A perforated eardrum happens when you have a perforation (a tear, or rupture) of the eardrum. Your eardrum is a thin membrane that separates your outer ear from your middle ear. The medical term for the eardrum is the tympanic membrane, so a perforated eardrum or eardrum perforation is also known as tympanic membrane perforation. Show
If you have a perforated eardrum, there is a good chance it will heal on its own within a few weeks if it is kept dry and doesn’t become infected. However, treatment is needed in some cases. Symptoms of a perforated eardrumSigns and symptoms that you may have a perforated eardrum include:
If you have a middle ear infection (otitis media) associated with the perforated eardrum, you may also have a fever. What to do if you think you have a perforated eardrumIf you think you may have a perforated eardrum, see your doctor for advice. Although most perforations heal on their own over time, sometimes treatment is needed. Keep your ear dry. It’s very important to keep your ear dry if the eardrum membrane has been ruptured, because any water that gets inside the ear could lead to infection. To help with this, wear earplugs or a shower cap to cover your ears when showering, and avoid swimming. You should also protect your eardrum by avoiding blowing your nose (this puts pressure on the eardrum) or cleaning inside your ear. What causes eardrum perforation?Common causes of eardrum perforation include:
Less common causes of a perforated eardrum include:
Who is at risk?Since eardrum perforation can result from middle ear infection, people who are susceptible to middle ear infections may also be at risk of a perforated eardrum. This includes young children, most of whom will have a middle ear infection at least once before they reach school age. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are particularly susceptible to middle ear infection and eardrum perforation. Complications of eardrum perforationThe eardrum plays an important part in enabling us to hear sounds, so damage to the eardrum can lead to problems with hearing. Usually such problems go away once the perforation has healed. The eardrum also plays an important role in protecting the inside of the ear. As a barrier between the outer and middle ear, it helps prevent water, bacteria and other contaminants from getting in. If the membrane is damaged, the middle ear can become infected. If the infection becomes chronic (ongoing), hearing loss may get worse, last longer, or in some cases, become permanent. Another potential complication of eardrum perforation is developing a type of skin cyst called a cholesteatoma.This can happen when debris from the ear canal gets into the middle ear. As it grows, the cyst can damage the bones of the middle ear and lead to significant problems. Tests and diagnosisWhen you go to a doctor with symptoms of a perforated eardrum, he or she is likely to take your medical history and ask you about what may have caused the problem, such as an injury or exposure to very loud noise. The doctor will also need to examine your ear. To diagnose a perforated eardrum, a lighted instrument called an otoscope is used to look inside the ear and see if there is a hole or tear in the membrane. Other tests may also be done to assess hearing loss, the extent of damage to the eardrum, or the cause of the perforation. Such tests include:
TreatmentMost eardrum perforations heal without treatment. However, if you have an ear infection, or your doctor believes you are at risk of getting an ear infection before the eardrum has healed, you may need to take antibiotics. Eardrum repairIf the eardrum does not heal properly on its own, your GP may refer you to a specialist called an ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeon. If necessary, the eardrum membrane can be repaired using a surgical procedure. Eardrum repairs are usually successful. Surgical procedures to repair a perforated eardrum are:
Self-careTo care for a perforated eardrum while it heals:
Can I fly when I have a perforated eardrum?Yes. It is usually safe to fly with a perforated eardrum. It may actually cause less discomfort than flying with a normal eardrum, as the pressure is more easily able to equalise due to the hole in the eardrum. PreventionThere are some simple things you can do to try to prevent eardrum perforation:
1. American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.
Perforated eardrum. https://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/perforatedEardrum.cfm (accessed May 2016). How do you know if you burst your eardrum?Signs and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include: Ear pain that may subside quickly. Mucuslike, pus-filled or bloody drainage from the ear. Hearing loss.
How do you fix a popped eardrum from blowing your nose?Most ruptured (perforated) eardrums heal without treatment within a few weeks. Your provider may prescribe antibiotic drops if there's evidence of infection. If the tear or hole in the eardrum doesn't heal by itself, treatment will likely involve procedures to close the tear or hole.
Should I go to the ER for a ruptured eardrum?Go to the emergency room right away if you have severe symptoms. Examples of severe symptoms are bloody discharge from your ear, extreme pain, total hearing loss in one ear, or dizziness that causes vomiting.
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