Ear Disorders

Common Ear Disorders

At Montgomery Otolaryngology, our board-certified physicians provide expert treatment for a wide array of ear concerns. Our team is dedicated to diagnosing and managing ear disorders to improve your hearing and overall quality of life. Some of the common concerns we see with ears include:

• Hearing Loss: Whether sudden or gradual, at all levels of severity, our team can test, diagnose, and develope a treatment plan that's right for you.
• Recurrent Ear Infections: Persistent ear pain, drainage, and hearing loss due to bacterial or viral infections.
• Foreign Objects in the Ear: Discomfort and potential infection from small objects inserted into the ear, often in children.
• Perforated Eardrum: Sharp pain, drainage, and hearing loss often caused by infections, loud sounds, or trauma.
• Tinnitus: Ringing, buzzing, or humming in the ears often resulting from hearing loss or ear injury.
• Cholesteatoma: Abnormal skin growth in the middle ear leading to discharge, hearing loss, and dizziness.

Tympanoplasty: Repairing the Eardrum

What is Tympanoplasty?

Tympanoplasty is a surgical procedure to repair a perforated eardrum or address chronic ear infections. It involves grafting tissue to close the hole in the eardrum and restore its integrity.

Who Needs Tympanoplasty?

Tympanoplasty is recommended for individuals with persistent eardrum perforations that do not heal on their own, chronic ear infections unresponsive to medical treatment, hearing loss due to a damaged eardrum, and recurrent ear drainage.

Benefits of Tympanoplasty

This procedure restores hearing by closing the perforation, reduces the risk of recurrent ear infections, and alleviates symptoms like ear pain and discharge, enhancing the overall quality of life.

The Tympanoplasty Procedure

Tympanoplasty is usually performed under local or general anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision to access the eardrum, harvests tissue from another area (often the patient’s own body) to use as a graft, and places the graft over the perforation in the eardrum. The ear is then closed and dressed to protect the surgical site. Recovery typically takes a few weeks, during which hearing gradually improves.

If you suffer from chronic ear issues, schedule an appointment with Montgomery Otolaryngology to discuss your symptoms and available options. Contact us today to book your appointment.