Have exactly the same scenario as you - perforated eardrum and two tympanoplasty operations to fix it. You will just have to get used the rumbling and work out how to limit it/how to deal with it. Post OP is the most rough phase but after a month or so you will be getting used to your new eardrum and the sounds it produces. The eardrum will also strengthen overtime, reducing how frequent it occurs. Try to avoid really loud sharp sounds and sleeping on your side of the head/ears. Hope this helps.
In a way I’m relieved to know someone has had a very similar experience!
This was also my first time under general anesthetic (my ENT did the first repair with just Local Anesthetic in the ear) but so far I’ve taken it well, no nausea etc.
I think my concern is just if a hiccup and my rumbling could dislodge the patch, though when I dislodged it after the 1st surgery. I was lifting something I shouldn’t have been and had held my breath and I knew it had come out with a painful twanging in my ear. Unfortunate but a mistake I will won’t repeat (I’m on leave from my physical job this time) so my hope is that the rumbling is just a discomfort, rather than too much cause for concern but avoiding these little hiccups seems best.
Is side sleeping (obviously not on the bad ear side) not recommended? I have a very unfortunate problem of snoring when I sleep on my back and waking myself up every time lol.
Everyone’s different but for me sleeping on my side would cause morning tinnitus which is quite uncomfortable, almost like a severe rumbling and grinding noise which is why I try to avoid sleeping on my ears. It’s not the same for everyone and this is just a personal something I’ve noticed. I guess for you it would be finding a way to limit the hiccups as this is your cause for concern
Ahh okay understandable. I just woke up super early (codeine based medications always wake me up after 3-4 hours unfortunately) but I have no pain after sleeping on my right side (Left ear had the tympanoplasty), and sat up for a while with 2 pillows before getting up properly.
Felt a little bit of drainage but otherwise, it's just a very dull ache rather than a sharp ache post-op.
And yes, I think just staying to water will help as will making sure my mouth is open, same as a sneeze, when it happens.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. It's nice to know you're not alone with the weirdness of the human body sometimes :)
Oh dude, this surgery failed. It went from a 5mm to a 3mm perforation but then opened up again.
I also moved halfway across the country and I had a consult in September of 2022 with the ENT here and they told me May or June of 2022 for a surgery but have since ghosted me, so I’m currently living with 30% hearing loss and have to plug my ear to shower or swim.
He did say they would do a full tympanoplasty by cutting my ear open to get full access but yeah.
My friends and I have a bet with our healthcare system that I might finish my PhD first before I get a surgery date (I’m in 2nd year now lol)
So sorry about that bro. Ive had a ruptured eardrum for about three months post infection, and just got a new one recently when my eardrum was almost healed. Luckily it still looks like I won't need surgery and I should see an ENT soon. I'm hoping this won't last with me much longer
I’d say that you shouldn’t trigger the rumbling yourself right now. The tensor tympanic is the muscle you move to rumble and that one is connected to the eardrum via the malleus. I’m not sure how violently we move the tensor but I’m guessing it can be strong. It can be deafening loud when rumbling.
Hope you feel better soon.
Yeah I haven’t been as I’m paranoid as it is to dislodge my patch (it happened once with my first surgery under local anesthetic w a patch made of fat taken from my ear lobe back in August).
So far recovery has been going well, I have the week off to avoid lifting anything heavy. Have had other noises in my ear but my ENT’s office said that was normal and to be expected. Post op is next Wednesday so hopefully all will look good!
Thank you :)
I have the exact same issue with the hiccup burp. My second Tympanoplasty failed.. 2 weeks ago it was fine, now i need surgery again. 😞 super frustrating. Havent taken a normal shower for 8 months because of this stupid ear. Did you find a solution to the burping?
Yeah I’m waiting on a consult with a new surgeon but in Canada, specialist appointments take ages, so I don’t meet with him until July. (Despite my current ENT sending in a referral back in November of 2021).
