Overview

Causes

Eardrums may rupture from a variety of causes, including:

  • Ear infections
  • Puncture from use of a cotton swab or other device inserted in the ear canal
  • Damage to the ear, such as being slapped over ear or and explosion
  • Pressure building up inside the middle ear, as may occur with scuba diving
  • Accidental perforation during ear irrigation or foreign body removal

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase your chance of a ruptured eardrum include:

  • Having an ear infection
  • History of eardrum ruptures, or ear surgery, such as ear tubes
  • Scuba diving
  • Injury to the ear
  • Inserting objects in the ear

SymptomsandDiagnosis

Symptoms

You may not have any symptoms. For those that have symptoms, a ruptured eardrum may cause:

  • Earache, severe and increasing in its severity
  • Earache, severe, then subsides, then is followed by discharge from the ear
  • Drainage from the ear—may have blood or pus
  • Hearing loss or difficulty hearing out of the affected ear
  • Buzzing or other noise in the ear

People who have traumatic ruptures to the eardrum may be at an increased risk of an ear infection. Infection may occur because the opening in the membrane allows bacteria to enter the middle ear and cause infection.

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. During the exam, the doctor will examine the ear with an otoscope and look to see if the eardrum has been perforated. The perforation is sometimes difficult to see because of the thick drainage in the ear.

Doctors may also perform an audiology test to determine if any hearing loss has occurred.

Treatments

Treatment

While many ruptured eardrums will heal on their own, many may also require treatment to heal properly. Options may include:

Medications

Medications may include:

  • Oral antibiotics or antibiotic eardrops if an infection is present or possible
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and inflammation

Surgery

If the eardrum does not heal itself, surgery may be required to repair the perforation, usually with a patch.

Prevention

To help reduce your chance of a ruptured eardrum:

  • Do not stick cotton swabs or other objects inside the ear
  • Treat ear infections promptly and thoroughly
  • Avoid scuba diving when you have cold or allergy symptoms

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Edits to original content made by Denver Health.