pressure feeling in the ear. Why?

3. If i hold nose & blow gently, there is a slight pop and I hear somewhat normally for maybe 1-2 secs. What does this indicate?

[NorthwestENT]

1.While holding a warm compress to the ear may help you deal symptomatically with the fluid, this process will not evaporate middle ear fluid.

2.The eustachain tube is the only manner through which the middle ear can drain fluid and pressure, so as you are clearing the fluid, you may be also accumulating pressure behind the ear drum.

3.Hard to say what that indicates. As long as you are hearing a pop when you perform that manuever, that means that the eustachian tube and middle ear are clearing

[genericvideo1]

How is that fluid removed?

[lamfp]

I've had fluid behind my right ear for almost a year now. It is truly hell. I will do anything, anything, to get my hearing back..

[chefcolby1]

what can i do to release this pressure, i went to the doctor yesterday and he gave me antibiotics and ive taken them for 4 doses now at 2 pills a dose and still have this pressure/pain, im very disoriented and cant walk straight because of the infection/pressure in middle ear.

[Rockyamy1997]

i have recentley been told i have fluid trapped behind both my ear drums and i am in a lot of pain with it and can't hear verry well what can i do to get rid of it 'cause the doctor has prescibed nothing

[drunkenmaster1605199]

I've had this for over a year now... every time I went to the doctor he told me to use a nasal spray, which provided tiny relief but nothing lasting, and the fluid seemed to always return. Finally I'm being recommended to the hospital, hopefully they can give me some kind of operation to get rid of the bloody stuff!

[weirdpets]

THOSE THINGS HURT!!! TTRUT ME I KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GirlGamerReallywild]

POKE IT!

[Hawkclaw13]

I saw only one bit of earwax. LOL XD. I dont know if I have an infection, preforation, or whatever this is, but my ear is KILLING ME!!! I wanna scream so loud but its 6 am so I cant. I haven't had an ear infection since I was around 6 maybe. I am 13 now. Its like the pain is pounding, every now and then it is sharper and more painful. My dad has ear problems and my brother had preforated ears when he was little. I think it might be a gene. X.X I'm next.

[annanicoleily]

Dang! He has a clean ear.

[Ryukumori2799]

If you have this or something like this, is ringing in the ear a normal symptom?