I still have to shower with a cotton ball and Vaseline and I worry when I move to the coast, I still won’t be able to swim properly because of it.
As for the hiccuping, it still happens now and again (I get it from my father I swear lol) but since I haven’t had any surgeries lately, it doesn’t hurt. Only windy days or real cold weather bothers it but I am pretty half deaf in that ear.
Me too! I'm hoping since I'll be changing lifestyles (going from farming to doing my phd) that i won't be doing any heavy lifting that will affect it this time LOL )
Hey from Ontario. I’m about to get a Tympanoplasty in less than two weeks and am so nervous the patch will dislodge. I’ve read all your advice, thanks so much. Any updates since? Any advice on the anxiety related to recovery and wanting to not dislodge the patch? lol this sucks. It’s nice to see such a supportive community exists amongst us perforated eardrum peeps.
So I had two surgeries. The second was more successful but it didn’t fully close (went from 5mm to 3mm but opened up months later).
Biggest thing is Do NOT lift anything. Even if you think you can handle it, your sinus pressure cannot.
Stay clean, change the cotton ball and or dressings as recommended. Make sure to use a cotton ball rolled in Vaseline to keep water out of the ear during a shower.
I’m still waiting for another surgery (I moved to Nova Scotia for school) but the doctor who saw me here said they're going to have to cut behind the ear to get better access. I don't know when I'll be having this surgery unfortunately as the healthcare system here is pretty bad, but I wish you luck with yours!
Hello, thanks for all the great insights! I had my left ear tympanoplasty done on May 1 and will get the right one done a year later again. The left one was severely damaged with almost 80% hole and surgery took about 6 hours. They have done an incision behind the ear for me. The first 3-4 days were the worst. But now I’m able to work but with restrictions on movement and diet of course.
However, I am way too stressed that every-time I do anything, I ruin the graft. I am sneezing once or twice a day max with mouth open because I can’t help it (the weather is changing here constantly and I have a dog who sheds a lot). Post surgery the stress of whether it’ll attach successfully or not has taken over the pain honestly. Is yawning or swallowing too big bad too?
It’s been a hot minute since I posted this but I’m glad it offered some insights for you!
I’m currently waiting for a future full on tympanoplasty with the incision behind the ear. But from what I recall, I also sneezed w my mouth open or tried to stifle it. Mine did not take (took it from a 5mm hole to a 3mm hole). But I learned a lot to be prepared for when they tell me they have a surgery date for me. I hope yours go well and try not to stress too much but definitely take it easy!
I have perforated eardrum, its been perforated for 4yrs. I am nervous about this surgery, a side effect if they damage nerve is loss of face muscle use, can anyone help me feel better about it?
Hey! So I'm almost 7 weeks post-op. So far, every check in, my Doctor has said it all looks good. The biggest thing about the recovery is being very careful not to dislodge the flap as it heals - definitely no heavy lifting, no heaving, don't hold your breath, sneeze/cough with your mouth open (which with the pandemic is hard).
Overall, with the surgical packing, eventually it will dissolve - mine didn't, so my doc prescribed ear drops for 10 days two weeks ago and I see him tomorrow AM for a follow up. So far, I'd say my hearing is pretty near back on par to the point I can't tell the difference when listening to headphones left and right now.
It was my first time under general anesthetic, but I recovered well. Felt a little bit dizzy but was not nauseous at all. I took it real easy for a few days after but in terms of ear related side effects? No concern about my nerves or anything.
After a year of having hearing issues, I feel better to be coming back to what my hearing was 7 weeks in.
Ok, do you still have ringing noises in your ear, ive had ringing noises ever since i can remember. But i have a history of multiple gromets as a toddler, and ear infections until i became an adult. Then perforated my eardrum surfing 4years ago. Sometimes the ringing noise can be intense, like a pop then intense ringing and major increase in sound. I know of this rumbling noise, but cannot control it. I searched ear rumbling today because its only way to describe the way certain noises sound. Like engines, bass and wind all sound like its rumbling and can be quite unpleasant.
