"False Eardrum" — What Is That?

I was just at the ENT due to my wax build up. I had some wax but that was not the cause of my muffled hearing. The oil drops was making it worse and was told to stop using it ASAP.

I have a "false eardrum". Don't know the medical term but it is like a thin skin (?) that is in front of my eardrum. It seems to be whole but could have some small holes that is causing my weird muffled hearing and the feeling of something in my ear. Had to undergo suction to remove the excess oil and wax and it was loud and horrible but it was 5 seconds max. Sounded like loud white noise. He couldn't remove it manually or irrigation. Regardless I need to get that false eardrum sucked away so still need to undergo suction no matter next time.

The ENT referred me next Tues for like "emergency" appointment with their ultra specialist. It's not something dangerous but I guess so I don't need to go around with muffled hearing. The ENT also want me to figure out what my T is caused by, I told him from loud noise but he said that the other specialist was really knowledgeable about how it was connected and what not so he could help me test to see if T isn't caused by something else. Not sure how much I believe that but I guess this is at least the first ENT that wanted to examine me further.

Does anybody know more about this false eardrum? He couldn't say how long it's been there so could be recent or forever.

 

I think it may also be known as a false fundus. Have you had a lot of ear infections in the past?

 

Never once. The ENT asked mr that too but I never had any infections in my ear or any major ones in nose/throat. He did say they would suck it out and that it was very thin. I am scared of the suction, it was bad enough yesterday and going through another that probably takes longer feels like torture. I dont know if my spike is due to the fundus being present or the suction

 

It sounds like it is not too serious then, which is good. If it were more serious like a cholesteatoma you would have discharge and pretty bad hearing loss usually through frequent infections It doesn't sound like that is going on but best to have it sorted as soon as possible as something is not quite right for the skin to form like that. Keep us posted and hope it goes OK at next visit.

 

A false fundus usually occurs after chronic acute otitis media. Could simply be a thin film of wax that looks like thin tissue.

If ENT don't order a CT, then you're most likely to be in the clear

 

Thank you! I will keep you posted after my visit on Tues. I have no hearing issue beside some muffling but not too much that it affects my daily life. I had never heard that this is something that can happen but I have stopped being suprised how life keeps giving lemons...