What is the Difference Between Tympanic Drum and Eardrum?

There is no difference between eardrum and tympanic membrane. They are the same thing, just called differently. Tympanic membrane is usually a medical term, and tympanic membrane is generally what most people call it. If the eardrum is perforated, you must go to the hospital for treatment in time. It is best to protect your ears and develop good living habits. Don't pick your ears casually, otherwise it is easy to rupture the eardrum.

The structure of the eardrum:

Although the eardrum is very thin, its anatomical structure consists of three layers (pars tensa):

①The epithelial layer is continuous with the skin of the external auditory canal.

②The middle layer is composed of radial and circular cilia, so it has a certain elasticity and tension. It is a fibrous layer (radial on the outside and wheel-shaped on the inside). There is a small part above the eardrum that does not have the middle fibrous layer and is relatively thin and loose, called the flaccid part. The part of the eardrum with the fibrous layer is called the tense part. The handle of the malleus is attached to the middle of the fibrous layer.

③The inner layer is the mucosal layer, which is continuous with the tympanic mucosa.

Functions of the eardrum:

Under normal circumstances, the eardrum can sense sound waves transmitted from the external auditory canal, produce vibrations and pull the chain of ossicles attached to it, allowing the stimulation of the sound waves to be transmitted to the middle ear. In the entire auditory conduction pathway, the eardrum is one of the starting points. Even if the eardrum is completely missing, we can still hear, but the sound we hear is smaller because the incoming sound waves are weakened.

The dangers of eardrum perforation

1. The protective function of the middle ear has been damaged. The eardrum is the gateway to the middle ear. It separates the outer ear from the middle ear and protects the middle ear cavity. After perforation, external bacteria, sewage and foreign objects can enter the middle ear through the perforation and cause infection and pus.

2. Perforation causes hearing loss: Sound first vibrates the eardrum, then is transmitted to the cochlea through the middle ear ossicular chain, which in turn causes nerve reflex to form hearing. After the eardrum is perforated, the effective vibration area of ​​the eardrum is reduced, and the energy of external sound waves transmitted to the inner ear is weakened, resulting in hearing loss.

Treatment of eardrum trauma:

(1) Precautions before treatment: Pay attention to strengthening health education and prohibit the use of sharp objects such as matchsticks and hairpins to dig ears. When removing foreign objects or earwax from the external auditory canal, be careful and moderate to avoid injuring the eardrum.

(2) Antibiotic treatment: How to treat eardrum trauma? Antibiotics can be used to prevent infection. External auditory canal flushing or drops are prohibited. The opening of the external auditory canal can be blocked with a sterilized cotton ball. Avoid catching colds and do not blow your nose hard to prevent infection from the nasopharynx. Do not swim or allow any liquid to enter your ears until the piercing has healed.

(3) General treatment: In general, the treatment of tympanic membrane trauma mainly prohibits ear washing and ear drops, and uses sterilized cotton balls to block the opening of the external auditory canal to prevent infection. Perforations can usually heal on their own in 2 to 3 weeks.

(4) Treatment with Chinese medicine: How should tympanic membrane trauma be treated? Experts point out that tympanic membrane trauma can also be treated with Chinese medicine. The principle is to promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and promote the flow of qi and unblock the meridians. The prescription is Taohong Siwu Decoction. Drug composition: peach kernel 10g, safflower 8g, angelica 10g, red peony root 10g, raw rehmannia 12g, chuanxiong 10g, cyperus rotundus 6g, and calamus 10g. If the infection causes pus discharge, you can take Wuwei Xiaodu Drink (honeysuckle, wild chrysanthemum, dandelion, Viola yedoensis, and Achyranthes bidentata) to clear away heat and detoxify.