Ruptured eardrum
in Health ·
feralridge3 said:So, I’m right there with you all. 😢
I am also a proud owner of a perforated eardrum. A doctor over at Mayo Clinic sent me off to the Vineyard, and now I’m just sitting here waiting for my specialist appointment.
To be honest, it’s impossible to say for certain what caused the perforation. Personally, I’m inclined to believe it was caused by the radiation therapy from my brain tumor treatment, which was followed by a gradual loss of hearing.
The hole is in my left eardrum. God knows how many people have struggled trying to clean out that ear; the cerumen was practically like chewing gum. Right toward the end of the cleaning process, they actually sent me off to schedule a CT scan because they spotted something suspicious. By then, the ear was almost clear (though they told me they couldn't get it any cleaner because my auditory canals are incredibly narrow), and that's when they confirmed the perforation.
They also gave me the standard warning to make sure no water gets inside the ear.
And whenever I blow my nose, there's this hissing sound.
Reading through everyone's experiences here, nobody ever mentioned anything about avoiding drafts or wind.
My sense of balance was already shot from the tumor treatments, and now, thanks to this, things regarding my equilibrium are even worse. 😢
My exam isn't for another three weeks.
Radiation isn't actually linked to that, though your hearing could certainly be damaged by it. An eardrum rupture usually happens due to physical trauma (less likely) or a middle ear infection (much more common), where pressure builds up and forces its way out, causing the perforation.