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Suggest Treatment For Fluid Build-up Behind Eardrum
Question: My left ear has ceased producing wax. Fluid has accumulated in my ear and has been there for 3 months plus. My ENT doctor wants to puncture my ear drum to let any and all fluid drain. Many years ago I was having problems with my left ear (it wasn't producing wax). My doctor, at that time inserted two very long Q-tips into my nose very far back. The Q-tips had a large amount of what looked like ear wax. He said he was inserting oil into my ear to duplicate the ear wax. His treatment seemed to work for 20 or more years. Question: Would this treatment be beneficial to me or should I let the ENT doctor perform a procedure on my ear and put a hole in my eardrum?
Brief Answer:
hard question
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
I am not sure what your doctor did in the past but there is no anatomical way to get any substance inserted through your nose into your ear canal. The ear drum seals off the ear canal from the Eustacian tube which drains into the throat from the middle ear.
If you have fluid behind the ear drum then if it is impairing your hearing then it is common to have a tube placed in the drum to let the fluid drain out.
This fluid behind the drum is not related to the lack of ear wax. The lack of ear wax can cause some irritation in the canal but it would not cause fluid behind the drum
Please let me know if you have further question.
Dr. Robinson
hard question
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
I am not sure what your doctor did in the past but there is no anatomical way to get any substance inserted through your nose into your ear canal. The ear drum seals off the ear canal from the Eustacian tube which drains into the throat from the middle ear.
If you have fluid behind the ear drum then if it is impairing your hearing then it is common to have a tube placed in the drum to let the fluid drain out.
This fluid behind the drum is not related to the lack of ear wax. The lack of ear wax can cause some irritation in the canal but it would not cause fluid behind the drum
Please let me know if you have further question.
Dr. Robinson
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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