Autoinflation Device - Clinically Effective Treatment for Glue Ear

My wife and I cannot recommend this product highly enough. I realise this is a rambling review but I suspect many a parent will be in this position, so I thought it ok to post the long version in order to identify with our situation. Our normally well behaved six year old son started misbehaving in class at School. This got steadily worse, so much so that we even checked his hairline at the back of his neck for treble sixes. Luckily we didn't find any. We booked a hearing test for him and the results showed that he had only forty per cent hearing capacity. The right ear was full of fluid and the left one was almost the same. Coupled with this, he had an accumulation of wax in both ears. Both of these ailments, according to the specialist, was very likely the cause of his behavioural change. We came away from the clinic with a prescription for antibiotics to clear the fluid and some Bicarbonate drops to soften the wax. Some weeks later when both had been finished we noticed a slight improvement with his hearing but his behaviour quickly returned to pre medication stage. So much so that my wife was regularly asked to `Step into the office' of either the Teacher or Head Teacher when picking him after School. Our normally well behaved son was constantly on the report card, being told off or sent out of class during lessons. A few days later we took him back to the Doctors and he prescribed more antibiotics and drops. My wife asked if there was anything else we could try as she was reluctant to pump a six year old full of drugs. She was offered micro suction for him on both ears which she readily accepted and an appointment was given. At the clinic the following week, every other child merrily went in and out of the surgery room and had suction. Our son went in and endured it for about two minutes and then burst into tears, exclaiming it was hurting inside his head. My wife tried to coax him into having it completed in order to improve his hearing but he just ended up sobbing his little heart out. The consultant was extremely considerate and said that one in ten children reacted this way and that an option was to repeat the op but with him under sedation. She got an appointment and four weeks later he was sedated and both ears properly drained of fluid. The change in our son was amazing, no longer on the report cards, always smiling and happy, never once in trouble at School. Even the Teacher constantly remarked about how his behaviour had changed almost overnight for the better. Unfortunately this amazing change was short lived, his hearing gradually reduced and went to thirty per cent within five weeks. His behaviour returned to Damien Omen proportions and this had a knock on effect on the whole family as everyone was constantly bickering. Once again we approached the Doctor and this time he recommended grommets in both ears to drain the fluid. After checking out various websites re this procedure I was loathe to put my son through this as most people said that they fell out within days or weeks; and had to go through it all again to have them replaced. My wife insisted that there wasn't another option and that we had been in and out of the Doctors and clinics for well over a year! The operation was the best thing for him and to get it done quickly as his School work was suffering. A day later we got a phone call saying that they had a cancellation and that our son could have his fitted the following Friday, which was only six days away. My wife agreed and he was booked in for the op. I was still totally against it, and totally unconvinced that there wasn't an alternative solution. In desperation I typed in `Cures for fluid in the ear' in Google and the first thing that came up was the Otovent Balloon. After reading about the product and watching the short movie clip on how it worked, I bought one off Amazon and paid for next day delivery. Once at home we made a game of blowing it up, with me pretending I couldn't inflate the balloon with my nostril, letting my son `Beat me' at blowing it up every time. This removed the seriousness from the procedure and at the first attempt on the second nostril, he shouted `Daddy my ear just went POP'! He was chuckling every time he inflated the balloon saying its crackling now, not popping. We made him do this four times on each nostril twice a day and by the fourth day I was convinced his hearing had improved dramatically. I knew this as my wife and I had always tested his hearing by whispering his name whilst stood behind him. Every time we had done this previously, he hadn't responded. After using the balloon and trying it, he turned round immediately asking what did I want, why was I calling his name! Desperate for him not to undergo surgery, I called the clinic and explained what we had done and that we would like an immediate hearing test. If all was well, then he wouldn't need grommets and some other child who did want them, could have the appointment. The clinic was more than willing to sort this out and we went in the next day at 8.30am. After conducting an audiology test and examining for fluid, the consultant was amazed that his hearing was slightly above the National average for children and the fluid had all but drained away! My wife was so happy she burst into tears in the consulting room! Our son still inflates the balloon morning and night, to prevent a recurrence of fluid and hearing loss. His Teacher has informed us that his behaviour is excellent and she never has to reprimand him during lessons. At home he has reverted back to the loving happy little boy we all know and he even gets on with his younger brother better than ever. We thoroughly recommend this product to any parent who would prefer their child to not have grommets.

