I'm copying most of this from my post in the MEM Facebook group for people here who might find it helpful:
I had a tensor tympani tenotomy on 7/28/25 on my right ear with Dr. Robert Saadi at UAMS. I believe I'm the second person in the Facebook group to report cutting only the tensor tympani. My stapedius was not cut. He used scissors to remove a portion of the tensor tympani, rather than just slicing it like most surgeons do. This should lower the chances of reattachment. I can already tell the muscle is now inactive. When I yawn, burp, or hiccup, only the unoperated side rumbles and contracts.
It's still too early to know the final outcome of the surgery, but I feel confident that my intense rumbling is gone. Before the procedure, just scratching the back of my head would cause a strong rumble and vibration in my ear. That no longer triggers anything in my operated ear. I also used to wake up to my ear rumbling intensely. The morning after surgery was the first day in months I woke up without that happening.
Before surgery, my surgeon and I decided it would be a good idea to try and trigger my symptoms in the operating room to figure out which muscle was causing them. He saw the tensor tympani spasm, so he cut it. That's why my stapedius was left intact. I'm not sure if this was the best decision in hindsight though.
Recovery so far has been smooth. I woke up in the recovery room and cried a little out of relief. This journey to get the surgery has been long and mentally exhausting. After waking up, I was in a lot of pain (about 8 out of 10), but the pain meds they gave me worked fast. I haven't had any pain since those first moments in recovery, and I haven't taken any pain medicine in 18 hours. The throat irritation from the breathing tube is actually worse than the ear pain.
Right now, my ear feels half deaf and full because of the packing and wick they placed inside. Both my ringing and pulsatile tinnitus are about 20 to 30 percent louder, but I'm pretty confident this will go back to normal after the packing is removed and I've healed. I'll try to keep you all updated on that.
My symptoms:
I'm happy with the results overall. My most intense and overwhelming symptom seems to be fully resolved for now.
I'll update you all with more information after August 14th, once I've spoken with my surgeon and finished recovering. A lot can change during the first 2 to 4 weeks after surgery, so don't take everything I've said here as final.
I had a tensor tympani tenotomy on 7/28/25 on my right ear with Dr. Robert Saadi at UAMS. I believe I'm the second person in the Facebook group to report cutting only the tensor tympani. My stapedius was not cut. He used scissors to remove a portion of the tensor tympani, rather than just slicing it like most surgeons do. This should lower the chances of reattachment. I can already tell the muscle is now inactive. When I yawn, burp, or hiccup, only the unoperated side rumbles and contracts.
It's still too early to know the final outcome of the surgery, but I feel confident that my intense rumbling is gone. Before the procedure, just scratching the back of my head would cause a strong rumble and vibration in my ear. That no longer triggers anything in my operated ear. I also used to wake up to my ear rumbling intensely. The morning after surgery was the first day in months I woke up without that happening.
Before surgery, my surgeon and I decided it would be a good idea to try and trigger my symptoms in the operating room to figure out which muscle was causing them. He saw the tensor tympani spasm, so he cut it. That's why my stapedius was left intact. I'm not sure if this was the best decision in hindsight though.
Recovery so far has been smooth. I woke up in the recovery room and cried a little out of relief. This journey to get the surgery has been long and mentally exhausting. After waking up, I was in a lot of pain (about 8 out of 10), but the pain meds they gave me worked fast. I haven't had any pain since those first moments in recovery, and I haven't taken any pain medicine in 18 hours. The throat irritation from the breathing tube is actually worse than the ear pain.
Right now, my ear feels half deaf and full because of the packing and wick they placed inside. Both my ringing and pulsatile tinnitus are about 20 to 30 percent louder, but I'm pretty confident this will go back to normal after the packing is removed and I've healed. I'll try to keep you all updated on that.
My symptoms:
- Episodic thumping that lasted for hours or days, usually triggered by burping, hiccuping, or yawning during stressful times. It felt like a tiny person was inside my ear canal, punching my eardrum. The thump had a deep bass frequency. – Fully resolved as of now.
- Thump or crackle in reaction to noise. These felt and sounded different than the episodic thumps. The "crackle" isn't a high-pitched sound like the word might suggest, but it's the best word I can use to describe it post-surgery. Quick, snappy sounds in quiet rooms triggered it the most—things like dishes clanking or clicky keyboards. – I'm not sure if this has resolved yet.
- Intense rumbling in response to noise, swallowing, yawning, stretching, scratching my head, or squeezing my eyes shut. – This symptom is fully resolved.
I'm happy with the results overall. My most intense and overwhelming symptom seems to be fully resolved for now.
I'll update you all with more information after August 14th, once I've spoken with my surgeon and finished recovering. A lot can change during the first 2 to 4 weeks after surgery, so don't take everything I've said here as final.
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