Severe Ear Discomfort Following Myringoplasty
I’m a 17-year-old assigned female at birth but identify as a transgender male, using He/Him pronouns. Apologies if my writing isn't perfect. I am currently around 7 to 8 weeks post-operative, and I've had a double myringoplasty. Additionally, I underwent surgery on the other ear three months prior, which was successful and has mostly healed. The reason for these procedures was my ongoing battle with chronic ear infections since the age of three. The grommets that had been in my ears for a decade left behind some holes that needed repair. During my six-week follow-up appointment, we discovered a clot of dried blood on my eardrum. Recently, I've begun to experience significant discomfort in the ear that was just operated on, especially when yawning or opening my mouth widely. I’m hearing my blood flow against my ear and have been dealing with tinnitus, a symptom I hadn’t noticed since my recovery. The pain is becoming so intense that I find myself yawning with my mouth shut or covered to minimize the stretch and alleviate the discomfort. I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for Saturday, but I'm uncertain if I can endure the pain until then. Should I be worried about these symptoms?
Answers (1)
8/21/2025, 3:02:47 PM
OpenHealth AI
It's completely understandable to be concerned about the pain and discomfort you're experiencing in your ear, especially after recent surgeries. Here’s a summary of your situation and what you can do while you wait for your doctor’s appointment:
Main Points:
- Post-operative discomfort and tinnitus at this stage may be related to healing; however, it's important to manage your symptoms and keep monitoring them.
- The pain you feel while yawning or opening your mouth could indicate irritation or pressure changes in the middle ear, but it’s good that you have a follow-up scheduled soon.
Explanation: After a myringoplasty, it’s normal to experience some discomfort as your ear heals. Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) can happen post-surgery, often due to changes in pressure or inflammation. Feeling pain with yawning may suggest there’s still some inflammation or increased sensitivity in the ear. The dried blood you mentioned at your last follow-up could also contribute to this discomfort if it hasn't fully resolved.
However, because you're experiencing significant pain, it’s crucial to pay attention to your symptoms. The fact that you are hearing blood flow could indicate increased vascular activity or pressure changes in the area, so it’s good you're seeing a doctor soon.
Next Steps:
-
Pain Management: Consider taking over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (if allergies or contraindications allow you to do so) to help manage pain. Be sure to follow the recommended dosage instructions on the package.
-
Avoid Irritation: Try to limit actions that cause pain, like yawning widely or chewing gum. If you need to yawn, do it gently to minimize discomfort.
-
Watch for New Symptoms: Keep an eye out for any worsening of symptoms such as fever, increased swelling, or drainage from your ear, as these could indicate an infection.
-
Keep Your Appointment: Since you have an appointment on Saturday, prepare to discuss all your symptoms in detail, especially the pain levels and any other changes you notice.
If the pain intensifies or you develop any new troubling symptoms before your appointment, don’t hesitate to seek emergency care. Your comfort is important, and it’s okay to take steps to manage your symptoms now.
Related Questions
Seeking Clarity on Possible Scabies or Bug Bites: A 33-Year-Old’s Dilemma
Hello, everyone. I am looking for some advice regarding my current health situation. - **Demographics**: 33-year-old male - **Region**: Pacific Northwest, USA - **Health Background**: Not on any medications or supplements; no known allergies - **Recent Travels**: Within the last month, I have visited Hawaii, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Upstate New York. - **Lifestyle and Exposure**: I travel frequently for work, often finding myself in rural or natural settings such as forests and fields. **Symptom Timeline**: - Four weeks ago, I discovered insect bites on my ankles and initially assumed they were from chiggers or fleas. I checked my bedding but found no evidence of bed bugs. - Following a week with no improvement and the emergence of new bites further up my legs, my primary care physician assessed the situation visually and diagnosed me with scabies. He prescribed permethrin, Zyrtec, and cefadroxil. After requesting a skin scraping, he conducted it gently, without using mineral oil, magnifying equipment, or performing a burrow test. The results turned out to be negative. - I underwent two treatments with permethrin spaced a week apart and conducted a thorough cleaning of my home, including washing linens and clothes at high temperatures and vacuuming my mattress and sofa. Initially, the symptoms seemed to lessen following the treatment. - However, one week post the second permethrin application, I noticed new itching in areas close to the original bites on my ankles. - A visit to a dermatology assistant involved the use of a dermatoscope connected to an iPad, leading to images being sent to a dermatologist. Their report stated “favor bites, uncertain insect identification.” They recommended clobetasol ointment and suggested that if the problem persists, I might need to consider pest control services. They declined to do additional skin scraping. **Questions and Concerns**: - I’m unclear about the term “favor bites” and what it indicates (does it imply that the condition appears more like insect bites rather than scabies?) - Am I receiving adequate care, or should I insist on more thorough testing, like a scraping or biopsy, to definitively rule out scabies or identify any other underlying issue? - Is it appropriate for the dermatology team to recommend pest control when the source of the issue has not been pinpointed? - What actions do you suggest I take next to avoid stagnating in this situation? I appreciate your insights in advance!
