Ear tube in adults ?

[dreamin_disney]

hello. My dd had an ear tube in one ear twice as a kid. Hers last one fell out a couple months ago and her ear has a lot of pressure. I’m sure she will need another tube. As a kid they put her under for the surgery. As an adult her current ENT Dr. said now that she’s older she can probably get it done in the doctor office with a sponge type thing that numbs the ear etc. I’d like to know if anyone has had it done in the doctor office being awake and how it was. Did it hurt, was it easy and painless etc? We will be going on a trip in two months that requires flying. She’s in college right now but in spring break this week(appt this week just to have ent look at it) but she won’t be back u til toward the end of May. She will be home 5 days before our trip. Trying to get this all sorted with options.

So is it best to do it in the doctors office with numbing or put to sleep with surgery

 

[J'aime Paris]

My DHs cousin, who is in her 30's, got tubes recently. Like your DD, she had several sets of ear tubes as a kid. She never really totally outgrew the problem, so her ENT suggested tubes again as an adult.

The procedure was done in the office, while she was awake. Quick and easy.

Young children are put to sleep mostly because they cannot sit still, and the doctor could damage the inner ear if the child moves suddenly.

 

[EdiePA]

I had one placed last year. The used an anesthetic ear drop and place the tube through a small slit. No pain, but weird sounds as the tube was placed and as they suctioned out the fluid.

 

[dreamin_disney]

What’s the recovery after it’s done in the doctor office?

 

[mousefan73]

I would definatly mention the plans of flying soon to the DR.

 

[acgardne]

FWIW, my young daughter just had tubes, and ENT said no restrictions on flying right away. It wasn't applicable to us, but he did mention that pre-op. I assume it wouldn't be much different for an adult with normal recovery.

 

[SharonZ]

I had it done as an adult, no recovery period, done in the ENT's office with numbing drops. I have to say they drove me nuts, and could have had them removed but they have to patch the eardrum. They do eventually come out as the eardrum heals.

 

[dreamin_disney]

My dd’s appt is today. We won’t know until doctor looks at her ear. When she was about 7-8 they tried doing it in the office but I don’t think the assistant did the numbing stuff right or the sponge they put in because my dd said it hurt and after that she was scared so we had to do the surgery. She had no problems getting her ears checked or cleaned out but after that I noticed she had a lil anxiety . The assistant wasn’t always very friendly. This new doctor explained the process and said the sponge hard at first but once drops are on it it’s soft and suppose to expand and said the assistant years ago probably did it wrong. Fingers crossed if she does need the tube, the doctor does it and it goes perfect and painless. Dd is in college now but I know a lil nervous and wants the tube in and avoid surgery( put under) but doesn’t want in office to be painful. When she was little and they tried in office her words were it felt like a bee stung her ear and flew through it and felt like a heartbeat in her ear. She was 7-8 at that time

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm really surprised at all these stories of adults with tubes in their ears. My OTOL told me that the AAO-HNS guidelines say that tubes are generally considered unnecessary for adults because the ear canal in adults is oriented downward, while in young children it is more horizontal, and therefore drains less well. He doesn't do them for anyone over age 8.

 

[Christine]

How timely. My son (24) just visited the ENT today for chronic ear pain. He had tubes as a baby/child. The doctor put him on some nasal sprays and said that if he can't get any good relief, he could get tubes again. I hadn't even thought about what the procedure would entail as an adult.

 

[dreamin_disney]

How timely. My son (24) just visited the ENT today for chronic ear pain. He had tubes as a baby/child. The doctor put him on some nasal sprays and said that if he can't get any good relief, he could get tubes again. I hadn't even thought about what the procedure would entail as an adult.

At the end of December she caught whatever was going around and was sick for 4 weeks. I took her in because she said her ear . She ended up having an ear infection and that’s when the popping in her ear started but doesn’t hurt just pressure. She does have allergies and congestion so she shoukd probably use a nasal spray. I just hope it all works out. We were really hoping her ear would have healed from all these years.

 

[dreamin_disney]

She got her tube in. She was calm and doctor and assistant did a great job!!!! My dd says her ear just feels weird to to the numbing so it’s kinda hard to tell if her ear is unplugged. She covered her left ear and says there’s a different from yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow we see all is good so I feel better sending her back to school.thanks everyone

 

[Allison]

I'm really surprised at all these stories of adults with tubes in their ears. My OTOL told me that the AAO-HNS guidelines say that tubes are generally considered unnecessary for adults because the ear canal in adults is oriented downward, while in young children it is more horizontal, and therefore drains less well. He doesn't do them for anyone over age 8.

The key word there is generally. Adults can continue to have problems with draining.