{"id":7293,"date":"2024-04-12T16:09:35","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T22:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/?p=7293"},"modified":"2024-04-12T16:10:13","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T22:10:13","slug":"what-to-know-about-retracted-eardrums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/what-to-know-about-retracted-eardrums\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Retracted Eardrums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is an essential function of the hearing system. It acts as a barrier between the external ear canal and the middle ear and plays a crucial role in hearing. Sometimes, the eardrum can become retracted, which can lead to symptoms with hearing or no symptoms at all. Understanding the causes and treatment options can help you be prepared if this is something you experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Causes of Retracted Eardrums<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1253\" height=\"836\" src=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Man-holds-hand-over-ear.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7296\" style=\"width:604px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Man-holds-hand-over-ear.jpg 1253w, https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Man-holds-hand-over-ear-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1253px) 100vw, 1253px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">A retracted eardrum occurs when the eardrum collapses slightly toward the middle ear. This condition is often a result of a lack of pressure behind the eardrum, which causes it to collapse. Often, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/6778353\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">retracted eardrums are caused by Eustachian tube dysfunction<\/a>. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, and if it becomes clogged, it could impact air pressure in the ear, causing collapse. The following conditions could cause Eustachian tube dysfunction:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Colds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sinusitis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allergies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chronic ear infections<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Altitude changes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/ent\/ear-infection\/\">Ear infections<\/a> are a common trigger for retracted eardrums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognizing the symptoms of a retracted eardrum can lead to earlier treatment and potentially better outcomes. To diagnose a retracted eardrum, a doctor will examine the ear with an otoscope and ask if you\u2019ve experienced an ear infection recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Symptoms of a retracted eardrum may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/audiologist\/audiology-hearing-loss-faq\/\">Hearing loss<\/a>: One of the first signs is temporary hearing loss.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fullness or pressure: A sensation of fullness or pressure in the affected ear is common, as is fluid draining from the ear.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discomfort or pain: Depending on the severity, there may be varying levels of ear discomfort or pain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you experience any of these symptoms, it&#8217;s important to consult with a healthcare professional or an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat doctor or ENT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>ENTs can provide a proper diagnosis and suggest the following treatments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Tube placement: If the cause is Eustachian tube dysfunction, treatments may include decongestants, nasal corticosteroids, or the placement of a tube to drain fluid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Addressing infections: For chronic ear infections, antibiotics or ear drops may be prescribed to clear up any infection and associated fluid buildup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tympanoplasty: This is a surgical option used to fix a damaged eardrum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Minor ear retractions may resolve on their own and may not even display symptoms. More serious retractions can cause pain and hearing loss so it\u2019s essential to see a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about ENT health, schedule an appointment with an ENT by contacting Alpine Ear Nose &#038; Throat PC today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><ul class=\"related-posts\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/the-essential-guide-to-safe-earwax-removal-and-why-it-matters\/\" class=\"related-post\">The Essential Guide to Safe Earwax Removal and Why It Matters<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/how-to-recognize-and-manage-aphasia\/\" class=\"related-post\">How To Recognize and Manage Aphasia<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/what-to-know-about-dry-ears\/\" class=\"related-post\">What To Know About Dry Ears<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is an essential function of the hearing system. It acts as a barrier between the external ear canal and the middle ear and plays a crucial role in hearing. Sometimes, the eardrum can become retracted, which can lead to symptoms with hearing or no symptoms at all&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7296,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[41,35],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7293"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7293"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7300,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7293\/revisions\/7300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpineent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}