A question for the audiologists... a patient experienced sudden onset, excruciating nerve pain in the right glossopharyngial region, and sudden total loss of hearing in that ear with severe tinnitus. A myringotomy (tube) was inserted with a Microwick, and was treated with steroidal eardrops for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks, pain had subsided, hearing had recovered up into the 45-60 db range across the spectrum, and the tinnitus had greatly diminished and was sporadic.
The tube remained in place, however, in case it was needed later.
Now, at 20 weeks, the pt's hearing is mostly normal (20 db) in the upper frequencies (2K - 6K), but a 50-60db loss remains in the lower frequencies (250-750K). 40db at 1K.
Question: what, if any, improvement should the patient expect in those lower frequencies after the tube is removed and the eardrum has healed? The patient is thrilled at the gradual recovery of the 1K-6K frequencies, but those lower-range frequencies seem sort of "stuck."
Seems to me like the tube would interfere with the eardrum's ability to vibrate, so she is holding on to some hope that removing it will help with recovery.