Myringotomy and ear tubes



Definition

Myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which a small incision is made in the eardrum (the tympanic membrane), usually in both ears. The English word is derived from myringa, modern Latin for drum membrane, and tome, Greek for cutting. It is also called myringocentesis, tympanotomy, tympanostomy, or paracentesis of the tympanic membrane. Fluid in the middle ear can be drawn out through the incision.

Ear tubes, or tympanostomy tubes, are small tubes open at both ends that are inserted into the incisions in the eardrums during myringotomy. They come in various shapes and sizes and are made of plastic, metal, or both. They are left in place until they fall out by themselves or until they are removed by a doctor.


Purpose

Myringotomy with the insertion of ear tubes is an optional treatment for inflammation of the middle ear

During a myringotomy, an incision is made into the ear drum, or tympanic membrane (B). The fluid in the ear canal is suctioned out (C), and a small tube is put in place to allow future drainage in the event of an infection (D). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
During a myringotomy, an incision is made into the ear drum, or tympanic membrane (B). The fluid in the ear canal is suctioned out (C), and a small tube is put in place to allow future drainage in the event of an infection (D). (
Illustration by GGS Inc.
)

with fluid collection (effusion) that lasts longer than three months (chronic otitis media with effusion) and does not respond to drug treatment. This condition is also called glue ear. Myringotomy is the recommended treatment if the condition lasts four to six months. Effusion refers to the collection of fluid that escapes from blood vessels or the lymphatic system. In this case, the effusion collects in the middle ear.

Initially, acute inflammation of the middle ear with effusion is treated with one or two courses of antibiotics . Antihistamines and decongestants have been used, but they have not been proven effective unless there is also hay fever or some other allergic inflammation that contributes to the problem. Myringotomy with or without the insertion of ear tubes is not recommended for initial treatment of otherwise healthy children with middle ear inflammation with effusion.

In about 10% of children, the effusion lasts for three months or longer, when the disease is considered chronic. In children with chronic disease, systemic steroids may help, but the evidence is not clear, and there are risks.

When medical treatment doesn't stop the effusion after three months in a child who is one to three years old, is otherwise healthy, and has hearing loss in both ears, myringotomy with insertion of ear tubes becomes an option. If the effusion lasts for four to six months, myringotomy with insertion of ear tubes is recommended.

The purpose of myringotomy is to relieve symptoms, to restore hearing, to take a sample of the fluid to examine in the laboratory in order to identify any microorganisms present, or to insert ear tubes.

Ear tubes can be inserted into the incision during myringotomy and left there. The eardrum heals around them, securing them in place. They usually fall out on their own in six to 12 months or are removed by a doctor.

While the tubes are in place, they keep the incision from closing, keeping a channel open between the middle ear and the outer ear. This allows fresh air to reach the middle ear, allowing fluid to drain out, and preventing pressure from building up in the middle ear. The patient's hearing returns to normal immediately and the risk of recurrence diminishes.


Demographics

In the United States, myringotomy and tube placement have become a mainstay of treatment for recurrent otitis media in children. An article published in the March 1998 Consumer Reports stated that the " … number of myringotomies has risen nearly 250 percent in recent years, making the operation the sixth most common operation in the United States." According to the New York University School of Medicine, myringotomy and tube placement is the most common surgical procedure performed in children as of 2003, largely because otitis media is the most common reason for children to be taken to a doctor's office.

Myringotomy in adults is a less common procedure than in children, primarily because adults benefit from certain changes in the anatomy of the middle ear that occur after childhood. In particular, the adult ear is less likely to accumulate fluid because the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the throat area, lies at about a 45-degree angle from the horizontal. This relatively steep angle means that the force of gravity helps to keep fluids from the throat containing disease organisms out of the middle ear. In children, however, the Eustachian tube is only about 10 degrees above the horizontal, which makes it relatively easy for disease organisms to migrate from the nose and throat into the inner ear. Myringotomies in adults are usually performed as a result of barotrauma that is also known as pressure-related ear pain or barotitis media. Barotrauma refers to earache caused by unequal air pressure on the inside and outside of the eardrum. Adults with very narrow Eustachian tubes may experience barotrauma in relation to scuba diving, using elevators, or frequent flying. A myringotomy with tube insertion may be performed if the condition is not helped by decongestants or antibiotics.

