A perforated eardrum is a noted as a small hole or tear in tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane is a thin tissue that divides your middle ear and outer ear canal.
Causes of Perforated eardrum
Ear infections are a common cause of eardrum rupture as well as injury, trauma and pressure changes.
Infection: Ear infections are a common cause of eardrum perforation, especially in children. Fluids accumulate behind the eardrum and the pressure caused by the buildup of these fluids can cause the tympanic membrane to break or rupture.
Injury or Trauma: Any type of trauma to the ear or side of the head can cause a rupture. Even cleaning the ears with cotton swabs can be potentially damaging to the eardrum.
Perforated Eardrum and how it is caused.
Symptoms
- Pain is the main symptom.
- The ear begins to drain once the pain goes away and fluids that are watery, bloody, or filled with pus may drain from the affected ear.
- Temporary hearing loss, or a reduction in hearing in the affected ear.
- Tinnitus—a ringing or buzzing in the ears.
- If the eardrum was severely ruptured, additional symptoms, such as dizziness or a weakness in the facial muscles may be present.
Diagnosis of a Perforated Eardrum
Consult the ENT surgeon and Neurootologist of EYiasis Medical centre to identify the location and size of the eardrum perforation. The Tympanic membrane is examined under a microscope, without any discomfort for the patient. The level of hearing loss is then determined by measuring the hearing with an Audiogram.
What you can do in the meantime
- If you think that you have a ruptured eardrum, be careful to keep your ears dry to prevent infection. Don’t go swimming.
- Don’t put any medication in your ear unless your doctor prescribes them specifically for infection related to your perforated eardrum.
Treatment
Treatments for an eardrum rupture are mainly designed to relieve pain and to eliminate or prevent infection.
Patching
Otoscopy
If your ear does not heal on its own, the eardrum needs to be patched. Patching involves placing a medicated paper patch over the tear in the membrane. The patch encourages the membrane to grow back together.
- Antibiotics
Antibiotics will clear up the infection that might have led to your eardrum rupture. Furthermore, they will also protect you from developing new infections as a result of the perforation.
Surgery
In rare cases, surgery may be required to patch the hole in the eardrum. A surgical repair of a perforated eardrum is called tympanoplasty.
Schedule your hearing examination at EYasis,
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For innovative solutions and treatments.
Trust only the experts.
For innovative solutions and treatments.
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