If you have a ruptured eardrum and are wondering which side to sleep on to prevent any further issues, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to discover the answer to this question and more, including some top tips on how to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.

Living with a ruptured eardrum can be painful and uncomfortable, making it difficult for many people to get a good night’s sleep.

This guide will teach you about sleeping with a ruptured eardrum, highlighting what causes it and some of the best methods to prevent it from getting worse.

What is a ruptured eardrum?

A ruptured eardrum (also known as a perforated eardrum or tympanic perforation) is a hole or tear in the thin tissue separating your outer and middle ear.

Several factors can bring it on, including ear infections, injury (such as something hitting your ear or inserting objects into your ear canal), loud noises or sudden changes in air pressure (like being on a plane).

Living with a ruptured eardrum can be painful, but it will typically heal within a couple of months. However, during that time, you may also experience various symptoms in one or both ears, including:

  • Temporary hearing loss or muffled hearing
  • Ringing or buzzing sounds in your ear (known as tinnitus)
  • Earache
  • Itchy ear
  • Clear fluid, blood or pus leaking from your ear
  • Dizziness or vertigo
  • A high temperature

To avoid experiencing these symptoms, you can take precautions to prioritise your recovery – such as how you sleep.

Which side should I sleep on with a ruptured eardrum?

One of the main concerns when dealing with a ruptured eardrum is finding a sleeping position that’s comfortable to sleep and promotes healing.

For example, if your ruptured eardrum symptoms only affect one ear, you may choose to sleep on the unaffected side.

While this is completely fine, you don’t always have to. If it’s comfier, you can also sleep on the affected side without worsening the condition or adding any additional pressure to your eardrum.

Managing a ruptured eardrum while you sleep: our top tips

When living with a ruptured eardrum, you must prioritise your comfort and manage your symptoms – especially while you’re asleep.

With this in mind, you can do several things to give yourself the best chance of a good night’s rest and boost your recovery time.

Don’t clean or insert items into your ears before bed

Ruptured eardrums are often associated with symptoms like fluid discharge and itchiness. But, while it may be tempting, it’s vital not to insert anything into your ear to try and clean it before bed.

Items like cotton-tipped swabs and bobby pins may feel nice but could cause further issues by damaging or piercing the eardrum. So, avoid putting anything inside your ear.

The only exception to this rule would be if your doctor prescribes ear drops or creams to help reduce your symptoms.

Keep the affected ear elevated

Whether you prefer to be on your side, stomach or back, the more elevated you can keep your affected ear while sleeping, the better.

As we’ve mentioned, sleeping on the affected side is fine every now and then. But, generally speaking, most doctors recommend keeping your ear elevated by resting on the unaffected side instead.

This position is especially essential if your doctor has prescribed ear drops to use overnight, as it’ll help keep the fluid in your ear and allow the drops to work while you’re sound asleep.

What’s more, if both of your ears have ruptured eardrums, try to sleep on your back with your head elevated a couple of inches above the rest of your body. You can typically achieve this by either using an extra pillow or two.

Be careful around water

For your eardrum to recover properly, you must avoid allowing water to enter your ear canal, as this could lead to infections and further complications.

So, until your doctor has checked and given you the go-ahead, you should avoid water-based activities like swimming and take extra precautions when showering or bathing.

The NHS recommends, for example, putting a large piece of cotton wool covered in petroleum jelly in your outer ear to stop water from getting in when you wash your hair. So, if you’re a night-time showerer, make sure you keep your affected ear(s) bone dry before you nod off.

Sleep in a quiet environment

Noisy environments can often cause ruptured eardrums. So, while it may sound obvious, limiting your exposure to high noise levels can make a big difference to your recovery.

However, do not use earplugs to block out the noise while you’re sleeping, as these could worsen matters.

Instead, prioritise sleeping in a quiet environment, with your windows closed and using blackout curtains to block potentially loud noises from outside.

Take pain relief

If the pain of living with a ruptured eardrum is disrupting your sleep, over-the-counter pain medication like paracetamol or ibuprofen can help.

Taking a couple of these an hour or two before you go to bed should reduce your discomfort and make it easier and faster to reach the land of nod.

Just make sure to follow the recommended dosage information and consult your doctor if the pain persists or worsens.

Seek professional advice

Ruptured eardrums will usually heal independently, but don’t forget to seek your doctor or local pharmacist’s advice if you struggle with the associated symptoms.

For example, if your ear is particularly itchy, a doctor can prescribe various creams and ointments to help. Likewise, depending on the extent of your perforation, they might prescribe antibiotics to help prevent infection.

Your doctor can also work around your circumstances, offering tailored advice on how to prioritise your recovery.

When to consider private treatment for a ruptured eardrum

Most ruptured eardrums will heal on their own within a few months. But, if you experience persistent symptoms like pain or hearing loss, your doctor might recommend surgery to fix the issue.

This will usually come in the form of tympanoplasty (or myringoplasty) – a surgical procedure that involves using a graft, often taken from nearby tissue, to repair the hole in your eardrum.

While you can have this surgery done on the NHS, you will likely need to join a waiting list and wait to be referred. Therefore, having a tympanoplasty performed privately will usually offer faster access and get you on the road to recovery more quickly.

How PHIN can help

Before considering any type of private treatment, it’s crucial to do your research – and this is where we can help.

Here at the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), we’re dedicated to providing clear, comprehensive information about private healthcare in the UK. Through our wide variety of impartial resources, we can help you to:

  • Find and research qualified private surgeons in your local area
  • Compare hospitals based on quality metrics
  • Understand the potential costs involved
  • Learn about your expected outcomes and likely recovery times

For more information on tympanoplasty, including what the process involves, take a look at our dedicated eardrum surgery page.

The bottom line

Living with a ruptured eardrum can be uncomfortable and make it difficult to get to sleep. But, following our helpful advice and prioritising how you sleep will improve your chances of recovering more quickly.

However, if your ruptured eardrum is causing you severe pain or isn’t getting better, talk to your doctor. They can provide tailored advice and information on treatments like eardrum surgery, helping you to nod off again in no time.

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