Concerns About RBC and Haematocrit Levels Post-Kidney Surgery
I am a 38-year-old male, standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 78 kilograms. Aside from having just one kidney, I consider myself healthy and active. While I have to wait a while to discuss my situation with my doctor, I thought I would reach out here for some insights. To provide some context, I had one of my kidneys removed due to cancer a little over a year ago. Here are my lab results: - 22/07/24: Two days post-surgery - 11/02/25: Six-month follow-up test - 21/08/25: One-year anniversary test I am particularly concerned about my red blood cell (RBC) count and haematocrit levels. **RBC Levels** - July 24: 4.56 - February 25: 4.71 - August 25: 4.42 **Haematocrit Levels** - July 24: 0.4 - February 25: 0.43 - August 25: 0.39 Additionally, I noticed my creatinine levels fluctuated from 139 to 162, then decreased to 141. All other parameters were within the normal range. Is there an alternative explanation for the decreases in my RBC and haematocrit? I'm feeling anxious about the health of my remaining kidney. It's worth mentioning that today's test was conducted without my usual hydration, and I've been experiencing soreness from a recent gym workout, including delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and a swollen knee. Could these factors have contributed to the altered results?
Inquiry Regarding Herpes IGG Blood Test Results
Greetings, everyone. I’m reaching out to seek clarity about the herpes IGG blood test. At 32, I consider myself to be in good health and maintain a nutritious diet. However, since August of the previous year, I’ve been experiencing a series of unusual symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, ulcerative colitis, and vision complications. These symptoms emerged following a brief encounter I had with someone through Grindr. I’ve undergone extensive STD testing multiple times, even beyond the recommended window periods. Recently, I had an HSV IGG blood test, the results of which confirmed negative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2. Additionally, I’ve never encountered a cold sore or similar issues. My primary concern now is whether this result is definitive and if I can be certain that I do not have HSV?
Did I Expel a Colon Polyp? I Suspect So.
41 years old and female. Following a bout of constipation, I managed to pass my stool, and there seemed to be something linked to it. It was roughly an inch in width and seemed to be connected by a slender thread-like structure. Fortunately, there was no sign of bleeding.
Concerns After Appendectomy: Seeking Advice
I am a 40-year-old woman who recently had a health scare. I was prescribed antibiotics for an unrelated issue, as confirmed by a laboratory test. Just two days afterward, I found myself in the emergency room where my white blood cell count registered at 29,000, my AST level was 75, and a venous lactate measured 2.6. This alarming situation led to an urgent appendectomy. Upon reviewing the pathology report, the pathologist highlighted acute inflammation in the outer layers of my appendix, along with a diagnosis of endosalpingosis, while confirming there were no signs of dysplasia or cancer. The report included a note that the inflammation appeared confined to the outer layers, which might indicate a source of inflammation originating outside the appendix. Clinical correlation was deemed necessary, particularly pointing to the presence of endosalpingosis in the mesoappendix. After consulting with my surgeon, they reassured me that it is likely not a significant concern. However, I have a medical history that raises some alarms: I have been diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, experienced a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy in my twenties, and underwent a vulvar vestibulectomy due to vulvodynia back then. Recently, I have also been confronting issues with low ferritin levels and recurring migraines. Given my background, would it be prudent for me to investigate this further?