Ruptured eardrum and hearing aid.

[Splodgerbodgerbadger]

I had a bad infection in one of my ears a couple of years ago, I saw ENT and they cleaned it out and said I had a small rupture in my ear drum. They sent me for a hearing test and said they would see me again once I’d had it.

I had the hearing test a couple of weeks later.

Two years later I was seen again today as they never contacted me so I chased it up as my hearing is no better. He said my hearing test showed significant hearing loss in that ear.

He said he was referring me to audiology for a hearing aid, so I asked what was causing it and he said I have got a large hole in my eardrum. Is it normal not to treat the hole, and have a hearing aid instead?

I had around 4 infections in that ear over 18 months before the last one two years ago and I don’t think my hearing in that ear has been good for quite a long time before then.

Anyone got any advice?

the best person to ask would have been the ENT you were seeing tbh.
Maybe it’s because it’s a large hole & they feel it’s too big to repair or that it’s been too long?

It would probably be best to phone the secretary, say you’ve seen the ENT and you’d like to know if surgery for repair is an option. The secretary will pass that on to him and you will then be able to find out. Good luck, it may take a while for a response though.

I know, it’s one of those when you come away you wish you asked more. He seemed very quick to get me out and only told me it was ruptured because I asked. It seemed he thought I was worried about it but I just wanted to know. I will ask when I go to my audiology appointment.

I have a huge rupture and wear a hearing aid. Operations have been mentioned in the past but apparently a lot of scar tissue and no guarantee hearing will be improved. Also, scared about tinnitus getting worse if op. My niece however, had similar situation with no scar tissue, had op and hearing is now fine. If I had infections I might reconsider.

Thanks @DinkyDaisy it sounds similar to what I was told today, he said it was a big rupture and I think looking back I have probably had a few perforations over the years so maybe scar tissue too, so what you said makes sense.

Does your hearing aid make much difference?

I have also suffered from hearing problems for the last 10 years or so, and had 3 operations on each ear to remove cholesteatoma, all of which involved repairing the eardrum, and during the last one each side they've strengthened the eardrums.
So an eardrum repair is certainly an option, and hopefully that is all that's causing your hearing loss, having said that my bone anchored hearing aids have been absolute game changers for me

Yes, hearing aid has made a difference.
I am overdue a review at hospital. Have one NHS hearing aid with a moulded ear piece.

I had my first appointment with audiology and my hearing has improved slightly since my last one two years ago (that was done just after a bad infection), still not good in that ear. They said I have mixed hearing loss so even if my ear drum was repaired it wouldn’t make much difference. They took a mould and it should be ready in 8-18 weeks.