How can damage to the eardrum affect hearing

Even though most perforations heal on their own, it's important to make sure any hearing loss is temporary. To check for a perforated eardrum, doctors check the ear canal with a lighted instrument called an otoscope. Often, a doctor can see the tear and sometimes the tiny bones of the middle ear. In some cases, fluid draining from the ear can make it hard to see the eardrum. Most perforated eardrums heal on their own in a few weeks without treatment.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can help ease pain. To help prevent or treat an infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. These might be a pill that your child swallows, but sometimes can be ear drops. If the eardrum doesn't heal on its own in a few weeks, an ear-nose-throat ENT specialist may recommend an eardrum patch.

In this procedure, a doctor puts a paper patch over the hole. Doctors may need to do this a few times until the eardrum fully heals.

If these treatments don't work, the ENT specialist might recommend a tympanoplasty. In this surgery, the surgeon attaches a small patch of the patient's own tissue or a man-made material to close the eardrum tear. You can't prevent all perforated eardrums, such as those caused by an infection. But some are avoidable. Reviewed by: Patrick C. Barth, MD. Accessed June 5, Evans AK, et al.

Evaluation and management of middle ear trauma. Accessed Sept. Lalwani AK. Temporal bone trauma. New York, N. Vernick DM. Ear barotrauma. Traumatic perforation of the tympanic membrane. Merck Manual Professional Version. Elsevier Point of Care. Ear and sinus barotrauma. Accessed June 6, Sagiv D, et al. Eardrum repairs are usually successful. 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. Perforated eardrum. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Ruptured eardrum updated Jan Sudden onset hearing loss: Causes, investigation and management.

Australian Family Physician ; NHS Choices. Perforated eardrum updated March Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

November Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. Clinical Practice Guidelines. Ear wax management. Skip to content. Symptoms of a perforated eardrum Signs and symptoms that you may have a perforated eardrum include: hearing loss this can vary in severity, depending on how bad the rupture is ; pain in the ear especially if the ear was injured, or becomes infected ; discharge of fluid from the ear this may be clear, or contain pus or blood ; noise , such as ringing or buzzing in the ear tinnitus ; dizziness or a spinning sensation vertigo ; earache or pain that suddenly goes away when the eardrum ruptures it releases the pressure that has built up due to a middle ear infection ; air coming out of your ear when you blow your nose normally air rises up in the middle ear when you blow your nose, but if you have a perforated eardrum the air escapes making a noise.

What to do if you think you have a perforated eardrum If you think you may have a perforated eardrum, see your doctor for advice. Author: myDr. Norman Healthy Eating March 21, ,. Can oxygen restore hearing? Hearing Health July 25, ,. This is known as barotrauma , and it mainly occurs when the pressure outside the ear is drastically different from the pressure inside the ear. Activities that can cause barotrauma include:. Injuries can also rupture your eardrum. Any trauma to the ear or side of the head can cause a rupture.

The following have been known to cause eardrum ruptures:. Inserting any kind of object, such as a cotton swab, fingernail, or pen, too far into the ear can harm your eardrum as well.

Acoustic trauma , or damage to the ear from extremely loud noises, can rupture your eardrum. However, these cases are not as common. Pain is the main symptom of eardrum rupture. For some, the pain may be severe. It can remain steady throughout the day, or it can increase or decrease in intensity.

Usually the ear begins to drain once pain goes away. At this point, the eardrum is ruptured. Watery, bloody, or pus-filled fluids may drain from the affected ear. A rupture that results from a middle ear infection usually causes bleeding. These ear infections are more likely to happen in young children, people with colds or the flu , or in areas with poor air quality. You may have some temporary hearing loss or a reduction in hearing in the affected ear. You can also experience tinnitus , a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears, or dizziness.

Your doctor may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist , or ENT, if you need more specialized examinations or treatment for a ruptured eardrum.

Treatments for eardrum rupture are mainly designed to relieve pain and eliminate or prevent infection. If your ear does not heal on its own, your doctor may patch the eardrum. Patching involves placing a medicated paper patch over the tear in the membrane. The patch encourages the membrane to grow back together. Antibiotics can clear up infections that might have led to your eardrum rupture.