Overview
Ear tube insertion is recommended for:
- fluid in the middle ear (present for more than 12 weeks)
- recurrent ear infections despite efforts of prevention (more than three infections in six months)
- ear infections that don't improve after two to three rounds of using the appropriate antibiotics
Symptoms include:
- persistent ear pain
- ear drainage
- hearing loss (over a three-month period)
Review Date 2/13/2018
Updated by: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.