It’s my understanding that a punctured (or perforated) tympanum does eventually heal. It’s also my understanding that while the perforation is healing, hearing in that ear is affected by a reduction in auditory clarity. Those bones inside the ear will still vibrate and stimulate the auditory nerve, but things will be muffled and distorted some.
My hearing sucks right now, especially higher register voices, like my 7 year old son’s voice. I can usually hear my boyfriend’s voice without much trouble. The perforation will heal up on its own pretty quickly. I went to the emergency department this morning, because clearly the antibiotics I was on from Friday until today weren’t working enough to abate the antibiotics, plus if my ear was really messed up inside I wanted a quick referral to an EENT (ear nose throat doctor) (When my son’s eardrum exploded 5 years ago, he needed debridement and myringotomies (ear tubes or grommets) in both ears. It turns out that was why his speech was delayed, he started talking in full sentences days after the ear tubes were inserted.)
Today he Emerg Doctor looked, said there was a small but noticable perf, and changed up my antibiotics and sent me on my way. He is also phoning in a consult to an EENT but who knows how long THAT will take.
I’ve had my drums perf before, so I wasn’t panicked or anything it just sucks. Also no swimming or anything like that for me for a while, when the drum is open I need to keep water out. That also means earplugs in the shower. I hate it. I’ve been down this road a bunch of times, my eustachian tubes are narrow and don’t drain well. Its been 11 years since I had problems like this, I had hoped that they were finally over. I guess not. My hearing is crappy, and has been for a long time. It will worsen, and I do expect to be significantly hard of hearing in my senior years.
Huh, I just realized that 11 years ago was the last time I was off work for a ruptured ear drum. It was also when I joined the Dope. I remember spending a week recovering and surfing the net… sort of like these past few days, only now I have a laptop which is right beside me in bed.
Feel better, Mona Lisa. That sounds all kinds of sucky.
Note to self: Ow, ow, ow, ow, and ow. Five hours of guitar hero is a bit much for a beginner (but I was chording like a mad fool by the end of it!)
Congratulate me…this morning at about 4:30, my dog set the record for World’s Longest Poop Dance in the Rain! It was quite a sight for my half-closed eyes.
Man, that sounds nasty. Hope your eardrum heals up quickly!
No, no, really, that’s all right. Thanks for the offer, though. Hope you heal up fast!
**Scuba_Ben **has graced us with a new thread for a new month. Let us migrate! (I’ve also reported this thread to be locked.)
As the OP of the thread, I hereby endorse the request to lock it.
To flex my Admin powers, I will lock this thread as requested.
Lynn