Eardrum burst or ruptured? A hole or a crack can have many causes. Often only a middle ear infection is the reason, but the question remains: what to do? Does it grow back on its own and could hearing loss be the result? All about causes, symptoms and treatment.
Do I have a sudden hearing loss or has the eardrum burst? How do I know if the earache is due to a hole or tear and what to do if it does? Questions upon questions when it comes to the delicate, thin skin that separates the ear canal from the middle ear. It is sensitive and can tear or burst as a result of inflammation or in numerous everyday situations. If this is the case, a doctor is needed to prevent worse consequences such as hearing loss or deafness.
What is the eardrum?
The eardrum in the ear or the «membrana tympani» is, as the name suggests, a thin membrane at the inner end of the auditory canal and separates it from the middle ear. To a certain extent, it can be understood as a translator that converts the sound waves into mechanical vibrations and transmits them to the ossicular chain in the middle ear. It is only 0.1 millimeters thick and has an area of around 85 square millimeters. If the eardrum bursts and gets a tear or a hole as a result, this is referred to as an eardrum perforation.1
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ruptured eardrum? That can be a reason
The most common cause of a ruptured eardrum is a middle ear infection. During the inflammation, the thin membrane loses stability, the blood supply is reduced and it is under tension due to the increased pressure in the middle ear. However, other reasons can also be injury from objects – for example from cleaning too intensively with a cotton swab -, a sudden change in pressure when emerging from deep water or during a flight, or external influence through a blow to the ear or similar.
recognize symptoms
If your eardrum has ruptured, you may notice the following symptoms:
- sudden pain
- Mild to acute hearing loss
- ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- tinnitus
- Discharge of transparent or pus-like liquid or even blood
- dizziness
- balance disorders
- Paralysis of the facial nerve
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Treatment – Does hearing damage remain?
It sounds as if there is a risk of the eardrum bursting with every little wrong movement. But it’s not that dramatic. If the thin, delicate membrane should tear, luckily it also has a high level of self-healing ability. And as long as the injuries are only minor, the eardrum usually grows back together within a few days and without leaving any permanent damage. If the injury is larger, the hole can be splinted by the ENT doctor with a foil, which speeds up healing and allows the cuticle to grow back. If this method does not work either, the eardrum must be surgically closed. Then the eardrum can be reconstructed with the body’s own tissue – sometimes even the auditory ossicles are destroyed, which also have to be reconstructed. In any case, seek medical advice to determine the actual damage. If the middle and inner ear are too badly affected, the worst-case scenario can actually be permanent hearing loss or even deafness.2
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Prevent a ruptured eardrum
If you don’t want to experience what it’s like when your eardrum bursts, you can take a few measures to prevent the hole in the thin membrane. In the case of a middle ear infection, decongestant medication should be taken.
When diving, mountaineering or flying, you should ensure good pressure equalization and, at best, do without cotton swabs altogether. These can not only endanger the thin membrane, but also push the earwax deeper into the ear canal. This can lead to constipation and, in the worst case, inflammation. As an alternative to cleaning the ear and removing earwax, sprays based on salt or fresh water, which can be bought freely in the pharmacy, are also suitable. Warm water or chamomile tea at body temperature are also suitable for rinsing.
When flying, the best things to do are chewing gum, yawning intensely, or trying to exhale air with your mouth and nose closed. In the case of colds or particular sensitivity, nose drops or sprays can also reduce swelling of the mucous membranes and thus facilitate pressure equalization.3
Sources
- Karl Goette (2010). Pediatric otolaryngology. Elsevier, Urban & Fischer Verlag.
- 2 Pharmacies Review (2016). Eardrum injuries, eardrum tear. (accessed on 06.07.2022)
- Iwersen AK, Petzold U. Clogged ears? How to properly clean your ears. Barmer (accessed on July 6, 2022)