Perforated eardrums are a problematic condition that affects your eardrum and causes several symptoms. However, you can minimise your risk of a perforated eardrum. Learn what causes a perforated eardrum, how to protect your ears and when to seek medical advice here.
PHIN can also help you find the correct specialist for your needs — our list of private consultants enables you to find treatment for a perforated eardrum.
What is a perforated eardrum?
A perforated eardrum is sometimes called a burst, broken or ruptured eardrum. It means your eardrum develops a hole or tear.
Your eardrum is a thin membrane (a sheet of tissue) separating your ear canal from your middle ear. It protects your middle ear from things like water and bacteria.
Unfortunately, foreign substances can enter your middle ear and cause infections if your eardrum has a hole or tear. An infection may also affect your hearing, including hearing loss or muffled hearing, until your eardrum heals.
Sometimes, a perforated eardrum can heal naturally in around two weeks, but if it doesn’t heal, you’ll need medical treatment.
Learn more about treating a perforated eardrum in our eardrum surgery guide.
Causes of a perforated eardrum
A perforated eardrum can occur for many reasons, some of which you can prevent. You won’t be able to control others.
The most common cause of a perforated eardrum is a middle ear infection, where fluid can accumulate and increase the pressure in your ear. This occurrence can lead to your eardrum rupturing. However, there are other causes of perforated eardrums that require a medical specialist.
Barotrauma
Barotrauma is the pressure in your middle ear that becomes out of balance with your environment’s pressure. The phenomenon typically occurs when air pressure changes on an aeroplane (especially a sudden change) or if you go scuba diving. Sudden pressure changes can potentially rupture your eardrum.
Loud noises
A deafening noise, such as an explosive bang, causes an overpowering sound wave to hit your eardrum and tear it. This will cause a perforated eardrum and could be severe depending on how loud / damaging the noise is.
Small objects in your ear
If you insert a small foreign object into your ear, like a cotton bud, you can go too deep and tear your eardrum. Never insert anything into your ear unless your doctor tells you.
Head trauma
A severe blow to your ear or head can potentially cause a hole or tear to develop in your eardrum.
Of the less common causes for a perforated eardrum, only one of them is preventable – putting foreign objects into your ear. Never put anything in your ear, even if it itches or you want to remove earwax. You can’t always prevent other causes like barotrauma, loud noises and head trauma, but you can take precautions to minimise your risk of a perforated eardrum.
You might be concerned about making a perforated eardrum worse, especially while sleeping. However, you can sleep with a ruptured eardrum on either side without worsening your condition.
Signs of a perforated eardrum
You may not know you have a perforated eardrum if your symptoms aren’t noticeable.
However, a perforated eardrum can cause symptoms such as:
- Pain in the affected ear
- Hearing loss
- Dizziness (vertigo)
- Nausea or vomiting from dizziness
- Ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
- Mucus like pus or bloody leaks
You might experience one or more of these symptoms or attribute them to other health conditions. So, it’s vital to speak to a doctor as they can help determine whether a perforated eardrum caused your symptoms and offer treatment if necessary.
Find out more about what a perforated eardrum feels like in our burst eardrum symptoms guide.
How to prevent a perforated eardrum
You can minimise your risk of a perforated eardrum.
Some of the ways you can help prevent a perforated eardrum are:
- Treat middle ear infections – acting fast to treat the middle ear infections that can cause a perforated eardrum. If you spot the symptoms of a middle ear infection early, speak to a doctor as soon as possible. The symptoms include earache, a fever, muffled hearing and congestion.
- Protect your ears from pressure changes – if you’re planning on flying or scuba diving, take precautions to minimise the effects of pressure changes. When flying, keep your ears free from pressure changes by yawning, chewing gum or wearing pressure-equalising ear plugs.
- Keep things out of your ears – never put foreign objects in your ears. Do not try to clean ear wax or itch your ear, as you can easily perforate your eardrum if you go too far.
- Guard your ears from loud noises – if you work or will be around ear-splitting noises, always protect your ears. Wear protective earplugs or ear covers, so you can keep your eardrum safe from damage.
When to seek medical attention for a perforated eardrum
Do not hesitate to seek medical advice if you have symptoms of a perforated eardrum or if you’re concerned you may have one.
A specialist ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor can examine your eardrum and check for holes or tears. They may also discuss your symptoms and when they occurred to see whether they can determine why your eardrum ruptured.
Find your ENT doctor with the help of PHIN
PHIN can help you find a private ENT consultant locally if you have a perforated eardrum or are showing signs of one.
Our website allows you to search for specialists near you, browse their consultant profiles and compare pricing, so you can choose the right one for your needs.
Find an ENT doctor who can effectively treat your perforated eardrum by using PHIN’s website (use the search bar on homepage or at the top of this page).
Sources
- Perforated eardrum. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/perforated-eardrum/. Last reviewed 19 April 2023.
- Ear. Manual Therapy for Cranial Nerves. https://www.sciencedirect.com/sdfe/pdf/download/eid/3-s2.0-B9780702031007500288/first-page-pdf. Last reviewed 29 March 2024.
- Tympanic Membrane Perforation. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557887/. Last reviewed 14 August 2023.
