Hello I have had a dex shot in my CH ear last June in the hope of regaining some hearing. I am not sure whether this has helped. What is certain however is that the small hole in my eardrum made by the doctor to insert the needle has still not healed and closed. During the last exam, the doctor said that there was still a small amount of steroids on the eardrum which probably prevent it to heal. He suggested scratching it a bit to make it bleed in order to speed up healing. However the though of bleeding in my ear was not so enticing so I suggested to wait and see a little longer whether it would heal naturally. My problem is that I feel great discomfort in my ear, as if it was pinched all the time (in addition to the occasional fullness). I do not know whether it is this small perforation in my eardrum which is causing me this sensation or whether it is the hearing loss. It is really unpleasant and at times painful. Does anyone have experienced smth similar? Thanks for your feedback! vaita
I had tubes after the steroid shots. One has fallen out and the hole has not healed. The other is still in, but it has been three years. My Oto said if the hole doesn't heal by my next appt. he will want to surgically repair it, Tympanoplasty. He will also remove the other tube and do the same surgical procedure to insure it heals properly. It involves cutting a small slit behind one of the ears and using skin from that to put over the perforation. It's same day surgery with anesthesia. Recovery is not painful at all as the incision behind the ear is relatively small. I hope this helps you and I agree that I would not want to scratch inside my ear to make it bleed and maybe heal, maybe not. I do not experience any pressure or fullness.
I have what appears to be a permanent hole in my eardrum from the last tube being put in. For me, it's a good thing, because I use the Meniett device regularly and you need to have a tube in place to use it. The hole acts as a tube. The only disadvantage is that I have to be very careful about not getting water in my ear. I have two ear infections due to water...even rain! I use a specially molded earplug when showering. Margie
Thanks for your responses! I guess the pinching pain or discomfort does not necessarily have to do with the pierced eardrum then. I wonder whether it may just be psychological?! And yes, my ENT actually told me that having a hole in the eardrum can actually help some people with balance issues - but not sure I fully understood his explanations why. I will ask on my next visit the about the surgery vs. the "bleeding" procedure.
My ENT has suggested a number of times that I have steroids injected into my ear. I was never crazy about the idea of having a needle puncture my eardrum and these posts have totally convinced me it's not something I want to try.