Most myringotomies in children are performed in children between one and two years of age. One Canadian study found that the number of myringotomies performed was 12.8 per thousand for children 11 months old or younger; 54.2 per thousand for children between 12 and 23 months old; and 11.1 per thousand for children between three and 15 years old. Sex and race do not appear to affect the number of myringotomies in any age group, although boys are reported to have a slightly higher rate of ear infections than girls.

Description

When a conventional myringotomy is performed, the ear is washed, a small incision made in the eardrum, the fluid sucked out, a tube inserted, and the ear packed with cotton to control bleeding.

Recent developments include the use of medical acupuncture to control pain during the procedure, and the use of carbon dioxide lasers to perform the myringotomy itself. Laser-assisted myringotomy can be performed in a doctor's office with only a local anesthetic. It has several advantages over the older technique: it is less painful; less frightening to children; and minimizes the need for tube insertion because the hole in the eardrum produced by the laser remains open longer than an incision done with a scalpel.

Another technique to keep the incision in the eardrum open without the need for tube insertion is application of a medication called mitomycin C, which was originally developed to treat bladder cancer. The mitomycin prevents the incision from sealing over. As of 2003, however, this approach is still in its experimental stages.

There has also been an effort to design ear tubes that are easier to insert or to remove, and to design tubes that stay in place longer. As of 2003, ear tubes come in various shapes and sizes.


Diagnosis/Preparation

The diagnosis of otitis media is based on the doctor's visual examination of the patient's ear and the patient's symptoms. Patients with otitis media complain of earache and usually have a fever, sometimes as high as 105°F (40.5°C). There may or may not be loss of hearing. Small children may have nausea and vomiting. When the doctor looks in the ear with an otoscope, the patient's eardrum will look swollen and may bulge outward. The doctor can evaluate the presence of fluid in the middle ear either by blowing air into the ear, known as insufflation, or by tympanometry, which is an indirect measurement of the mobility of the eardrum. If the eardrum has already ruptured, there may be a watery, bloody, or pus-streaked discharge.

Fluid removed from the ear can be taken to a laboratory for culture. The most common bacteria that cause otitis media are Pneumococcus , Haemophilus influenzae , and Moraxella catarrhalis . Some cases are caused by viruses, particularly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

A child scheduled for a myringotomy should not have food or water for four to six hours before anesthesia. Antibiotics are usually not needed.

If local anesthesia is used, a cream containing lidocaine and prilocaine is applied to the ear canal about 30 minutes before the myringotomy. If medical acupuncture is used for pain control, the acupuncture begins about 40 minutes before surgery and is continued during the procedure.

Aftercare

The use of antimicrobial drops is controversial. Water should be kept out of the ear canal until the eardrum is intact. A doctor should be notified if the tubes fall out.


Risks

The risks include:

It is also possible that the incision won't heal properly, leaving a permanent hole in the eardrum. This result can cause some hearing loss and increases the risk of infection.

The ear tube may move inward and get trapped in the middle ear, rather than move out into the external ear, where it either falls out on its own or can be retrieved by a doctor. The exact incidence of tubes moving inward is not known, but it could increase the risk of further episodes of middle-ear inflammation, inflammation of the eardrum or the part of the skull directly behind the ear, formation of a mass in the middle ear, or infection due to the presence of a foreign body.

The surgery may not be a permanent cure. As many as 30% of children undergoing myringotomy with insertion of ear tubes need to undergo another procedure within five years.

The other risks include those associated with sedatives or general anesthesia. Some patients may prefer acupuncture for pain control in order to minimize these risks.

An additional element of postoperative care is the recommendation of many doctors that the child use ear plugs to keep water out of the ear during bathing or swimming to reduce the risk of infection and discharge.


