tubes in ears for adult?

[teachermom2834]

My 17 yo ds has been dealing with recurrent ear infections for about a year and a half (after never having one as a small child). After many go rounds with antibiotics he is finally scheduled for tubes to be put in two months from now.

 

The date was set to accommodate finishing up dual enrollment finals and a family vacation. Now he wishes he had gone ahead and scheduled it earlier and just dealt with missing class because he is in alot of discomfort. I called today and the ENT is out of the office the rest of this month so I don't really see him being able to move up the procedure much.

 

What can anyone tell me about recovery? How long until resuming normal activities? How long until ears felt normal? Did it work?

 

Also any coping strategies in the meantime while he waits for the procedure? He is on another round of antibiotics and prednisone this time and it isn't helping much. I think both he and I are starting to go a bit nutty from the cumulative impact of this nagging issue. He is uncomfortable and irritable. I am irritable and frustrated. Two months seems a long time away.

[gardenmom5]

what changed that he's having so many ear infections when he didn't as a child?

 

that's just . . odd.   is he a swimmer?   have chronic sinusitis?

I'd be looking for what is causing them.

[teachermom2834]

No idea what is causing them. Not a swimmer.

 

Our ENT seems good and says it isn't as uncommon in older kids as you would think. For whatever reason the Eustachian tube isn't operating correctly. It has been odd.

[Jan in SC]

My dh had a tube put in one ear after months of fluid issues. It helped immediately. They don't know why he had issues, but it's much better now.

[zimom]

I worked for a team of great ENTs for 2 decades.  Audiologist in a prior life.  

 

First, he wants to find an ENT that can do this IN OFFICE.  All they need to do is numb his eardrum.  My docs did this all the time as an office procedure, the same day as your office visit if needed.   My son, when he was 2 years old, had it done in the office because he was so comfortable with the doctor and staff.  Anyone that will  hold still can be accommodated this way.   No anesthesia, no extra costs, no extra risks.

 

Recovery:  zip, nada if done this way.  Just needs to keep lake water, ocean water out of his ear.   Different docs have different views about pool and shower water so I will leave that up to his doc.  

[AK_Mom4]

one of my employees just went in for tubes a couple of weeks ago.  He was back to work in an hour with no after-effects other than the numbing stuff made his ear itch when it wore off.  He is also much less grumpy these days.

[teachermom2834]

one of my employees just went in for tubes a couple of weeks ago. He was back to work in an hour with no after-effects other than the numbing stuff made his ear itch when it wore off. He is also much less grumpy these days.

Less grumpy is what I am counting on!

[Terabith]

I didn't have tubes put in, but I did have an ENT make a hole to drain fluid in his office. No recovery. Immediate relief.

[Guest]

I worked for a team of great ENTs for 2 decades.  Audiologist in a prior life.  

 

First, he wants to find an ENT that can do this IN OFFICE.  All they need to do is numb his eardrum.  My docs did this all the time as an office procedure, the same day as your office visit if needed.   My son, when he was 2 years old, had it done in the office because he was so comfortable with the doctor and staff.  Anyone that will  hold still can be accommodated this way.   No anesthesia, no extra costs, no extra risks.

 

Recovery:  zip, nada if done this way.  Just needs to keep lake water, ocean water out of his ear.   Different docs have different views about pool and shower water so I will leave that up to his doc.  

 

:iagree:

 

This was my experience.  I have had tubes in my ears for almost two years now. Had it done in office, no issues. Right back to my car and drove myself home to take care of my kids like nothing happened. The first couple of days his hearing might be off- maybe significantly, but within a couple of days it is back to normal. It doesn't hurt. It just feels odd and is loud when they're putting them in. No issues afterwards. I didn't need to wear plugs or anything for shower or swimming in the pool- only if lake or ocean as mentioned by zimom and that was a non-issue for me. 

 

They helped me a LOT. I had such horrible ear issues from pressure build up due to allergies all I could think about some days was how much my ears bothered me. With the tubes, it was a like a new lease on life. I think your son will be glad after he gets them done. 

[catz]

I had sinus surgery in my early twenties and my ENT doctor told me that the plumbing in your head doesn't fully develop until you are into your 20s. I was having ear problems too. Just with fluid, no infections. And sinus surgery helped. He said at any point it isn't super weird for the structure not to work well for drainage.

 

Anyway, my father had tubes as an adult. Easy surgery, quick recovery. And it worked great for him for many years.

[teachermom2834]

Thanks everyone. I wish we hadn't waited so long to take care of this because now we feel like it cannot happen soon enough. He is understandably worn down by the chronic discomfort and I am honestly worn down by it as well. Hopefully we can get it done sooner than the two months away it is currently scheduled.

 

Any coping tips in the meantime are appreciated too.

[Rosie_0801]

Any coping tips in the meantime are appreciated too.

 

I'd try a chiropractor. They usually clear up ear infections quicker than antibiotics.