Ruptured eardrum (perforated eardrum)

DEFINITION

A ruptured eardrum — or perforated tympanic membrane as it’s medically known — is a hole or tear in your eardrum, the thin tissue that separates your ear canal from your middle ear.

A ruptured eardrum can result in hearing loss. A ruptured eardrum can also make your middle ear vulnerable to infections or injury.

A ruptured eardrum usually heals within a few weeks without treatment. Sometimes, however, a ruptured eardrum requires a procedure or surgical repair to heal.

CAUSES

Causes of a ruptured, or perforated, eardrum may include:

• Middle ear infection (otitis media). A middle ear infection often results in the accumulation of fluids in your middle ear. Pressure from these fluids can cause the eardrum to rupture.

• Barotrauma. Barotrauma is stress exerted on your eardrum when the air pressure in your middle ear and the air pressure in the environment are out of balance. If the pressure is severe, your eardrum can rupture. Barotrauma is also called airplane ear because it’s most often caused by air pressure changes associated with air travel.

  Other events that can cause sudden changes in pressure — and possibly a ruptured eardrum — include scuba diving and a direct blow to the ear, such as the impact of an automobile air bag.

• Loud sounds or blasts (acoustic trauma). A loud sound or blast, as from an explosion or gunshot — essentially an overpowering sound wave — can cause a tear in your eardrum.
• Foreign objects in your ear. Small objects, such as a cotton swab or hairpin, can puncture or tear the eardrum.
• Severe head trauma. Severe injury, such as skull fracture, may cause the dislocation or damage to middle and inner ear structures, including your eardrum.

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include:

• Ear pain that may subside quickly
• Clear, pus-filled or bloody drainage from your ear
• Hearing loss
• Ringing in your ear (tinnitus)
• Spinning sensation (vertigo)
• Nausea or vomiting that can result from vertigo

When to see a doctor

Call your doctor if you experience any of the signs or symptoms of a ruptured or perforated eardrum or pain or discomfort in your ears. Your middle and inner ears are composed of delicate mechanisms that are sensitive to injury or disease. Prompt and appropriate treatment is important to preserve your hearing.