Normal results

Parents often report that children talk better, hear better, are less irritable, sleep better, and behave better after myringotomy with the insertion of ear tubes. Normal results in adults include relief of ear pain and ability to resume flying or deep-sea diving without barotrauma.


Morbidity and mortality rates

Morbidity following myringotomy usually takes the form of either otorrhea, which is a persistent discharge from the ear, or changes in the size or texture of the eardrum. The risk of otorrhea is about 13%. If the procedure is repeated, the eardrum may shrink, retract, or become flaccid. The eardrum may also develop an area of hardened tissue. This condition is known as tympanosclerosis. The risk of hardening is 51%; its effects on hearing aren't known, but they appear to be insignificant.

A report published in 2002 indicates that morbidity following myringotomy in the United States is highest among children from families of low socioeconomic status. The study found that children from poor urban families had more episodes of otorrhea following tube insertion then children from suburban families. In addition, the episodes of otorrhea in the urban children lasted longer.

Mortality rates are extremely low; case studies of fatalities following myringotomy are rare in the medical literature, and most involve adults.


Alternatives

Preventive measures

There are several lifestyle issues related to high rates of middle ear infection. One of the most serious is parental smoking. One study of the effects of passive smoking on children's health estimated that as many as 165,000 of the myringotomies performed each year on American children are related to the use of tobacco in the household.

Another risk factor is daycare placement. A 1997 study at the University of North Carolina found that 31% of the children in a sample of 346 children in daycare required myringotomy with tube insertion as compared to 11% of 63 children cared for at home. In addition, the children in daycare who had ventilation tubes had to have the tubes reinserted three times as often as the children in home care with ventilation tubes.

A third factor that affects a child's risk of recurrent middle ear infection is breastfeeding. Researchers at the University of Arizona reported in 1993 that infants who had been breastfed exclusively for at least four months had significantly fewer middle ear infections as toddlers.


Other surgical approaches

There is some controversy among doctors as to whether removal of the adenoids helps to lower the risk of recurrent ear infections. A 2001 Canadian study reported that removing the child's adenoids at the time of the first insertion of ventilation tubes significantly reduced the likelihood of additional ear operations in children two years of age and older. Other doctors think that adenoidectomy at the time of tube placement should be performed only on children with a large number of risk factors for recurrent otitis media. Most agree that further study of this question is needed.


Alternative medicine

According to Dr. Kenneth Pelletier, former director of the program in complementary and alternative medicine at Stanford University, there is some evidence that homeopathic treatment is effective in reducing the pain of otitis media in children and lowering the risk of recurrence.


Resources

books

"Acute Otitis Media." Section 7, Chapter 84 in The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy , edited by Mark H. Beers, MD, and Robert Berkow, MD. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2001.

Lanternier, Matthew L., MD. "Otolaryngology: Ear Pathology," Chapter 20 in The University of Iowa Family Practice Handbook , 4th edition, edited by Mark Graber, MD, and Matthew L. Lanternier, MD. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 2001.

Pelletier, Kenneth R., MD. The Best Alternative Medicine, Part II: CAM Therapies for Specific Conditions: Otitis Media. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002.


periodicals

Ah-Tye, C., J. L. Paradise, and D. K. Colborn. "Otorrhea in Young Children After Tympanostomy-Tube Placement for Persistent Middle-Ear Effusion: Prevalence, Incidence, and Duration." Pediatrics 107 (June 2001): 1251–1258.

Coyte, P. C., R. Croxford, W. McIsaac, et al. "The Role of Adjuvant Adenoidectomy and Tonsillectomy in the Outcome of the Insertion of Tympanostomy Tubes." New England Journal of Medicine 344 (April 19, 2001): 1188–1195.

Desai, S. N., J. D. Kellner, and D. Drummond. "Population-Based, Age-Specific Myringotomy with Tympanostomy Tube Insertion Rates in Calgary, Canada." Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 21 (April 2002): 348–350.

Gates, George A., MD. "Otitis Media—The Pharyngeal Connection." Journal of the American Medical Association 282 (September 8, 1999): 987–999.

