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Stapedectomy and hearing your own heart beating through the operated ear

Posted , 6 users are following.

janete84732
janete84732

HELP! I have posted a few other issues regarding my recovery but her is a big one that I am experiencing right now. Had Stapedectomy 4 days ago and just an hour ago after taking my antibiotic as normal and decided to take an advil as well.... I started to hear my heart beating in my operated left ear! I am so so scared. Please let me know if any of you experienced it during recovery of your stapedectomy surgery. 

Thank you!

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Olizzieo
    Olizzieo janete84732

    Posted

    Hi Janet, it is very, very normal with this kind of proceedure. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. You have added pressure/fluid around the wound and that amplifies sounds such as the pumping of your blood through veins and arteries that run close to where you have had surgery. It sounds a lot louder until everything clears up. When I put ear drops in my ear and then cotton wool to stop it running out, I hear my heart beating too. Because you are worried there is something wrong, you focus more and more on it. You need to distract yourself, play relaxing music or anything that helps mask the heart beat sound. Better than that is to tell yourself that this is normal and not going to hurt you. You lived in utero for 10 months with a constant sound of your mother's heart beating and because at that age you were not aware it could be a worrying sound, you would have found it very comforting. Think of it like that if you can. Of course let your ENT know, because once they tell you it is ok you will worry less again. smile
    • janete84732
      janete84732 Olizzieo

      Posted

      Thank you so so very much Olizzieo! It was a rough night last night because of it. It end up going away after an hour but it was really weird. Now I know. Yes, I still have not started the drops. I will start on Friday coming up. Thank you again!!!
    • Olizzieo
      Olizzieo janete84732

      Posted

      So thrilled that it has gone and at least if it comes back again for a little while, you will know it is nothing to worry about xx
  • ayshin57492
    ayshin57492 janete84732

    Posted

    I just did my surgery for my left ear on Tuesday May 10, 2016 (a few days ago) in London, ON, Canada. Exactly like yours from yesterday, the 4th day of my surgery, I have been suffered of VERY loud none stop heartbeat noise; no way to be able to sleep or do daily tasks. After 24 hours, still the noise is here. I am worried that some infection might happen due to taking shower. I am supposed to see the surgeon on Monday, the day after tomorrow. I have so much pain in my ear. I searched a lot about this issue and yours gave me some heal that it should be normal. It is extremely annoying; I cannot do anything. This surgery has made me so weak. 

    Should I conclude that the heartbeat noise will go away and nothing to be worried about that now? How long it might take? How can I eliminate it?

    Thx,

    A

     

    • Olizzieo
      Olizzieo ayshin57492

      Posted

      The heart beat sound will definitely go away. If your pain is extreme, phone the ENT for an urgent appointment today just incase there is an infection. Tell them you are also worried about the sound so that they can also tell you not to worry. It can take a couple of weeks for the heart beat sound to go away. It depends how blocked up your ear is with fluid/discharge etc. If you can, use music through an ear bud to mask out the beating. Just know it is very normal and only a sign that outside noise is blocked out so you naturally hear internal sounds much more loudly. As soon as that blockage goes away, so will the distrating sound. You can actually cause it in your other ear by filling the ear with olive oil and putting   a cotton ball in the ear. It shows you that it is only a blockage that causes it (which is very comforting,) no doubt you won't want to though smile It won't be long until this resolves!!!
    • ayshin57492
      ayshin57492 Olizzieo

      Posted

      Oh, thank you so much Olizzieo;

      You are right. The major sound went away finally after 24 hours. It looks like I am in recovery after a heavy thunderstorm. I cannot believe it. I had to take prescribed sleep pill, use heat pad for the pain, and about morning I found myself in a big peace. I will find out more tomorrow after meeting my surgeon. I think they will take the pack out… which I don’t know who it will work and how much pain I will have. I had to take one more week off from work because still I am not ready; but now I know what I should do for the next ear! smile

      I also learned so many things in this regard through vast research. I watched so many videos about the surgery…; I hope that I can take my time to write more in details about this experience.

      Thank you again,

      Asmile

    • Olizzieo
      Olizzieo ayshin57492

      Posted

      That is wonderful news!!!!!! I hope you have wonderful hearing after all of this!! smile
    • ayshin57492
      ayshin57492 Olizzieo

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the wish!

      I don’t know about the others, but after one week of surgery, they vacuumed the ear and took out the pack. It was very painful for me. They told me that the surgery was successful and I am supposed to have another hearing test 2 months later. They warned me  that I might have some echo and hear loudly; but it is more than that. I had to take another week off from work. I have pain in the ear. Everything is VERY loud. Driving is the worst part and VERY difficult for me. Sometimes both ears look like blocked. When I am at store, I don’t hear anything normal. Either they are unclear or too loud. It seems that I have a trumpet in my ear. On top of everything, still I have heartbeat sound which drives me crazy. Falling sleep is very difficult. I cannot believe again I will be back to normal condition. L

    • muthu81894
      muthu81894 ayshin57492

      Posted

      I had my operation 3 days ago.I have all the discomforts like the dizzeness,discharge and etc which I can live with.Right after the surgery I had this loud,very disturbing ear ringing and 3 days passed by but the noise is still there with full force.I had ear ringing before the surgery and one of the reasons I decided to have the surgery was to get rid of this.Unfortunately this noise is much worse than before.I was wondering if anyone had this experience?I called my doctor and she asked me to be patient and wait till the packing is taken out.But this really irritates me.

      Can you please let me know it is permanent.

  • alyincali
    alyincali janete84732

    Posted

    Such a helpful post!

    I had my stapedectomy 4 days ago, and yesterday I began feeling a pulsation in that ear that has not gone away. I've been concerned about this, so I went online to find out if others experienced this and how long it lasts. Dizziness is also an issue although I was told that that might be present for a while since the stapes connects to the inner ear.

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