Page last reviewed: 11 February Next review due: 11 February Overview - Perforated eardrum Contents Overview Surgery. Symptoms of a perforated eardrum Signs of a perforated eardrum, or an ear infection caused by a perforated eardrum, include: sudden hearing loss — you may find it difficult to hear anything or your hearing may just be slightly muffled earache or pain in your ear itching in your ear fluid leaking from your ear a high temperature ringing or buzzing in your ear tinnitus The symptoms will usually pass once your eardrum has healed or any infection has been treated.
When to see a GP See a GP if: you think you have a perforated eardrum you have already seen a GP and your symptoms are not any better after a few weeks or you get new symptoms such as earache, a fever, itching or fluid leaking from your ear Your eardrum will usually heal without treatment, but a GP can check for an infection which may need treatment and talk to you about how you can look after your ear.
Things you can do if you have a perforated eardrum Perforated eardrums do not always need to be treated because they often get better by themselves within a few weeks. While it heals, the following tips can help you relieve your symptoms and reduce the chances of your ear becoming infected: do not put anything in your ear, such as cotton buds or eardrops unless a doctor recommends them do not get water in your ear — do not go swimming and be extra careful when showering or washing your hair try not to blow your nose too hard, as this can damage your eardrum as it heals hold a warm flannel against your ear to help reduce any pain take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve pain if you need to do not give aspirin to children under 16 Treatments for a perforated eardrum If you have an ear infection caused by a perforated eardrum, a GP may prescribe antibiotics.
Causes of a perforated eardrum A hole in the eardrum can be caused by: an ear infection an injury to the eardrum, such as a blow to your ear or poking an object like a cotton bud deep into your ear changes in pressure, such as while flying or scuba diving a sudden loud noise, such as an explosion The following tips may help you avoid damaging your eardrum: see a GP for treatment if you have symptoms of an ear infection for more than 2 or 3 days do not push anything deep into your ears, including your fingers wear suitable ear protection if you're often exposed to loud noises when flying, try swallowing, yawning, chewing gum or sucking on a boiled sweet during take-off and landing Find out more about flying if you have a perforated eardrum Page last reviewed: 11 February Next review due: 11 February Editorial team.
Ruptured eardrum Tympanic membrane perforation; Eardrum - ruptured or perforated; Perforated eardrum. Causes Ear infections may cause a ruptured eardrum. Damage to the eardrum can also occur from: A very loud noise close to the ear , such as a gunshot A rapid change in ear pressure , which may occur when flying, scuba diving, or driving in the mountains Foreign objects in the ear Injury to the ear such as from a powerful slap or explosion Inserting cotton-tipped swabs or small objects into the ears to clean them.
Symptoms Ear pain may suddenly decrease right after your eardrum ruptures. Exams and Tests The health care provider will look in your ear with an instrument called an otoscope.
Treatment You can take steps at home to treat ear pain. Put warm compresses on the ear to help relieve discomfort. Use medicines such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to ease pain. Keep the ear clean and dry while it is healing. Place cotton balls in the ear while showering or shampooing to prevent water from entering the ear.
Avoid swimming or putting your head underneath the water. Your provider may prescribe antibiotics oral or ear drops to prevent or treat an infection.
Patch the eardrum with a piece of the person's own tissue taken called tympanoplasty. This procedure will usually take 30 minutes to 2 hours. Repair smaller holes in the eardrum by placing either gel or a special paper over the eardrum called myringoplasty. This procedure will usually take 10 to 30 minutes. Outlook Prognosis The opening in the eardrum most often heals by itself within 2 months if it is a small hole. Hearing loss will be short-term if the rupture heals completely.
Darren lost his balance while waterskiing. As he fell sideways, his head slapped against the water and he felt a sharp pain inside his ear. When Darren put his fingers to his ear he saw blood. He also realized he couldn't hear as well from that ear. Darren's parents called the doctor and got him an appointment right away. The doctor looked in Darren's ear and told him he had a perforated eardrum. A perforated eardrum is a tear or hole in the ear's tympanic membrane the medical name for your eardrum.
A perforated eardrum is also sometimes called a ruptured eardrum. A perforated eardrum can really hurt. And if you can't hear as well as usual, it can be pretty scary.
The good news is, most people who have a perforated eardrum get all their hearing back eventually. If you think you have a perforated eardrum, see a doctor. A tear in the eardrum can allow bacteria and other things to get into the middle ear and inner ear. If that happens, an infection could develop that can cause more hearing loss. Most perforated eardrums heal in a few weeks.
Sometimes, though, doctors need to do surgery to repair the tear. The eardrum is a thin piece of skin-like tissue that's stretched tight — like a drum — across the opening between the ear canal and the middle ear.
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