CHECK-UP:Acoustic trauma, direct injury or extreme pressure can cause damage to the eardrum
Can you explain what part of the ear is the ear drum?
The tympanic membrane (eardrum) separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The membrane vibrates when sound waves strike it, part of the process that converts the sound wave into a nerve impulse that travels to the brain.
A ruptured or perforated eardrum is an opening in the tympanic membrane. When the eardrum is damaged, the hearing process is interrupted.
The eardrum also acts as a barrier to keep bacteria from entering the middle ear.
When perforated, bacteria can easily travel to the middle ear, which can cause an infection.
I ruptured my ear drum recently and I’m not really sure how I did it.
Damage to the eardrum can occur from acoustic trauma, as a result of direct injury or because of extreme pressure. Inserting cotton-tipped swabs or small objects into the ear to clean them sometimes causes a perforation of the eardrum.
Foreign objects in the ear, particularly in children, are another cause of perforated eardrums. Ear infections may cause a ruptured eardrum as the pressure of fluid in the middle ear increases.
I had fluid seeping out of my ear. Is this usual?
Drainage from the ear is common and may be clear fluid, bloody or pus. Other symptoms can include noises or buzzing in the ear, and earache, which may be severe.
The earache may suddenly decrease following drainage of the built-up fluid from the ear. In severe cases, facial weakness or even dizziness can occur. Some degree of hearing loss may be noted in the affected ear.
Although a perforated eardrum usually heals by itself within two months, antibiotics are sometimes used to prevent infection or to treat an existing infection. Painkillers may also be needed.
Surgical repair of the eardrum – tympanoplasty – may be required if the eardrum does not heal on its own. Try to keep the ear clean and dry.
Cotton balls should be placed in the ear while showering or shampooing to prevent water entering. Complications of a perforated drum include ear infection (otitis media), hearing loss and the risk of the spread of infection to the bone behind the ear (mastoiditis).
To prevent rupture of the eardrum, do not insert objects into the ear canal, even to clean it. Foreign objects should be removed only by your doctor. And have ear infections treated promptly to avoid long-term complications.