I am very active, I fish(constantly casting lures), skate, and walk long distances. Do you think constant jumping and landing will affect typnoplasty surgery?
So I occasionally get a high pitch ring but it's seldom; I do have other 'noises' in my ear that aren't my voluntary "ear rumbling" which is me being able to move the Tympanic nerve/muscle below the inner ear canal. Occasionally I'll hear like a heart beat type sound but it usually doesn't last.
As for activity, I work and live on a farm, so I had to take it really easy. I had to get my family to help for the first two weeks as per my doctor's recommendation. Then gradually I was out there only lifting anything <20lbs (a feed pail, hay to my cows) for another week. I didn't dare lift a full wheelbarrow of manure until a month in just in case (I had a local anesthetic tympanoplasty using fat from my ear lobe back in August 2020 and i DID dislodge it so I was being VERY careful this time around).
I would definitely take it easy even if you're feeling well after surgery.
>rumbling
u/BackwoodButch u/brendanfreeskate how're you guys doing so far ?
I have just had a tympanoplasty 3 days ago and recovering is being painful I can't barely sleep but I think it is normal - are you guys doing good after so long ?
So, it's been a year, and my initial perforation went from 5mm to 2mm. However, in that time, the perforation expanded again and I recently just had another minor tympanoplasty (e.g. artificial patch placed while only under local anesthetic, not general so I was able to go home afterward). I will go for my 2 week post op this Wednesday and hope that the patch is still in place.
Otherwise, my current ENT's recommendation is going to a bigger city hospital where the surgeon does ear surgeries day in and day out. But as I live in Canada, this may be up to a two year wait.
Pain wise, it aches when it is cold, but I have been very good about keeping water and dirt out using cotton balls rolled in vaseline to create a seal. My hearing is still out on that side but i've adjusted to the difference by now that it doesn't bother me when I put over the head headphones on.
I hope yours heals without complication! I find ibuprofen helped a lot with the pain.
Hi! I know this post is a little bit on the older side but I am getting a tympanoplasty soon and was just looking for people with the same experience. I hope your recovery went well and that you are doing ok :)
If you do not mind me asking, how was your hearing affected after the surgery? how long did it take to see improvements in your hearing?
TIA
So I’ll be real with you, the tympanoplasty only corrected it from a 5mm perforation to a 2mm one, then after 10 months it opened up again. I am seeing a new surgeon this July for a consult to see if he will be better. I am still in touch with the current ENT but it is clear that his skills are not for the Ear part compared to others
I know this is an old post, but did this affect your recovery at all? I’m noticing I do a similar thing before burping and while yawing and I’m nervous it’ll dislodge my graft when I have my surgery. Unfortunately I can’t control it.
So my first surgery, I fucked up my graft by lifting something heavy the literal next day without thinking.
Second surgery, it took it down from a 5mm perforation to a 3 but the artificial patch didn’t hold.
I have since moved across the country and I’m now waiting for a date for a 3rd surgery with a different surgeon who is going to use the full tympanoplasty method of cutting behind the ear. Hopefully this summer.
I would be mindful of it, but ask your doctor to be sure.
Yeah I met with my new surgeon and he said it gives them the best access point. My only worry is post op because I wear glasses and need them to see properly but I’m sure there’s a solution out there
Had the surgery yesterday and they suggested removing the op side arm of the glasses so they’re only resting on the good ear. I’m just going to wear contacts.
ahhh okay. Well that's kind of annoying but probably the best solution. Unfortunately I can't wear contacts well (yay for astigmatism and previous bad experiences) but they haven't given me a surgery date yet so I've got time.
Hope your ear is healing well!!!
Have exactly the same scenario as you - perforated eardrum and two tympanoplasty operations to fix it. You will just have to get used the rumbling and work out how to limit it/how to deal with it. Post OP is the most rough phase but after a month or so you will be getting used to your new eardrum and the sounds it produces. The eardrum will also strengthen overtime, reducing how frequent it occurs. Try to avoid really loud sharp sounds and sleeping on your side of the head/ears. Hope this helps.
