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The Curious Bag
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Ruptured ear drum is a term used to describe a hole or perforation in the tympanic membrane, which separates the middle and outer ear and helps conduct the sound waves that provide normal hearing.
Causes
Causes of ruptured ear drums include pressure damage, direct injuries, infections and the presence of foreign objects, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Significance
Damage from a rupture can seriously degrade hearing. Additionally, bacteria can easily travel through a rupture, causing infection of the middle ear.
Symptoms
Signs of a ruptured ear drum include hearing loss; bloody, clear or pus-filled ear discharge; sudden short-term pain; short-term vertigo (spinning sensation); and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), according to the Mayo Clinic.
Treatments and Outlook
Ruptures typically heal on their own in a time frame of roughly two months, with restoration of normal hearing. Treatments used in the interim may include antibiotics, pain killers and temporary placement of an ear drum patch.
Considerations
In some cases, ruptures do not heal properly. In these circumstances, surgeons may repair damaged ear drums with a procedure called a tympanoplasty.
Source:
U.S. National Library of Medicine: National Institutes of Health: Ruptured Eardrum
The Mayo Clinic: Ruptured Eardrum (Pages 1-3, 7)
More Information:
University of Michigan Health System - Ruptured Eardrum (Perforated Tympanic Membrane)
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