Patient's question:
Is this useful? What are the hazards of a retracted eardrum?Doctor's answer:
The reason for retraction of the tympanic membrane is caused by an imbalance of air pressure inside and outside the membrane. As long as hearing is basically normal, mild retraction of the tympanic membrane is not a problem. However, if someone has blocked or narrowed eustachian tubes, leading to an inability to maintain balanced air pressure between the middle ear and the outside world, not only will the tympanic membrane retract, but hearing will also be reduced, accompanied by tinnitus and a feeling of fullness in the ear. This is a pathological condition known in medicine as chronic non-suppurative otitis media.