Jassir, D., C. A. Buchman, and O. Gomez-Marin. "Safety and Efficacy of Topical Mitomycin C in Myringotomy Patency." Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery 124 (April 2001): 368–373.

Lin, Yuan-Chi, MD. "Acupuncture Anesthesia for a Patient with Complex Congenital Anomalies." Medical Acupuncture 13 (Fall/Winter 2002) [cited February 22, 2003]. http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/journal/vol13_2/poster3.html .

Perkins, J. A. "Medical and Surgical Management of Otitis Media in Children." Otolaryngology Clinics of North America 35 (August 2002): 811-825.

Siegel, G. J., and R. K. Chandra. "Laser Office Ventilation of Ears with Insertion of Tubes." Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery 127 (July 2002): 60–66.

organizations

American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA). 4929 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 428, Los Angeles, CA 90010. (323) 937-5514. http://www.medicalacupuncture.org .

American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. One Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3357. (703) 836-4444. http://www.entnet.org .

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. (847) 434-4000. http://www.aap.org .


Mary Zoll, PhD
Rebecca Frey, PhD

WHO PERFORMS THE PROCEDURE AND WHERE IS IT PERFORMED?


Myringotomies are performed by family practitioners, pediatricians, and otolaryngologists, who are surgeons who specialize in treating disorders of the ears, nose, and throat.

A conventional myringotomy is usually done in an ambulatory surgical unit under general anesthesia, although some physicians do it in the office with sedation and local anesthesia, especially in older children and adults. In either case, it is considered same-day surgery. Laserassisted myringotomies are usually performed in doctors' offices or outpatient surgery clinics.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE DOCTOR




User Contributions:

1
lydia janet delvalle
i was wondering if you had any more info about ear tubes... and if you can send me the information... PLEASE AND THANK YOU.!. :)
2
Denise Raymond
I work as high school nurse. Special needs student exhibiting discomfort of his Right ear. He is nonverbal. Body temp 98.7. Purulent discharge noted at outer canal of Right ear. Not able to visualize TM. Mother never returned my call, Spoke with dad who told me student had had "ear tubes" as a child. No mention of this in his school health file. Student also showing signs of URI, ie - congested, throat red, sniffling, etc. I sent home in plastic bag what was swabbed from outer canal. What other course of action should I have taken?
Thanks
3
Gaynell Conley
HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD AN ADULT HAVE TUBES PUT IN THERE EARS? I'VE BEEN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT FOR 20 YEARS AND I'VE HAD THIS SURGERY 3 TIMES SO FAR.MY RIGHT TUBE IS OUT AT THIS TIME(NEEDS TO BE REPLACED)?
4
Peri hepburn
I am due to have the following procedure at end of April Bilateral Myringotomywith possible grommets in both ears . I have to fly (4 hour x 2 journeys ) 4 weeks after procedure is it safe to do so ?
5
Grace
Just need some information on removing the ear tubes...My niece has had 4 sets to help drain the excess liquid in her ears...after 2 years ..she still has them..not sure if my sister should have them removed or just leave them for another while...doctor said it is the parents choice for now and that if left to long they may cause a hole in the ear..if not left long enough she may need another set of tubes. My sister is at wits end..any suggestions.
6
Barbie
Hi... my 4 years old daughter is scheduled on Nov. 27th for her THIRD bilateral myringotomy with tubes within 2 years, and this is kinda scaring me. I am deaf myself, and I fear for damages to her ears since she is a normal hearing child... I fear that she may lose her hearing??? She may need another myringotomy in the near future? What is causing her ears to do this? What can I do after the surgery to prevent this from happening?

