Preforated Eardrum due to cranial pressure?

[illjill29]

I went to my PCP the other day who was shocked to see that my left ear drum has three holes and the right ear drum is covered with bubbles.  He said that he has never seen anything presented in this way before.  Could this be the aftermath of intense intercranial pressure?  

[itsy1]

Oh yes, I've read that.

So scd was the technical term for what I had.  Oops!  I should've looked it up.

Thanks for setting me straight.

[seamatty]

There are medical studies proving a higher incidence of superior canal dehiscence (blowing out of ear bones) and CM1.just google that and you will see studies

[itsy1]

I wanted to let you know bursting ear drums aren't always a CM sign.  I come from a family with a long history of ENT issues.  Everything from the barbaric way my dad had his first sinus surgery in the early '50's to my stuff that's been dxed.

My dad, middle sister, me, and both my kids have all had ear tubes for eustachian tube disfunction.  For my dad it's permanent ear tubes because he "blew out" his eustachian tube when he crashed a helicopter.  For my middle sister, she just had chronic ear infections and by the time my mom would get her to the pediatrician as a child her ear drums would burst; since childhood she hasn't needed ear tubes anymore and only has slightly reduced hearing.  For my daughter, one set of ear tubes helped her chronic ear infections, and she hasn't needed another.  She was about 3 when her tubes fell out and hasn't suffered hearing or speech issues.  For my son it was 3 sets of tubes by age 3, lots of speech therapy, and some hearing loss - however, he did go to child care and did catch every upper resperatory thing under the sun.  With me some is CM related; however, sometimes I've just had horrible ear infections that have created the need for ear tubes (I've had 2 sets for infections and 1 for CM pressure stuff) to get the antibiotics more directly in my ears.

My kids have both been imaged by the pediatric neurologist and so far aren't showing signs of CM (their MRIs look normal).  

I guess I just wanted to reassure you.  It sounds like your daughter and family have been through so much.  Just keep an eye on her.  It might not be CM.

[jiggle93]

my oldest DD was found to have a perforated eardrum at age 5. She had tubes at 1 1/2 years due to chronic ear infections.  We even started learning ASL, just in case she lost her hearing. She did great with them, the fluid drained as it was supposed to. She had one eardrum burst with no warnings. She had a tympanoplasty (sp?), shortly after being dx. It failed. Her ENT has been evalulating her since and yearly puts her through hearing checks. He claims that her hearing level is a mircale, and has been putting off another surgery as to not have too much scar tissue build up. She cant blow her nose like normal people, but she has a beautiful singing voice and has been in choirs for many years! We have always wondered how she would do on an air flight, as pressure effects her. The ENT was never able to tell us the cause. For years we thought the cause was the home we lived in that was full of black mold - it does super bad stuff like this. However, now after reading this...makes me wonder if the CM I have has been passed on.....?  I pray not!  Interesting thought.

[itsy1]

No, that wasn't my dx.  I was dxed with fistulas in both ears and loose otoliths (I forgot the medical term).  My neuroENT also said I had 'fluctuating hearing loss and tinnittis'.  He consulted with a neurosurgeon that was in his practice to verify that it was indeed possible that my CM and reherniated cerebrial tonsils (this was 2 years before my last decompression) were indeed the cause of these things.

Fwiw, I hate loud sounds too because of vertigo.  Ugh!

[illjill29]

I haven't been diagnosed with anything yet.  It was only a week ago that the holes/bubbles were discovered.  I have such intense pressure in my ears everytime I experinace a "full head pressure headache" that I can easily believe that the two are related.  

And thanks for the permission to vent...:)

[seamatty]

Was this a superior canal dehiscence that you had...I was just diagnosed with that - loud sounds give me vertigo

[seamatty]

We're you diagnosed with superior canal dehiscence- I have this in both ears and my ENT is now beginning to think this was from CM pressure

[itsy1]

Vent away!  That's what we're here for.

Ack!  Have to go...my kids are acting nutty....

[illjill29]

Well I heard from my PCP and he has set up an appointment for me next week with a ENT. I am a little bit frustrated that we may be treating a symptom instead of focusing on the main issue which I believe is the malformation itself.  I am not interested in putting a "bandaid" on my symptoms while ignoring the real culprit. I still have not had the officail diagnoses of Chiari yet.  Sorry for venting.   I will definatly ask about the ear drops and keep you posted.

[itsy1]

I hope your referral comes quickly.

I just thought about this - can he give you some numbing/ pain reducing drops for your ears?  Or is that not a option wit your preforations?

[illjill29]

Your right, my ears on very painful!  When I experiance a high pressure headache it is the same experiance as when you go up in an airplane and your ears are full and they need to "pop".  Other times I feel a deep ache as well as hearing squealing/ringing sounds.  I have a hard time with loud sounds and high pitch sounds.
Once my PCP looked in my ears initially he stepped out of the room and got a doctor from down the hall to offer a second opinion right away because he was so baffled.  She too said that this was a very unique presentation and was unfamiliar with it.  He said that he wanted to take a couple of days to research both the ears issue and all of my symptoms.  He said that he would call me today with a plan.  That plan will most likely be a referal to a teaching hospital in Dallas.  I will keep you posted on what the plan holds.

[itsy1]

I'm curious about your PCP's suggestion too.  I don't know what the "blisters" on your ear drums could mean.

As far as CM related ear preforations though, they are possible.  My cranial pressure kind of blew out my inner ears.  I had 2 fistulas in my inner ears from increased cranial pressure.  It also caused issuies with the tiny bones in my inner ears (otoliths) and my neuro ENT had to realign them.

Fwiw here's my story:
I've always had ear issues, both from chronic upper respiratory stuff (allergies, ENT issues, ear infections, so I always thought most of my issues were something other than CM related.

Then I went to a neuro ENT who sees a lot of CM patients.  He told me that my balance and hearing issues had a lot to do with my cranial pressure.  My increased cranial pressure had basicly blew out my inner ears - I had fistulas in both inner ears and my otoliths (the little bones in your inner ear for balance) had come loose and needed repositioning.  As for my forever bursting ear drum.  He told me it could be a pressure thing but more than likely was just my eustachian tube disfunction causing fluid/ negative pressure to build up/ fester thus bursting the ear drum.

I hope you find some relief.  Your ears sound painful.

[selmaS]

  Hi...I have never heard of this, but I am sure it is possible....I know our ears  r affected by the pressure....

  What did ur PCP suggest u do?

      "selma"