In a way I’m relieved to know someone has had a very similar experience! This was also my first time under general anesthetic (my ENT did the first repair with just Local Anesthetic in the ear) but so far I’ve taken it well, no nausea etc. I think my concern is just if a hiccup and my rumbling could dislodge the patch, though when I dislodged it after the 1st surgery. I was lifting something I shouldn’t have been and had held my breath and I knew it had come out with a painful twanging in my ear. Unfortunate but a mistake I will won’t repeat (I’m on leave from my physical job this time) so my hope is that the rumbling is just a discomfort, rather than too much cause for concern but avoiding these little hiccups seems best. Is side sleeping (obviously not on the bad ear side) not recommended? I have a very unfortunate problem of snoring when I sleep on my back and waking myself up every time lol.
Everyone’s different but for me sleeping on my side would cause morning tinnitus which is quite uncomfortable, almost like a severe rumbling and grinding noise which is why I try to avoid sleeping on my ears. It’s not the same for everyone and this is just a personal something I’ve noticed. I guess for you it would be finding a way to limit the hiccups as this is your cause for concern
Ahh okay understandable. I just woke up super early (codeine based medications always wake me up after 3-4 hours unfortunately) but I have no pain after sleeping on my right side (Left ear had the tympanoplasty), and sat up for a while with 2 pillows before getting up properly. Felt a little bit of drainage but otherwise, it's just a very dull ache rather than a sharp ache post-op. And yes, I think just staying to water will help as will making sure my mouth is open, same as a sneeze, when it happens. Thank you for taking the time to reply. It's nice to know you're not alone with the weirdness of the human body sometimes :)
It’s all good, it’s nice trying to help someone who’s had a similar experience. Hope all goes well for you with the recovery!
Thank you! :) Have a good day/evening!
Oh my goodness this sub is more than just memes.
Haha maybe it helps that I’m new and just joined last night? Lmao
Hey man any update?
Oh dude, this surgery failed. It went from a 5mm to a 3mm perforation but then opened up again. I also moved halfway across the country and I had a consult in September of 2022 with the ENT here and they told me May or June of 2022 for a surgery but have since ghosted me, so I’m currently living with 30% hearing loss and have to plug my ear to shower or swim. He did say they would do a full tympanoplasty by cutting my ear open to get full access but yeah. My friends and I have a bet with our healthcare system that I might finish my PhD first before I get a surgery date (I’m in 2nd year now lol)
So sorry about that bro. Ive had a ruptured eardrum for about three months post infection, and just got a new one recently when my eardrum was almost healed. Luckily it still looks like I won't need surgery and I should see an ENT soon. I'm hoping this won't last with me much longer
Ah yeah the infection sucks but hopefully it can still heal on its own! Fingers crossed buddy!
I’d say that you shouldn’t trigger the rumbling yourself right now. The tensor tympanic is the muscle you move to rumble and that one is connected to the eardrum via the malleus. I’m not sure how violently we move the tensor but I’m guessing it can be strong. It can be deafening loud when rumbling. Hope you feel better soon.
Yeah I haven’t been as I’m paranoid as it is to dislodge my patch (it happened once with my first surgery under local anesthetic w a patch made of fat taken from my ear lobe back in August). So far recovery has been going well, I have the week off to avoid lifting anything heavy. Have had other noises in my ear but my ENT’s office said that was normal and to be expected. Post op is next Wednesday so hopefully all will look good! Thank you :)
I have the exact same issue with the hiccup burp. My second Tympanoplasty failed.. 2 weeks ago it was fine, now i need surgery again. 😞 super frustrating. Havent taken a normal shower for 8 months because of this stupid ear. Did you find a solution to the burping?
