April 19, 2021

Did You Hear About This One?


Did You Hear About This One?
"Did you hear that? I think (your ear bone) is breaking up." Jafar Ahmed, unsplash.com 

Doctors at the Sverzhevky Research Institute of Otorhinolaryngology (the scientific term for the study of the ear, nose, and throat) in Moscow were able to perform surgery and heal a man with a broken bone in a most unusual spot— inside his ear!

The 55-year-old patient came into the hospital complaining of ear pain and hearing loss in a single ear. After a thorough analysis, doctors were able to determine that the man had broken the hammer bone inside his ear,  one of the smallest bones inside the human body.

This particular bone is connected to the eardrum and is responsible for carrying vibrations that allow for sounds to be heard. Doctors performed the minuscule surgery in full, and the patient is on track to make a full recovery. Injuries like this are very rare, making up only two percent of all inner ear injuries. 

Evidently, prior to this the man was swimming and got water trapped in his ear. In an effort to remove it he did what most of us would do and stuck his finger inside his ear. This was what caused the bone damage and eventual hearing loss.

Luckily, a bear did not step on his ear (as the popular Russian idiom goes).  

Injuries like this can also occur when an individual removes their earbuds or if one sneezes while plugging their nose and closing their mouth. Just another reminder from us at Russian Life not to push cotton swabs all the way up your ear when cleaning!  

 

 

You Might Also Like

A Surgeon is Born
  • November 01, 2020

A Surgeon is Born

The extraordinary life and times of one of Russia's most important doctors.
Two Bears in One Den
  • March 01, 2008

Two Bears in One Den

In honor of the rise to power of the bear president (Medvedev), Mikhail Ivanov looks at bearisms in the Russian language.
Dumplings Fit for a Surgeon
  • November 15, 2020

Dumplings Fit for a Surgeon

Tuyana loves being a doctor. But she has a passion for pozy – steamed dumplings rooted in Buryatia that are shaped like a yurt.
Thanks, Doc
  • February 10, 2021

Thanks, Doc

Moscovites are thanking medical professionals during the Coronavirus pandemic the best way they know how to: colorful Metro trains.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955