Live Life Team
Our ear consists of three main parts. They are the inner ear, the outer ear and the middle ear. The eardrum is situated between the middle ear and the outer ear. It is a circular membrane which is small in size and is covered by a thick skin. When there is a tear or hole in the ear drum, it is said to be a perforated eardrum. The eardrum vibrates when the sound waves enter the outer ear. These vibrations reach the cochlea located in the inner ear passing through the tiny bones of the middle ear. These vibrations are converted into sound signals by the cochlea and sent to the brain. We hear sounds when the brain receives these signals. Hearing problems and earache are the main symptoms of perforated eardrum. Inserting any object into the ear or an ear infection may cause this condition. This condition gets cured by its own without any treatment. But sometimes a surgery might be required for the treatment of perforated eardrum.
Symptoms
The symptoms of perforated ear include the following
-discomfort in the ear or earache
-pus or liquid discharge from the ear
-ringing, buzzing or other sounds in the ear
If any other condition is responsible for perforated ear, a person may experience some other symptoms. The symptoms for ear infection may include high temperature and sore throat.
Causes
An ear infection normally causes a perforated eardrum. This happens because pus may build up in the ear due to the infection. This causes the ear to rupture for the discharge of the pus.A perforated eardrum can be caused by a change in the air pressure. A loud noise heard suddenly by under water diving, when flying or by a blast may cause this condition. Inserting an object deep into the ear or a disease in the middle ear that is chronic may be the cause for perforated eardrum. A skull fracture or any tumour that develops near the ear may be a cause for perforated eardrum but it happens very rarely.
Treatment
A perforated eardrum takes about 1 to 2 months to heal on its own. Any pain caused by the eardrum during this time can be relieved using painkillers. You may also use a hot bottle of water covered by a towel to warm your ear. This will provide relief from discomfort caused by the perforated eardrum. While the ear is getting healed up, one should be very careful and prevent water from entering the ear. You may use a shower cap or cotton balls to cover the affected ear while taking a shower. Avoid swimming or putting your head under the water during this time. If the perforated eardrum is due to an infection, antibiotics may be prescribed by the general practitioner. The perforation gets healed when the infection is cured. After using the antibiotics, you must visit the GP to see the progress of treatment. If the perforation does not heal, a surgery may be necessary. Surgery done to heal a perforated eardrum is called myringoplasty.After the surgery, painkillers may be recommended for relief of any discomfort caused by the eardrum.