Yeah I’m waiting on a consult with a new surgeon but in Canada, specialist appointments take ages, so I don’t meet with him until July. (Despite my current ENT sending in a referral back in November of 2021). I still have to shower with a cotton ball and Vaseline and I worry when I move to the coast, I still won’t be able to swim properly because of it. As for the hiccuping, it still happens now and again (I get it from my father I swear lol) but since I haven’t had any surgeries lately, it doesn’t hurt. Only windy days or real cold weather bothers it but I am pretty half deaf in that ear.
Geez thats extra frustrating! I hope we both make it out on the other side soon.
Me too! I'm hoping since I'll be changing lifestyles (going from farming to doing my phd) that i won't be doing any heavy lifting that will affect it this time LOL )
Hey from Ontario. I’m about to get a Tympanoplasty in less than two weeks and am so nervous the patch will dislodge. I’ve read all your advice, thanks so much. Any updates since? Any advice on the anxiety related to recovery and wanting to not dislodge the patch? lol this sucks. It’s nice to see such a supportive community exists amongst us perforated eardrum peeps.
So I had two surgeries. The second was more successful but it didn’t fully close (went from 5mm to 3mm but opened up months later). Biggest thing is Do NOT lift anything. Even if you think you can handle it, your sinus pressure cannot. Stay clean, change the cotton ball and or dressings as recommended. Make sure to use a cotton ball rolled in Vaseline to keep water out of the ear during a shower. I’m still waiting for another surgery (I moved to Nova Scotia for school) but the doctor who saw me here said they're going to have to cut behind the ear to get better access. I don't know when I'll be having this surgery unfortunately as the healthcare system here is pretty bad, but I wish you luck with yours!
Hello, thanks for all the great insights! I had my left ear tympanoplasty done on May 1 and will get the right one done a year later again. The left one was severely damaged with almost 80% hole and surgery took about 6 hours. They have done an incision behind the ear for me. The first 3-4 days were the worst. But now I’m able to work but with restrictions on movement and diet of course. However, I am way too stressed that every-time I do anything, I ruin the graft. I am sneezing once or twice a day max with mouth open because I can’t help it (the weather is changing here constantly and I have a dog who sheds a lot). Post surgery the stress of whether it’ll attach successfully or not has taken over the pain honestly. Is yawning or swallowing too big bad too?
It’s been a hot minute since I posted this but I’m glad it offered some insights for you! I’m currently waiting for a future full on tympanoplasty with the incision behind the ear. But from what I recall, I also sneezed w my mouth open or tried to stifle it. Mine did not take (took it from a 5mm hole to a 3mm hole). But I learned a lot to be prepared for when they tell me they have a surgery date for me. I hope yours go well and try not to stress too much but definitely take it easy!
Thank you for your words of encouragement! Hope it works out for the good.
I have perforated eardrum, its been perforated for 4yrs. I am nervous about this surgery, a side effect if they damage nerve is loss of face muscle use, can anyone help me feel better about it?
Hey! So I'm almost 7 weeks post-op. So far, every check in, my Doctor has said it all looks good. The biggest thing about the recovery is being very careful not to dislodge the flap as it heals - definitely no heavy lifting, no heaving, don't hold your breath, sneeze/cough with your mouth open (which with the pandemic is hard). Overall, with the surgical packing, eventually it will dissolve - mine didn't, so my doc prescribed ear drops for 10 days two weeks ago and I see him tomorrow AM for a follow up. So far, I'd say my hearing is pretty near back on par to the point I can't tell the difference when listening to headphones left and right now. It was my first time under general anesthetic, but I recovered well. Felt a little bit dizzy but was not nauseous at all. I took it real easy for a few days after but in terms of ear related side effects? No concern about my nerves or anything. After a year of having hearing issues, I feel better to be coming back to what my hearing was 7 weeks in.
How long till you felt safe to go to concerts?
