How long does it take to recover from ear tube surgery?

What is the recovery time? Your child will recover within a few days. There will be some drainage and slight pain, but this will go away in three to four days. There are some bathing and swimming restrictions because water in the ear can result in infection.

How do they do ear tube surgery?

Procedure Details The surgeon makes a small incision (cut) in the eardrum. The incision can be made with a scalpel or with a laser. The fluid that is trapped in the middle ear is drained or suctioned out. The doctor then inserts the tube into the incision in the eardrum to allow fluid to drain out of the ear.

How painful is ear tube surgery?

Your child may experience some pain after ear tube surgery in the form of an earache. This is caused by pressure changes in the ear and/or hearing louder sounds than he or she is used to. You can treat this short term discomfort with Tylenol® (acetaminophen) or Children’s Motrin® (ibuprofen).

Is Eustachian tube surgery painful?

Discomfort is typically minimal after the procedure, so if you experience excessive pain please contact us. A sore throat might be expected for a few days. Avoid any strenuous activity, exercise, lifting more than 10 pounds, excessive bending or straining for 1-2 weeks following surgery to prevent bleeding.

Is there an alternative to ear tubes?

Sept. 27, 1999 (Minneapolis) – A new laser procedure that can be performed right in the doctor’s office without anesthesia could reduce the need to place tubes in the ears of people with chronic middle ear infections.

What to expect after getting tubes in ears?

Most children have little pain after ear tube placement and usually recover quickly. Your child will feel tired for a day. But your child should be able to go back to school or daycare the day after surgery. Your child may want your attention more for the first few days after surgery.

What can you not do after ear tube surgery?

Do not put anything (such as a cotton swab) into the ear, as these can cause damage to the eardrum. Water exposure/swimming: Your child can bathe or shower normally after ear tube placement, however, you may use earplugs to avoid soapy water entering the ears as an extra precaution to prevent infection.

What are the side effects of getting tubes in your ears?

Ear tubes side effects: What are risks and complications of ear tubes?

• Failure to resolve the ear infections.
• Thickening of the eardrum over time, which affects hearing in a small percentage of patients.
• Persistent perforation after the tube falls out of the eardrum.
• Chronic ear drainage.
• Infection.
• Hearing loss.

Are ear tubes worth it?

The systematic review of more than 40 studies found that implanting tubes in the ears of children who have persistent or recurrent episodes of otitis media with effusion (OME) improves hearing over a short period but is less likely to improve long-term cognitive and functional development.

Can your body reject ear tubes?

Tympanostomy tubes can become blocked by wax, blood, discharge from otorrhea, or even a foreign body. Some blockages can be opened with topical medications or by physically cleaning out the wax, blood, or discharge. Granulation tissue must be treated with steroid-containing medication.

What is the recovery time for ear tube surgery?

The procedure lasts for an hour or two and the recovery period would be around six weeks. Following a few basic precautions during the recovery period would ensure that the operation is a long term success. Post procedure care for quicker ear surgery recovery should follow a particular specific pattern.

What are the side effects of getting ear tubes in your ears?

Side effects were common in ears with tubes, including ear discharge and calcification of tissue in the middle ear, which can lead to hearing loss. Adenoidectomy , a procedure often done at the same time as ear tube placement, also carried a risk of harm, including an increased risk of postsurgical hemorrhage.

Why do you get tubes put in your ears?

The tube prevents many ear infections by allowing air in the middle ear to exchange freely with the outside air, preventing the formation of a vacuum in the middle ear. This tends to keep the infection from coming to the ear from the back of the nose and causing the ear infection.

What to expect after ear tube surgery in adults?

After surgery, ear drainage should end within two to three days, according to New York University Langone Medical Center . In rare instances, complications after ear tube surgery can include persistent ear drainage that continues for more than four days following surgery.