What Are the Symptoms and Treatments of a Ruptured Eardrum?

Eardrum perforation (otherwise known as an eardrum rupture) is one of the biggest causes of hearing loss. Fortunately, the problems can be minimized if the right precautions are taken. You will need to be aware of the symptoms and treatments if you suffer from a ruptured eardrum.

What is an Eardrum Perforation?

A perforation is a small hole in the eardrum. It can be caused by a number of factors, including:

• Exposure to loud noises
• A serious infection
• Foreign objects being inserted into the ear canal

Since the eardrum plays a critical role in the transmission of sound, a perforated eardrum can lead to some form of hearing loss. Hearing may improve after the eardrum recovers, but some impairment is still likely.

What Are the Symptoms of a Ruptured Eardrum?

There are a number of symptoms of ruptured eardrums. Here are some common signs that you will want to be aware of:

• You are experiencing some type of discharge from your ear. The discharge could be puss, blood or some other fluid.
• You feel intense pain in your innermost ear canal.
• You hear a persistent ringing sound.
• You feel dizziness or a headache.

You will want to see your physician if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. If you are suffering from a perforated eardrum, then you may have to receive immediate treatment to keep the problem from worsening.

Treatments

There are a number of treatments available for people suffering from a perforated eardrum. Here are some things that you may do:

• Ask your doctor for antibiotics to prevent the spread of infection.
• Place a warm, compressed towel on your ear to reduce swelling.
• Use a hearing aid such as the ones listed on this site if you are having difficulty hearing.
• Avoid swimming and use guards around your ears to keep water from entering the ear canal.

Perforated eardrums can be painful, but you can avoid facing serious long-term damage if you take these steps. Make sure that you consult with your doctor right away if you think that you may be suffering from this condition. They will have a better idea of what to do to treat you if tell them what problems may have precipitated the symptoms. While they will be able to look at your eardrum to see if it is ruptured, they sometimes can’t tell if there is a buildup of earwax or another substance in the ear canal. They would need to flush these substances out to make a proper diagnosis, which could create problems if you have a ruptured eardrum. Therefore, it is always a good idea to tell them everything beforehand.