Is a third time a charm??? I wont know until then...
7
Linda
I have had, what my GP calls, a bulging eardrum for the last couple of months. We have tried antibiotics, Sudafed, Mucinex D, and steroids - nothing has worked. He has stated that the next step is an ENT who will probably put a tube in the ear. I can't hear out of it, everything is muffled. Is a tube the only way to fix this problem?
I had just one tube put in my right ear. I was of the understanding the fluid was to drain out of my ear through the tube, however when I lay down on the right side I feel fluid coming out of my ear and will get my pillow a little wet. Is this normal?
Hi,I would like to know if these tubes were left in a child's ear for five years,can the child go deaf in that ear?
Hi My son was born early and I was told he was born with an ear infection. Since then he has had tubes place 4 times in both ears. He is coming off a double ear infection and his doctor wants to place tubes again for the fith time. I am deeply concerned because he has small ear cannals. His hearing has been tested again and again. Could we be harming his ears or his earing by placing the tubes again?
Hi, my son needs to do this surgery and I,m really scared mainly because of the anesthesia. He,s 22 months. Any advice or more information that I should know ? Thank u so much.
Im 18 and Have had several Myringotomies. Tomorrow I am having my adenoids removed as well as a myringotomy. Is there chances of going def from this procedure? or any other concerns? this is my 8th set of tubes since I was 4 and if anyone has any information on why my reocurring ear infections may be please email me. thanks
hello i have question? my name is pauline Romo i have ears infection for 37 years. it very painful and my ears alway wets from both ears, i wanted to know if inpossbile to have ears tube in my ears? and how much it cost to have ears tube? also will it improve my hearing and speech too? thank u this is pauline
I am 60 ears old and had permanent ear tubes put in a little over a week ago. My hearing is worse
now than before I had them put in. This did not happen with the temporary tubes I had put in about
two years ago. The pressure is also bad. Is this caused because the tubes are to big?
my 4 year old has tubes in his ears for about 11 mths now they hurt is this normal what can i do for the pain
Good Evening

Two weeks ago I had my permanent t-tubes removed from both ears and I now have tinnitus in the left ear also a constant beat similar to that of a heart beat, and it feels rather bunged up. The right ear seems to be fine. The physician said that they are healing fine and will see me in two months time. I fly in 17 days.

Is the above normal after surgery and should I be flying?

Thank you
Anne
I have had two sinus surgeries. When I get sinus infections my ears start to hurt. Most of the time its my right ear and sometimes its both. When I go in to see my family doctor there is always fluid in the right ear. I went to my ENT this week and he said there was no fluid and he didn't think tubes would work. If I am always having ear pain in the same ear is it worth trying the tubes for some relief. I have really sensitive ears and everyone I have asked said it would probably help. I am a 41 year old female and feel like a wimp when I get these.
18
Debra
I have been told that I could get severe vertigo scuba diving because of tje tube in myone ear. I was told that the vertigo could result because of the difference in temperature between the two ears. Would a tube in each ear prevent the vertigo? How likely is vertigo? Are there any solutions? P.S. Much to my ENT's chagrin, I have always swam in the ocean without plugs and have never got an infection from salt water.