I'm just 60 years old and in the middle of November last year I had a really nasty virus which left me with a head full of mucus. My ears had both become blocked and then over Christmas my right ear cleared on it's own, but my left ear became even more blocked, and started to make whistling sounds day and night which I presumed was tinnitus. I couldn't sleep properly, I found it really difficult to be anywhere crowded because voices sounded jumbled, crunching food sounded really loud, couldn't hear the TV very well, could hardly use the phone etc ............it was all getting me down!! Last week I went to the doctor's and he said that I had glue ear and he could see mucus right behind my ear drum, and my eustachian tube must be completely blocked. I was given a steroid inhaler, told to continue with Vick inhalation and it would all clear up within 3 - 4 weeks!! I really didn't like the idea of having to cope with this for potentially another month, so I searched online and came across Otovent. I found some very good demos on 'youtube' and was very keen to get started, it sounded so clever and I like the idea of not pumping drugs into myself. I've now been using it 3 times a day for just 3 days, and I'm absolutely delighted with the results. For the first couple of days I just inflated the balloon and I couldn't feel anything happening, but today I decided to move on to Phase 2 and allow the inflated balloon to deflate into my nostrils while swallowing water..............it takes a bit of practise but I'm so pleased that I tried it. Afterwards my left ear felt full and I felt slightly dizzy, but then after about 30 minutes I felt a pressure release in my blocked ear, and a small glug. Brilliant!! Then all morning about every 20 minutes I felt another small glug in my ear, and I then realised that my hearing wasn't so muffled and the tinnitus was very much reduced. I shall carry on using Vick inhalation to thin the mucous, followed by using Otovent and all being well I feel as if I'm well on the way to being back to normal. I've never had any ear problems before, so thank you Otovent for helping me to overcome this. It would be good if doctors advised patients to use Otovent to speed up their recovery, it's such a simple and effective system to use.

Product arrived on time, quality good as expected, no issues.

Works and is the medically recommended option. But definitely overpriced considering what you get. There are alternatives that give you more for less but without the NHS co-sign.

I have given this product 5 stars. I can't say that it has worked 100% for me but I think that it has helped. I have had seriously blocked eustachian tubes for nearly 4 years now. My ears will not pop, there is a horrible 'full' cotton-woolly feeling in my head (that explains a lot LOL) and I can't hear properly, especially when singing in the two choirs I belong to. I have seen numerous doctors and consultants who seem to be able to do nothing at all. I was prescribed steroid nasal spray for ears?) which did not work at all, dried up my nose, gave me a sore throat. The medics really did have absolutely no idea. Hearing tests normal. Pressure tests normal. But they ignore symptoms and post-nasal drip. Decided I would give in and have grommets and the consultant refused. I asked about ballon dilation therapy where they put very, very tiny thin balloons inside the eustachian tubes and fill them with water to expand the tubes to allow the air through to equalise the pressure in the ear. Not available, still being trialled, perhaps in a few years. Too late. Have tried saline in neti pot, crystals, standing on my head, reflexology, nasal sprays, essential oils, steam etc to no avail. Note of desperation. Anyway whilst searching the internet to find out if there was anything further about the balloon dilation thing I found this Otovent so clutching at straws I ordered one. It is the nearest thing to making a difference so far. I've been using it for about 4 weeks now and there is some improvement. Although I cannot say that it is completely cured. At least it is doing no harm. The product seems a little expensive but the little plastic nose piece does work very well and is robust. I think it would be much improved by having more balloons with it (you get 5, 10 would be more realistic). You should be able to buy replacement balloons of the right type. I bought some ordinary 'party' balloons of the same size and found that you have to blow them up once by mouth to be able to inflate with the nostril whilst the Otovent ones supplied are possible to blow up with the nostril without doing this. I strongly feel that had even one of the learned doctors or consultants suggested this item when I first had this problem I'm sure it would have cured it. I think then with occasional use to keep the tubes open I think I would not be having this constant problem with the tubes. Now I think there is so much damage to the tubes I wonder if they will ever unblock properly. If you have blocked eustachian tubes then it is well worth trying this product. It does not involve any medication, steroids, surgery or grommets so you have nothing to lose. It should be more widely known about in the medical profession. Any doctors reading this take careful note!

Great treatment for glue ear and very easy to use

Having suffered from a dull ache in my ear ,face and jaw caused by glue ear since July this year, and getting no real help from the GP apart from the cheery news that " it will go away eventually", I was keen to try a home remedy. The kit comes with a tiny nasal nozzle and three balloons. I followed the instructions carefully, but the information that I should be able to inflate it to the size of a grapefruit really threw me. Despite a lot of effort: reader, I could not initially inflate it to the size of a grape. I puffed. I took huge breaths in. I nearly passed out through holding my breath while simultaneously trying to inflate the balloon. However, I'm nothing if not persistent and the cats seemed to find it entertaining. So I continued faithfully trying three times daily. I tried while I waited for the kettle to boil, the coffee to brew, the mince to brown. One day, suddenly, without warning, the balloon inflated with such speed that I forgot what I was doing and it rushed back up my nose with force. The cats looked on, fascinated. My ear, unfortunately , is no better. However I'm available as a children's entertainer under the pseudonym " The Mighty Nose- see her inflate balloons with her nose while riding a unicycle!" Just the unicycling to perfect now...

Ok