Patient's question:
My wife's hearing loss started in childhood and gradually worsened until she became completely deaf. After examination, it was found that her eardrum had ruptured. It has been 16 years now. Can surgery be performed to repair it? Which hospital in China is the best for this? I've heard that hearing aids can restore hearing. What is the price of a hearing aid?Doctor's answer:
The eardrum has a strong self-healing ability. Among all tissues in the body, the eardrum has the strongest repair capacity. For simple traumatic perforation of the eardrum, if there is no infection, it generally heals on its own within 2 to 3 weeks. For cases where the eardrum perforation is unlikely to heal on its own, or where the perforation is large and it is estimated that it will be difficult to heal, a myringoplasty (eardrum repair surgery) can be performed. Regarding the specific recovery of hearing after the procedure, you should consult with a doctor at your local hospital and undergo a specific examination.