Suggest Treatment For Redness And Black Spots On The Eardrum

Posted on Mon, 6 May 2024

Question: Hello. 3 weeks ago i was on holiday for 1 week. i flew 4 times in a week. After my holiday i got clear liquid coming from my right ear. after 2 weeks liquid has stopped to come. there is no pain and i hear less than normal. i have a endoscopy camera at home and checked my ear. there was 3 black spot on eardrum and nearly half of eardrum was reddish. after 2 weeks black spots have gone but red part still stay. also another red spot start to grow up. still right ear cant hear properly. by the way when i was 13, one of my friend slapped to my right ear. from this time my right ear hears slightly less than left. Other than this i didn't get any hit to my ear or any other part of my face.

Answered by Dr. Riddhi Shah (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Suffering from Otic Barotrauma

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

I have gone through your query and can understand your concern .

Looking at the information given by you and from the images uploaded by you,there are two things which I am able to see:
1.The bluish part of ear drum suggests that you are suffering from Otic Hemotympanum due to Barotrauma.The black dots seen are most probably drops of blood.
Hemotympanum is blood collection in the middle ear.It can occur due to sudden pressure changes in the ear during descent of flight.It occurs due to blockage of eustachian tube,which is a tube connecting the middle ear with the nose,responsible for maintaining ear pressure with the outside atmospheric pressure.
2.The reddish part seen is the inflammation in form of granulation.It might have occurred if you have tried to clean your ear by yourself using ear buds or anything.

You may find relief by taking the following medications:
Antibiotic like Amoxycillin with Clavulanic acid(like Augmentin),
Analgesic with Antiinflammatory like Ibuprofen,
Antacid like Rantac,
Antiallergic with Decongestant like Levocetrizine with Phenylephrine,(you can take decongestant medicine only if you are not suffering from hypertension),
Mucolytic like Ambroxol,
Nasal decongestant drops like Oxymetazoline,
Ear antibiotic drops like Ciprofloxacin.

Also avoid cleaning your ear by self.
Avoid water going inside ear.
Do steam inhalation.
Avoid cold food.

Generally the blood in the middle ear(hemotympanum) will clear on its own within 1-2 weeks.

Regarding the reduced hearing complain after the trauma of slapping in the childhood,it would be advisable to personally contact an ENT specialist doctor for the endoscopic examination of ear.

Hope this answers your question.Take care.

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy