Myringotomy and Tubes

Home care

  • You may feel mild ear discomfort the day of your surgery. Take acetaminophen to help ease this discomfort.

  • Keep water out of your ears. While bathing, plug your ears with swim plugs or cotton with Vaseline.

  • Use a damp wash cloth to clean the outer ear if needed.

  • Your doctor may ask you to put ear drops in your ear. To do this, lie with the affected ear up and stay in this position for two minutes so the drops can soak in. Then, place a clean cotton ball in your ear for up to an hour.

  • There is a greater chance of water getting into your ear canal and entering the middle ear through your tube if you swim or dunk your head under water in the tub. Younger children may not need any water protection because of their smaller ear canals. If a child pull at his or her ears or shows other signs of ear discomfort during bath time, this means that water is getting into the child's ears. If this happens, the child will need to use some form of water protection in the ears.

How to contact the clinic

If you have any questions or problems, call the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (Ear, Nose and Throat) Clinic at (859) 257-5405. Ask to speak to the clinic nurse. The nurse will answer your questions or have a doctor return your call. 

On evenings, weekends and holidays, please call (859) 323-5321 and ask for the ENT doctor on call.

Myringotomy and Tubes

Home care

  • You may feel mild ear discomfort the day of your surgery. Take acetaminophen to help ease this discomfort.

  • Keep water out of your ears. While bathing, plug your ears with swim plugs or cotton with Vaseline.

  • Use a damp wash cloth to clean the outer ear if needed.

  • Your doctor may ask you to put ear drops in your ear. To do this, lie with the affected ear up and stay in this position for two minutes so the drops can soak in. Then, place a clean cotton ball in your ear for up to an hour.

  • There is a greater chance of water getting into your ear canal and entering the middle ear through your tube if you swim or dunk your head under water in the tub. Younger children may not need any water protection because of their smaller ear canals. If a child pull at his or her ears or shows other signs of ear discomfort during bath time, this means that water is getting into the child's ears. If this happens, the child will need to use some form of water protection in the ears.

How to contact the clinic

If you have any questions or problems, call the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (Ear, Nose and Throat) Clinic at (859) 257-5405. Ask to speak to the clinic nurse. The nurse will answer your questions or have a doctor return your call. 

On evenings, weekends and holidays, please call (859) 323-5321 and ask for the ENT doctor on call.

Myringotomy and Tubes

Home care

  • You may feel mild ear discomfort the day of your surgery. Take acetaminophen to help ease this discomfort.

  • Keep water out of your ears. While bathing, plug your ears with swim plugs or cotton with Vaseline.

  • Use a damp wash cloth to clean the outer ear if needed.

  • Your doctor may ask you to put ear drops in your ear. To do this, lie with the affected ear up and stay in this position for two minutes so the drops can soak in. Then, place a clean cotton ball in your ear for up to an hour.

  • There is a greater chance of water getting into your ear canal and entering the middle ear through your tube if you swim or dunk your head under water in the tub. Younger children may not need any water protection because of their smaller ear canals. If a child pull at his or her ears or shows other signs of ear discomfort during bath time, this means that water is getting into the child's ears. If this happens, the child will need to use some form of water protection in the ears.

How to contact the clinic

If you have any questions or problems, call the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (Ear, Nose and Throat) Clinic at (859) 257-5405. Ask to speak to the clinic nurse. The nurse will answer your questions or have a doctor return your call. 

On evenings, weekends and holidays, please call (859) 323-5321 and ask for the ENT doctor on call.

Myringotomy and Tubes

Home care

  • You may feel mild ear discomfort the day of your surgery. Take acetaminophen to help ease this discomfort.

  • Keep water out of your ears. While bathing, plug your ears with swim plugs or cotton with Vaseline.

  • Use a damp wash cloth to clean the outer ear if needed.

  • Your doctor may ask you to put ear drops in your ear. To do this, lie with the affected ear up and stay in this position for two minutes so the drops can soak in. Then, place a clean cotton ball in your ear for up to an hour.

  • There is a greater chance of water getting into your ear canal and entering the middle ear through your tube if you swim or dunk your head under water in the tub. Younger children may not need any water protection because of their smaller ear canals. If a child pull at his or her ears or shows other signs of ear discomfort during bath time, this means that water is getting into the child's ears. If this happens, the child will need to use some form of water protection in the ears.

How to contact the clinic

If you have any questions or problems, call the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (Ear, Nose and Throat) Clinic at (859) 257-5405. Ask to speak to the clinic nurse. The nurse will answer your questions or have a doctor return your call. 

On evenings, weekends and holidays, please call (859) 323-5321 and ask for the ENT doctor on call.