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Ruptured eardrum |
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Ruptured eardrum
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U | A ruptured (perforated) eardrum is a tear or a
hole in your eardrum (tympanic membrane), the thin
membrane that separates your ear canal from your
middle ear. This membrane vibrates when sound waves
strike it, starting the process of converting sound
waves into nerve impulses that travel to your brain.
Damage to your eardrum interrupts the hearing
process and may impair your hearing. The eardrum also acts as a barrier to keep
outside material, such as bacteria, from entering
your middle ear. When your eardrum is ruptured,
bacteria can more easily reach your middle ear and
cause infection. A variety of factors can cause a ruptured
eardrum. These include an infection, injury and
noise. Most ruptured eardrums heal within a few
weeks without treatment. If the tear or hole in your
eardrum doesn't heal by itself, you may need
treatment.
Complications A
ruptured eardrum usually isn't serious and often heals on its own
without complications. But problems may occur, including:
Hearing
loss.
Usually, hearing loss is temporary, lasting only until the tear or
hole in your eardrum has healed. The larger the tear or hole in your
eardrum, the greater your hearing loss tends to be. The location of
the tear or hole also may affect the degree of hearing loss. If
severe trauma, such as a skull fracture, damages the bones in your
middle ear and causes injury to the structure of your inner ear,
loss of hearing may be severe and permanent.
Recurrent
middle ear infection (chronic otitis media).
Persistent or recurrent inflammation or infection of your middle ear
caused by a large tear or hole in your eardrum can cause permanent
damage and hearing loss.
Ruptured eardrum
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