Thanks
Deb
19
John Glavan
Read this and let's make sure this is what we want to do with his ears. We need to take this more serious... 30% of the children that have this done have a reoccurring surgery, etc.
I have had ear infections since the age of 2. I have been diagnosed as having narrow eustachian tubes. Since the age of 2 I have had many operations that have involved putting grommets in, taking them out, putting them in again and getting rid of my adenoids.
I am now 29 years old and have had t-tubes in situe in both ears for the last 5 years. Initially they seemed to help with my hearing, but over the last 2 years I seem to be getting constant ear infections. The doctors give me broad spectrum antibiotics which I take as prescribed, these don't work. Do I have any other options if I decide that I want the t-tubes to be taken out?
I know from provious experience that I need holes in my ear drums otherwise infection builds up behind them, one has actually burst in the past due to infection.
I have been suffering with my current ear infection for about 6 months. The pain makes my head throb, the constant discharge out of both ears is a pain and my balance and level of hearing is being adversley affected.
Please help!
can you fly or snorkel with an ear tube after a myrongotomy?
i have pateient 6years old post T.tube removal has contenious ear discharge not stop since 2months
TILL NOW whats your kink openion
23
deepa
I liked the article its very interesting and informative. Keep up the great work.
24
Osbert
I had chronic otitis media since infancy but i used to hear 90 percent of what is said in the affected right ear. Now am 30, though the discharge has stopped but am having tennitus and hearing impairement such that if somebody speaks from my right, i can't make sense of what is being said and my concentration and reasoning during studies are affected. Is there any danger to my brain? What can be done so i can hear again? Or is it medically possible to have this fixed with/out surgery?
My son just got this done he very fuzzy and he crying all day but he can hear me better. What I want to know is how long is it going to take to close. Ifeelvso BA seeing him like this.
26
Elder
Congratulations on 18 mthons. I think you have helped a lot of people. I read periodically when something interests me. I know that the Psyllium Husk blog caught my attention and in fact DID help me. Thanks for sharing with everyone Dr. Pullen. I know that I appreciate the time and effort that you put into this to bring information to others.
I am 60 years old and just had a tube put in my right ear about 5 hours ago. My hearing is worse. Muffled. ENT offered to remove.
What should I do? I've read several comments on line that removal of the tube doesn't help. ENT said hearing will
go back to "normal" after removal. What should I do? Please help.
28
Paul
I have had many temp tubes, but find myself with no permanent relief. I have high tone loss and tinnitus. Been told by 2 different ENT that my eustachian tubes have closed. Is there anything I can do medication or surgery. I am 53 and very tired of getting nowere.
29
Nasha
I'm to have Myringotomy. I'm wondering what the average cost of the surgery is. Does anyone have a breakdown of how much it costs for an adult 1 ear, with and without insurance, hospital, doctor's office, and outpatient clinic?
30
mary
my one year old is having a myringotomy surgery. and I would like to know if this surgery will affect her hearing in the future. and if you recommend this surgery? if she doesn't have the surgery will her ear infections go away by themselves when she gets older? Please respond my questions the best you can for a patient not for a doctor and thank you.
31
Sharon
Every sent I was baby I have had tubes put in my ears.Put for the last 3 time the dr is puting in a permanent tube in my left ear put after 2 years it come out and now this will make 4 time that the permanent tube has come out.Is there some thing else I can do that is not a tube that would help to open up the hold in my ear.I did every thing the dr told me to do
like don't get water in the ear.I don t think I can take much more.Thanks Sharon
32
ANNA
just had my myringotomy or ear tube in my both ears.
don't know how to sleep so I don't disturb my eartube,
its hard to sleep straight, so wondering if I can sleep left or right side?thanks..
33
Jean Holzapfel
I have had tubes in my ears three different times because of small ear tubes that give me pain on flying all my life. I am 80 now. I once even had a blood clot from flying. Each time they have been put in, my hearing has suffered - it is like I am wearing ear plugs. I have to ask people what they say repeatedly. My husband wears a hearing aid and I am just like him. I noticed I can't even hear water boiling in my kitchen. It is very uncomfortable but I don't have pain while flying. It seems that this lasts for several months and I either get better or get used to it. The tubes usually drop our in about 6 months or so. I swore I would never do it again as it is so uncomfortable but my husband likes to travel so I did it a third time. I have tried train travel but you can't get overseas that way. Help! Am I crazy? Does it affect anyone else this way? My ear doctor seems to think it doesn't. Thanks for your help. Jean Holzapfel
34
Elizabeth
