Please Read Before Surgery

This information is to help you care for your ear before and after surgery and to answer many of the commonly asked questions.

DAY OF SURGERY

- Please do not take any valuables to the hospital. This includes jewelry and handbags.
- Please do not apply makeup prior to surgery.
- Do not eat or drink after midnight before surgery, including water.
- If you put your hair up, please have it come off the top of your head.
- All work or school notes need to be requested prior to surgery (please see document in the portal).
- Please ensure you have access to the portal (azhear.ema.md) and you have selected your pharmacy in the portal. Any prescriptions will be sent electronically to the pharmacy you have selected in the portal.

PRECAUTIONS

1. Do not blow your nose until the medical team has indicated your ear is healed. Any accumulation of secretions in the nose may be drawn back into the throat and expectorated if desired. This is particularly important if you develop a cold. Contact the medical team via the portal (azhear.ema.md) if you should develop ear symptoms.

2. Do not "pop" your ears by holding your nose and blowing air through the eustachian tube. If it is necessary to sneeze, do so with your mouth open.

3. Do not allow water to enter the ear until advised by the medical team your ear is healed. You need to keep liquid water and steam out of your ear. When showering or washing your hair, place a cotton ball with Vaseline in your ear canal. Ensure the entire cotton ball is covered with Vaseline. Place the Vaseline on the cotton and work it into the cotton until there is no dry cotton. Keeping water out of the ear will help to encourage the healing process. This is the most common cause of post-operative problems.

4. Do not take any unnecessary chance of catching a cold. Avoid undue exposure or fatigue. Should you catch a cold, treat the cold in your usual manner. Contact the medical team via the portal (azhear.ema.md) if you should develop ear symptoms.

5. You may anticipate a certain amount of pulsation, popping, clicking, and other sounds in the ear. There may be a feeling of fullness in the ear. Occasional sharp shooting pains are not unusual. Additionally, it may feel as if there is liquid in the ear.

6. Do not plan to drive a car home from the hospital. No public transportation may be used. Please arrange to have someone available to drive you home. When changing altitude you should remain awake and chew gum to help with equalization of your ears.

7. Minor degrees of dizziness or light-headedness may be present with head motion and are normal after ear surgery. If the feeling persists for seven days after surgery or increases, please contact the medical team via the portal (azhear.ema.md).

8. You may resume light aerobic exercise one week after surgery. Please do not start any weight lifting or straining for at least three weeks after surgery. You should not lift greater than 20 pounds for the first weeks after surgery (this includes your own body weight).

9. Taste disturbance and mouth dryness are not uncommon for a few weeks following surgery. In some patients, recovery may be prolonged.


HEARING
Patients sometimes notice a hearing improvement at the time of surgery, but this improved hearing may quickly fade due to swelling of the ear tissues and packing in the canal. Three to four weeks after surgery, an improvement is usually apparent. Occasionally this may not be noticeable for a few months. Maximum improvement may require up to six months.

DIZZINESS
Minor degrees of dizziness may be present with head motion and are normal after ear surgery. After leaving the hospital and arriving home, it is very important to stay in bed until the next morning. You may get up to use the bathroom. Some unsteadiness is common during the first few days, but this should subside within a week. Brief dizziness with sudden head motion or with bending over may persist for a few weeks.

DRESSING
There will be a band-aid on the outside of the ear and a cotton ball will be placed in the outer ear. Remove the band-aid and cotton ball the day after surgery. Change the cotton ball as often as necessary as long as the ear continues to drain. Stop wearing the cotton ball once it no longer becomes soiled (usually no longer than a week) – otherwise, it becomes an irritant to the ear canal.

DISCHARGE
A bloody or watery discharge may occur during the healing period. The discharge will often last up to a week after surgery. You may change the cotton ball as it becomes soiled; in general, the less done to the ear the better. A yellow or malodorous discharge is an indication of infection. Please contact the medical staff via the portal: azhear.emd.md.

EAR DROPS
Four days before your three-week post-operative appointment, please begin placing a several drops of baby oil in the ear canal twice a day to soften the packing. You cannot use too much baby oil. Allow the oil to remain in the canal for five minutes or longer.

PAIN
Mild, intermittent ear pain is not unusual during the first two weeks. Occasional shooting pain in the ear is not unusual. For at least the first few days, please take ibuprofen as directed every four hours while awake. Please inform the office via the portal (azhear.ema.md) if you are allergic to any medications.

POST-OPERATIVE APPOINTMENT
Post-operative visits are usually scheduled three weeks following surgery. On some occasions, the time interval will be about ten days. You will find your future appointments on the Patient Portal at azhear.ema.md. You will automatically be notified of your appointments. You can contact the office via text at 602-307-9919.


The Arizona Hearing Center wants all of your questions to be answered. Please send your questions via the portal at azhear.ema.md. You can contact the office via text at 602-307-9919.