{"id":1585,"date":"2022-10-11T16:55:19","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T22:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.fm1.dev\/?page_id=1585"},"modified":"2023-04-06T10:55:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T16:55:46","slug":"perforated-eardrum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/ear-problems\/perforated-eardrum\/","title":{"rendered":"Perforated Eardrum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A perforated eardrum, known medically as a tympanic membrane rupture, is a hole or tear in the membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some patients are completely oblivious to an eardrum perforation, while others feel a sharp pain. Many ruptured eardrums heal on their own, though in some rare cases ear infections and hearing loss may result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Causes of Eardrum Perforation<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ENT-Perforated-Eardrum-Diagnosis-1536x1024-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1833\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ENT-Perforated-Eardrum-Diagnosis-1536x1024-1.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/ENT-Perforated-Eardrum-Diagnosis-1536x1024-1-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The eardrum serves a couple of very important functions: it converts sound waves to nerve impulses and forwards those to the brain, and it prevents moisture, bacteria and other objects from entering the middle ear. Any rupture or tear in the membrane disrupts hearing and leaves the middle ear vulnerable to infection and disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Infections of the middle ear are the most common cause of eardrum perforations. When fluid is trapped in the ear canal it causes pressure to build; often when that is released, it results in a ruptured eardrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other causes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Loud noise(s) close to the ear, such as a blast or explosion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inappropriate use of foreign objects, such as a cotton swab, in the external ear canal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sharply variant pressure differentials, which may occur when engaging in activities like diving, flying, or scuba diving<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trauma resulting from a blow to the head or ear<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When the rupture happens, you may experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Ear pain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fluid drainage from the affected area<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dizziness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Facial weakness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hearing loss (either partial or total)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most eardrum perforations eventually close on their own, without treatment. Antibiotics may be given to prevent or treat an infection. With a perforation of the ear drum, care should be taken to keep moisture from entering the ear canals. Patients can be given medication for pain relief, and the use of a warm compress on the affected ear can also help soothe. If the perforation is especially large, surgery to repair it may be necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<var style=\"width:100%; padding-bottom:56.25%; display:block;\" data-presentation=\"32b92af0-4f91-4d41-4aa4-40ae44764f4d\"><a href=\"http:\/\/fyi.rendia.com\/IroiV\" style=\"display:none\">View Video<\/a><\/var><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/share.rendia.com\/whitelabel\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n<div class=\"content-cta-container\">\n<div class=\"content-cta-top-text\">Call Rocky Mountain Ear Center for more information or to schedule an appointment.<\/div>\n<div class=\"content-cta-ph-num-container\">\n<div class=\"content-cta-ph-num-box\">\n<div class=\"content-cta-ph-num-top\">\n<div class=\"content-cta-ph-num-top\"><a href=\"tel:+13037839220\" class=\"phone content-cta-ph-num\"><svg width=\"11\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 11 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M9.0036 0H1.7964C1.31997 0 0.863044 0.189263 0.526153 0.526153C0.189263 0.863044 0 1.31997 0 1.7964V16.2027C0 17.1954 0.8046 18 1.7964 18H9.0027C9.47922 18 9.93623 17.8108 10.2733 17.4739C10.6103 17.137 10.7998 16.6801 10.8 16.2036V1.7964C10.8 1.31997 10.6107 0.863044 10.2738 0.526153C9.93696 0.189263 9.48003 0 9.0036 0V0ZM5.4 17.1C4.779 17.1 4.275 16.6977 4.275 16.2C4.275 15.7023 4.779 15.3 5.4 15.3C6.021 15.3 6.525 15.7023 6.525 16.2C6.525 16.6977 6.021 17.1 5.4 17.1ZM9 14.4H1.8V1.8H9V14.4Z\" fill=\"#035440\"\/>\n<\/svg><br \/>\n<span class=\"phone-number\">(303) 783-9220<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A perforated eardrum, known medically as a tympanic membrane rupture, is a hole or tear in the membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. Some patients are completely oblivious to an eardrum perforation, while others feel a sharp pain. Many ruptured eardrums heal on their own, though in some rare cases ear&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1721,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Perforated Eardrum | Rocky Mountain Ear Center","_seopress_titles_desc":"Perforated eardrum is a break or hole in the eardrum or tympanic membrane, caused by an ear infection, physical damage, or excessively loud noise.\r\n","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"service_tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1585"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1585\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"service_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rockymountainearcenter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service_tags?post=1585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}