What is an eardrum rupture?
An eardrum rupture is a small hole or tears in your eardrum or tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane is a thin tissue that divides your middle ear and outer ear canal.
This membrane vibrates when sound waves enter your ear. The vibration continues through the bones of the middle ear. Because this vibration allows you to hear, your hearing can suffer if your eardrum is damaged.
A ruptured eardrum is also called a perforated eardrum. In rare cases, this condition can cause permanent hearing loss.
Causes of eardrum rupture
Infection
Ear infections are a common cause of eardrum rupture, especially in children. During an ear infection, fluids accumulate behind the eardrum. The pressure from the fluid buildup can cause the tympanic membrane to break or rupture.
Pressure changes
Other activities can cause pressure changes in the ear and lead to a perforated eardrum. This is known as barotrauma, and it mainly occurs when the pressure outside the ear is drastically different from the pressure inside the ear. Activities that can cause barotrauma to include:
- scuba diving
- flying in an airplane
- driving at high altitudes
- shock waves
- the direct, forceful impact to the ear
Injury or trauma
Injuries can also rupture your eardrum. Any trauma to the ear or side of the head can cause a rupture. The following have been known to cause eardrum ruptures:
- getting hit in the ear
- sustaining an injury during sports
- falling on your ear
- car accidents
Inserting any kind of objects, such as a cotton swab, fingernail, or pen, too far into the ear can harm your eardrum as well.
Acoustic trauma, or damage to the ear from extremely loud noises, can rupture your eardrum. However, these cases are not as common.
Symptoms of eardrum rupture
Pain is the main symptom of eardrum rupture. For some, the pain may be severe. It can remain steady throughout the day, or it can increase or decrease in intensity.
Usually, the ear begins to drain once the pain goes away. At this point, the eardrum is ruptured. Watery, bloody, or pus-filled fluids may drain from the affected ear. A rupture that results from a middle ear infection usually causes bleeding. These ear infections are more likely to happen in young children, people with colds or the flu, or in areas with poor air quality.
You may have some temporary hearing loss or a reduction in hearing in the affected ear. You can also experience tinnitus, a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears, or dizziness.