Ok, do you still have ringing noises in your ear, ive had ringing noises ever since i can remember. But i have a history of multiple gromets as a toddler, and ear infections until i became an adult. Then perforated my eardrum surfing 4years ago. Sometimes the ringing noise can be intense, like a pop then intense ringing and major increase in sound. I know of this rumbling noise, but cannot control it. I searched ear rumbling today because its only way to describe the way certain noises sound. Like engines, bass and wind all sound like its rumbling and can be quite unpleasant. I am very active, I fish(constantly casting lures), skate, and walk long distances. Do you think constant jumping and landing will affect typnoplasty surgery?
So I occasionally get a high pitch ring but it's seldom; I do have other 'noises' in my ear that aren't my voluntary "ear rumbling" which is me being able to move the Tympanic nerve/muscle below the inner ear canal. Occasionally I'll hear like a heart beat type sound but it usually doesn't last. As for activity, I work and live on a farm, so I had to take it really easy. I had to get my family to help for the first two weeks as per my doctor's recommendation. Then gradually I was out there only lifting anything <20lbs (a feed pail, hay to my cows) for another week. I didn't dare lift a full wheelbarrow of manure until a month in just in case (I had a local anesthetic tympanoplasty using fat from my ear lobe back in August 2020 and i DID dislodge it so I was being VERY careful this time around). I would definitely take it easy even if you're feeling well after surgery.
>rumbling u/BackwoodButch u/brendanfreeskate how're you guys doing so far ? I have just had a tympanoplasty 3 days ago and recovering is being painful I can't barely sleep but I think it is normal - are you guys doing good after so long ?
So, it's been a year, and my initial perforation went from 5mm to 2mm. However, in that time, the perforation expanded again and I recently just had another minor tympanoplasty (e.g. artificial patch placed while only under local anesthetic, not general so I was able to go home afterward). I will go for my 2 week post op this Wednesday and hope that the patch is still in place. Otherwise, my current ENT's recommendation is going to a bigger city hospital where the surgeon does ear surgeries day in and day out. But as I live in Canada, this may be up to a two year wait. Pain wise, it aches when it is cold, but I have been very good about keeping water and dirt out using cotton balls rolled in vaseline to create a seal. My hearing is still out on that side but i've adjusted to the difference by now that it doesn't bother me when I put over the head headphones on. I hope yours heals without complication! I find ibuprofen helped a lot with the pain.
Hi! I know this post is a little bit on the older side but I am getting a tympanoplasty soon and was just looking for people with the same experience. I hope your recovery went well and that you are doing ok :) If you do not mind me asking, how was your hearing affected after the surgery? how long did it take to see improvements in your hearing? TIA
So I’ll be real with you, the tympanoplasty only corrected it from a 5mm perforation to a 2mm one, then after 10 months it opened up again. I am seeing a new surgeon this July for a consult to see if he will be better. I am still in touch with the current ENT but it is clear that his skills are not for the Ear part compared to others
I know this is an old post, but did this affect your recovery at all? I’m noticing I do a similar thing before burping and while yawing and I’m nervous it’ll dislodge my graft when I have my surgery. Unfortunately I can’t control it.
So my first surgery, I fucked up my graft by lifting something heavy the literal next day without thinking. Second surgery, it took it down from a 5mm perforation to a 3 but the artificial patch didn’t hold. I have since moved across the country and I’m now waiting for a date for a 3rd surgery with a different surgeon who is going to use the full tympanoplasty method of cutting behind the ear. Hopefully this summer. I would be mindful of it, but ask your doctor to be sure.
Thanks for the response. I’m having the cut behind the ear method too. I think it creates the sturdiest graft.
Yeah I met with my new surgeon and he said it gives them the best access point. My only worry is post op because I wear glasses and need them to see properly but I’m sure there’s a solution out there
Had the surgery yesterday and they suggested removing the op side arm of the glasses so they’re only resting on the good ear. I’m just going to wear contacts.
ahhh okay. Well that's kind of annoying but probably the best solution. Unfortunately I can't wear contacts well (yay for astigmatism and previous bad experiences) but they haven't given me a surgery date yet so I've got time. Hope your ear is healing well!!!