Tympanic membrane massage, origin and decline of a promising therapeutic concept

Laryngo- rhino- otologie
H Feldmann

Abstract

BACKGROUND, APPLICATION OF STATIC PRESSURE AT THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE: Cleland in London (1741) presumed that the pressure of a strong sound wave would push the tympanic membrane inward, thereby causing deafness. He recommended correcting this situation by applying suction to the auditory canal, and he demonstrated a small tube suitable for this purpose. Toynbee in London (about 1860) realized that, following a malfunction of the Eustachian tube, a negative pressure would develop in the middle ear and draw the tympanic membrane inward, thus causing hearing loss. This concept resulted in efforts to actively support the aeration of the middle ear via the Eustachian tube. In addition to these measures, Politzer in Vienna (1867) suggested blocking the external auditory canal tightly so that resorption of the air would produce negative pressure, counteracting the low pressure in the middle ear. Lucae in Berlin (1874) proposed the theory that the two small muscles in the drum would act as antagonists on the tympanic membrane and accommodate the ear for high and low-pitched sounds respectively. He tried to correct malpositions of the tympanic membrane due to a misbalance of the two muscles by applying static positive or negative pressur...Continue Reading

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