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Otitis Membrane Assessment : Tympanic Membrane Essay

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Tympanic Membrane Assessment The tympanic membrane, also known as the eardrum is a thin tissue that separates the ear canal from the middle ear. The two primary functions of the eardrum are protection and hearing. The tympanic membrane receives the sound vibrations from the outer air and transmits them to the auditory ossicles, which are tiny bones in the middle ear. The normal color of the tympanic membrane is a pearl gray but can sometimes appear yellow or pink (Britannica 2015). The following discussion will cover abnormalities that are associated with the tympanic membrane, complications, symptoms and treatments. One of the most common abnormalities of the tympanic membrane is called Otitis Media, which is an inflammation of the middle ear. This frequently affects children (particularly those between three months to three years of age) and it is usually caused by a bacterial infection. Treatment is the use of Tylenol or Motrin for pain and with the recent emergence of resistant organisms, pediatric organizations have strongly recommended initial antibiotics only for children at highest risk or for those with recurrent infections. Antibiotics are given if worsening symptoms or no improvement within 72 hours (Miyamoto 2015). A complication that can occur with Otitis Media is a ruptured or perforated eardrum, which is a hole or small tear in the tissue and can take a few weeks to heal. Otitis Media usually heals on its own but sometimes may require surgical

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