At age 63 a very fine doctor saved me from a lifetime of chronic antibiotic (Penicillin only one effective) abuse by putting a tube in my right ear. Thank you Doctor and God! I sometimes struggle to keep it clear of dry wax and open to equalize pressure. My hearing has improved significantly in only six months. The popping and/or clunking around in there took some getting use to, but I hope it never falls out! I am tempted to put wax cleaner solution in the ear, but don't know if it might damage the tube. Otherwise, I am so grateful for this tube.
35
BRAHEEM KAREEM
I am at age of 42, I am suffering aural fullness of both ears, and my hearing capacity getting down, during scanning Dr. found that there was a bleeding previously and it joined with eardrum, now he is suggested to insert Myringotomy to my both ears, my question, is the tube will remove self or we have to make another surgery to move ? how many days will take to know its consequences, any leakage from ear can be expected ? is there is any restriction for swimming after restriction, in Generally is it useful for an adult like me (42 years), my Dr. suggesting a mastoidectomy if no repsonse from this tube insrtion,
Is it advicable ?
36
jim
45 yrs old, Had tube put in left ear, When should fluid be gone and hearing return?? Thank you, first time this ever happened.
37
jim
45 yrs old, Had tube put in left ear, When should fluid be gone and hearing return?? Thank you, first time this ever happened.
38
Peggy
I am a 50 yr old woman that I would consider very active and healthy.I have for 8 yrs permanent tubes put in my ears. They were placed to releive pressure behind my left ear.The tubes did not work .I had numerous ear infections and constantly on antibiotics.I also got to where I could not be outdoors and the humidity and barometeric pressure made things worse. I was In and out of one ENT office to another for 8yrs.Was feeling hopeless to find a cure.I started failing terribly feeling very ill body aches and my head felt like it was going to explode. I ended up in the ER .I was in the hospital for 5 days my entire body was septic and I almost died.I had a pic lin placed in my arm that goes to the heart where antibiotics every 6 hours for 4 wks .I was sent home with this.The pic line was no fun I ended up in the ER Twice with chest pains. Finally this week ,week 4 I met with a Otolaryngogly. He removed the tubes and wants to allow 2 wks for the holes to heal and if not they will put patches on them to help close them.I do n ot recommened keeping permanent tubes in your ear for over 1 yr.Due to all the infections I know have bone missing around the brain and also a benign tumor.I will haft to have surgery !
39
Jeannie
I had a bilateral myringotomy Sept 2013. My left ear had a bad infection which antibiotics struggled to fix. Everything is healed now. No tubes. I have loud crackling in my left ear still and my right ear kind of feels muffled although I can still hear. Is this permanent? It is 18mths now..will this improve?
40
Trisha
When my ears were ringing, crackling and muffled 4 months ago I bought OTC Ear Ring meds,, both the pills and liquid drops. None worked, went to an Ear Dr, who prescribed steriods. That did not work. Then a sinus condition set in so I went to Internal Physician and was prescribed another steriod and antibiotic. Still did nothing. Went back to Internal Medicine and I am on Fexofenad/pse, which was described very powerful. BUT...if this does not work tubes would be the next step. In checking on the recent medication I find it to be primarily for allergies and its symptoms. Is there any other meds that can clear the blocked tubes. This is so frustrating and I am just a tad fearful that in the long run I am going in for tubes. Please advise.
41
NatNat
I had temp tubes put in Friday(2 days ago). I was under the impression I would feel relief right away. My ears still feel the same at this time. When can I expect relief
42
Lisa Finn-Powell
In the 1960s and 70s, my siblings and I were often carted off to the doctor for every little sniffle, but particularly ear infections. The Dr. used a procedure for treatment that was unbearably painful, involving what essentially appeared to be a very long stick that he wrapped a bit of cotton ball on the end. He then push it way inside the ear canal. It was shockingly painful and one of my worst memories of childhood. Watching it happen to other siblings was awful. Would you happen to know the name of this procedure? Regards
Hello I have a question about tubes, my girls just had there tubes put in on April 25th, now my 5 year old seems to be okay now, she did feel sick after her surgery, my 4 year old on the other hand was jumping around like a jack rabbit, but now it's been 2 days after the surgery I've been doing everything the doctor told me to do with the ear drops, but my 4 year old is. Ow started to cry in her sleep in a lot of pain is that normal? And if it isn't should I take her to the hospital??

Thx for all your time in reading this I do appreciate it!!
44
Kristine viviers
I had grommets put in both my ears twelve years ago and still have them my hearing has dedicated and the doctor said the grommets are laying in an acute angle can that cause pain what do you think I should do she said my body is trying to expose of them thank you
45
Teresa
How long does it take for the numbness to go away from having a myringotomy done in the doctors offices to look for fluid and is it normal to have ear pressure because of this procedure?

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