Ruptured (Perforated) Eardrum

A ruptured - or perforated - eardrum is undoubtedly one of life’s more unpleasant experiences. However despite the initial alarm it might cause,  in most cases a burst eardrum will heal itself with little fuss within a few weeks. 

That being said, in extremely rare instances you may be required to undergo surgery. 

Whatever the case, it’s important to maintain care of your ear to prevent permanent damage. If you experience any symptoms of a ruptured eardrum, we advise you to contact your GP. If you are concerned about your hearing levels, you can contact Amplifon for a consultation.

The cause of your burst eardrum could be linked to any of the following:

• A middle ear infection that causes a build-up of fluid in your middle ear, the pressure from which can cause the eardrum to rupture. This is a common way to get a ruptured eardrum, especially amongst children
• Pressure changes, which can cause a drastic imbalance between the air pressure in your middle ear and that outside of your ear. Known as “barotrauma”, this is associated with scuba diving, plane travel and high altitudes
• Injury such as a sudden blow to the head, car accidents or a bite by an insect in the ear. Additionally, inserting foreign objects such as cotton swabs into the ear can also cause a puncture or tear
• Exceptionally loud sounds (also known as acoustic trauma), although this is relatively rare

Yes, in most cases it will heal up by itself. 

Pain-killers and a warm, dry compress will help with the pain. You may be prescribed oral antibiotics or medicinal ear drops to prevent (or clear up) any infections that might occur. It’d also be best to avoid any rigorous physical activity, keep your ear dry (refrain from cleaning it) - and try not to blow your nose any more than necessary.

While complications are unlikely, they are possible - especially if the rupture doesn’t self-heal within three to six months. Prolonged hearing loss in rare cases, for example, can result depending on the size and location of the tear. There’s also a very slight chance of recurrent middle ear infections if bacteria enters through the ruptured eardrum.

There are a number of things we can recommend to avoid it happening in the first place.

• Be sure to get middle ear infections treated. These often manifest themselves as earache, reduced hearing and associated fever and nasal congestion
• Take care of your ears on plane trips. This is particularly important if you have something that’s causing nasal or ear congestion, like allergies or a cold. We advise staying awake during takeoffs and landings so you can keep your ears clear by chewing gum or yawning
• Never put any kind of foreign object into your ears.  That applies to cotton swabs you might want to use to clean up excess earwax
• Lastly, avoid situations that place you in proximity to explosive noise. And in cases where your occupation requires you to do, be sure to protect your ears from any sort of adverse impact with protective ear plugs or muffs