A perforated eardrum is an opening that generally heals in a few weeks and might not necessitate treatment. A doctor should be consulted if an individual is suspected with the injury since it can lead to ear infections.
What are the causes?
Having a hole in the eardrum might be caused by the following:
- Ear infections
- Exposure to sudden loud noises such as an explosion
- Damage to the eardrum such as a direct strike to the ear or inserting an object such as a cotton bud deep within the ear
- Air pressure changes such as in scuba diving or travelling by plane
Indications
The indications of a perforated eardrum or ear infection might include:
- Abrupt hearing loss – the individual had difficulty in hearing anything or the hearing is slightly muffled
- Itchiness in the ear
- Ear pain
- Fever of 38 degrees C or higher
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- Ringing or buzzing in the ear (tinnitus)
Most of these symptoms generally settle once the eardrum has recuperated and any infection has been treated.
Management of a perforated eardrum
A perforated eardrum does not always require treatment since it settles after a few weeks. As the injury recuperates, several measures can be done to alleviate the symptoms and lessen the risk for an infection to develop:
- Avoid inserting any object in the ear such as eardrops or cotton buds
- Avoid getting water in the ear – do not go swimming and be careful when taking a bath or washing the hair
- Apply a warm flannel against the affected ear to lessen any pain
- Avoid blowing the nose too hard since this can damage the eardrum while it is healing
- Provide pain medications to alleviate any pain or discomfort if needed
In case the perforated eardrum is too big or does not show indications of healing, the individual might be referred to a specialist.