Various pathologies of the organ of hearing are very common. Such an anomaly, as a retracted tympanic membrane, can provoke hearing loss and other unpleasant symptoms. To cope with the pathology, you need to determine the causes of its occurrence. To do this, it is timely to contact a specialist.
Retracted eardrum
Under the tympanic membrane is meant a very thin plate consisting of connective tissue. It serves to separate the outer and middle ear.
In some cases, its shape changes. In this situation, the reasons are likely to lie in the inflammatory lesion of the Eustachian tube that connects the ear cavity with the nasopharynx. This anomaly can occur in both children and adults.
Symptoms of
When you pull in the tympanic membrane, you get unpleasant sensations. Often, this condition is accompanied by such manifestations:
- pain syndrome;
- hearing loss;
- headache;
- sensation of fullness in the ears;
- an ear plug;
- appearance of noise;
- discomfort when swallowing.
To decrease the hearing leads to impaired mobility and sensitivity of the membrane. This deviation is due to a change in shape. If you do not start therapy in time, there is a risk of permanent hearing impairment, which is irreversible.
What is the eardrum and what is it for? See in our video:
Reasons for
Many factors can lead to the retraction of the membrane. The main ones are the following:
- Eustachyte. This pathology is also called tubootitis. Any deviation in the functioning of the organ of hearing provokes a violation of normal ventilation and drainage of the middle ear. With the development of puffiness, the channel is blocked, the pressure changes. As a result, the membrane is absorbed into the cavity. The cause of this process can be severe rhinitis or other nasopharyngeal lesions.
- Otitis. Inflammatory processes in the ears significantly impair the patient's condition. In addition to retraction, other symptoms may appear. As the disease develops, there is a risk of perforation of the membrane.
- Barotrauma. External pressure fluctuations affect the state of the membrane. In the case of a sharp impact, there is a risk of retraction of the membrane. This condition is observed with light or medium barotrauma. If severe damage is observed, the membrane bursts.
The photo features anatomy of the auditory tube in an adult and a child
Diagnosis
To make the correct diagnosis, you need to contact an otolaryngologist. The specialist will be able to analyze the anamnesis and select the necessary examinations. They include the following:
- otoscopy - is a visual inspection by means of special systems;
- audiometry - reveals hearing loss at different frequencies;
- acoustic impedance measurement - helps to detect the compliance of the membrane to detect fluid behind it;
- study using a tuning fork.
During the otoscopy it is possible to note the outgrowth of the malleus and the retracted membrane.
In addition, there are subjective methods for identifying the problem. These include such samples:
- of an empty pharynx - a person must breathe in a lot of air;
- Toynbee - a similar action is performed with clamped nostrils;
- Valsalva - the patient needs to take a deep breath, close his mouth and nose, and then exhale.
Also, doctors prescribe smears to identify a pathogenic microflora and select antibacterial drugs that will help with it.
Deformation of the eardrum due to fluid in the middle ear
Treatment of
There are a number of therapies that allow you to cope with the retraction of the membrane - medications, surgical interventions, physiotherapy. As a supplement, folk remedies are often used.
Medically
If the inflammatory process is the cause of disturbance of the patency of the auditory tube, select therapy. To do this, it is necessary to stop the lesion and restore the normal state of the tissues. To solve this problem, use anti-inflammatory drugs. If the inflammation is purulent, local and systemic antibiotics are indicated.
Of no small importance is the use of vasoconstrictive drops for the nose. With their help, it is possible to eliminate the edema and open the Eustachian tube. This reduces the swelling and pressure in the auditory canal.
Folk remedies
If the cause of the embossment of the membrane is an inflammatory process, you can use special folk remedies that will help cope with swelling and irritation. They include:
- Juice of baked onions. To prepare a useful remedy for a large bulb, cut off the upper part and place in the indentation a little seeds of cumin. Then cover the onion, wrap with foil and put on for half an hour in the oven. After that, the onion should be crushed and pressed juice. Insert 3-4 drops into the ear canal three times a day.
- Melissa tincture. To make it, you should insist on the grass on the vodka. Do this for at least a week. Before use, please strain.
Physiotherapy
When pulling the membrane, the situation will help to correct the blowing of the Eustachian tube. For this purpose, the methods of the Politzer and Valsalva can be applied. Thanks to this, it is possible to normalize the ventilation and drainage of the auditory tube and restore normal pressure in the middle ear.
The following physiotherapy methods are also used:
- UHF;
- laser exposure;
- pneumomassage;
- UFO.
- physiotherapy( UFO, UHF, laser therapy, muscle electrical stimulation).
Surgical intervention
To level the pressure and remove fluid from the middle ear, the technique of paracentesis is applied. During the procedure, the membrane is cut.
When rupturing or deforming the membrane, miringoplasty can be performed. This procedure helps to restore the affected areas of the membrane.
Comments on paracentesis, see in our video:
Possible complications of
If a prolonged time is observed drawing the membrane, a person experiences discomfort and there is a risk of hearing loss. Deterioration of hearing is caused by a violation of the sensitivity of the ears and a decrease in the amplitude of the oscillations at the time of transmission of sound waves.
In addition, the retracted membrane is under severe stress, which leads to a disruption in its structure. With a deficiency of vitamins or an inadequate synthesis of collagen, the situation is significantly aggravated. As a consequence, thinning of the membrane is observed, which reduces the acoustic conductivity.
Forecast
If you adhere to all the prescriptions of a doctor, you can deal with this violation quite quickly. If vasoconstrictor drops and other medications do not help, more serious effects should be taken.
In any case, the ears are restored fairly quickly, so do not worry because of the need for an operation.
On the consequences after the rupture of the eardrum and the treatment of complications, see in our video:
Prevention
To prevent this problem, it is necessary to prevent the disease:
- wear a cold hat in cold weather;
- to drink vitamins;
- avoid supercooling;
- in time to treat the pathology of the nose, mouth and throat.
The retracted membrane is a fairly common problem, which indicates the development of various pathologies. To prevent irreversible hearing loss, it is very important to consult a doctor in a timely manner, who will select adequate therapy.