A ruptured eardrum (tympanic membrane perforation) is a hole or tear in the thin tissue that separates the ear canal from the middle ear (eardrum).
A ruptured eardrum can result in hearing loss. It can also make the middle ear vulnerable to infections.
A ruptured eardrum usually heals within a few weeks without treatment. But sometimes it requires a patch or surgical repair to heal.
Ruptured eardrum
A ruptured (perforated) eardrum prevents the proper transmission of sound waves to the middle ear and leaves the middle ear vulnerable to infectious agents, water and other foreign substances.
Products & Services
- A Book: Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance
- Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include:- Ear pain that may subside quickly
- Mucuslike, pus-filled or bloody drainage from the ear
- Hearing loss
- Ringing in the ear (tinnitus)
- Spinning sensation (vertigo)
- Nausea or vomiting that can result from vertigo
When to see a doctor
Call your health care provider if you have signs or symptoms of a ruptured eardrum. The middle and inner ears are made up of delicate structures that are sensitive to injury or disease. It is important to try to figure out the cause of ear symptoms and determine whether a ruptured eardrum has occurred.
Causes
Causes of a ruptured (perforated) eardrum may include:
- Middle ear infection (otitis media). A middle ear infection often results in the accumulation of fluids in the middle ear. Pressure from these fluids can cause the eardrum to rupture.
- Barotrauma. Barotrauma is stress exerted on the eardrum when the air pressure in the middle ear and the air pressure in the environment are out of balance. If the pressure is severe, the eardrum can rupture. Barotrauma is most often caused by air pressure changes associated with air travel.
Other events that can cause sudden changes in pressure — and possibly a ruptured eardrum — include scuba diving and a direct blow to the ear, such as the impact of an automobile air bag.
- Loud sounds or blasts (acoustic trauma). A loud sound or blast, as from an explosion or gunshot — essentially an overpowering sound wave — can rarely cause a tear in the eardrum.
- Foreign objects in your ear. Small objects, such as a cotton swab or hairpin, can puncture or tear the eardrum.
Severe head trauma. Severe injury, such as a skull base fracture, may cause the dislocation of or damage to middle and inner ear structures, including the eardrum.
