Abstract
The feeling of ear fullness (FEF) arising from otitis media with effusion is thought to evoke swallowing or the Valsalva maneuver and thereby accelerate spontaneous ventilation in the middle ear. However, it is suspected that children have difficulty in sensing FEF since they do not concretely complain of FEF.
Stimulation of the trigeminal nerve by the tension of the eardrum due to inward depression is thought to be accountable for FEF Therefore, it is possible that the superficial sensation of the eardrum changes when a subject is conscious of FEF.
In 21 children (33 ears) with otitis media with effusion (FEF present in 17 ears and absent in 16 ears), air-loading pressure was applied to the auditory canal, and changes in the subjects' ability to sense that stimulation were observed. As a result, the ability of children to be conscious of FEF was found to equal that of adults. The superficial sensation of the eardrum could thus possibly be used for the qualitative evaluation of FEF as our results showed that it changed with the presence or absence of FEF.
