The eardrum is a piece of tissue in the middle ear which is stretched thin and tight and vibrates when hit by sound. An eardrum perforation is a tear in this tissue. It can increase your risk of ear infections along with damaging your hearing. The structures inside the ear are very delicate, meaning a perforation could be caused by any number of things, including imbalanced air pressure, loud sound explosions, the insertion of foreign objects, head trauma, fluids in the ear, and more. Middle ear infections often lead to eardrum perforations as well, so be sure to seek treatment if you believe you have one. Keeping your ears protected during flights and avoiding situations with extreme noises can also help prevent ruptures.

If you notice hearing loss after a sudden, sharp pain in your ear, you may have ruptured your eardrum. Other warning signs of this issue include:

• A strong ringing in your ears
• Mucus or blood draining from your ear
• A spinning sensation, which may result in nausea.

An eardrum perforation may heal on its own over time, but just to be safe, it's recommended to consult a professional. For patients in the Greenwich, Stamford, and Westchester areas, the ear, nose, and throat doctors at Dr. Steven Bramwit, M.D. of Stamford ENT will get you diagnosed and treated accurately and efficiently. We can also assist with sinus infections, hearing aids, and much more.

When you visit our ear, nose, and throat doctors for a perforated eardrum, we will begin by conducting a visual inspection of the ear canal. Potential additional testing may include sending any discharge from your ear for a lab test, conducting a tuning fork evaluation or other audiology exam, and evaluating your eardrum's response to air pressure changes with a tympanometer. A tympanometer is a tent-shaped graph that determines your ear canal's volume, your middle ear's pressure, and more. From our test results, we will be able to determine whether your eardrum is perforated and the extent of the damage.

If you are diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum, we will take into account the severity of the damage when recommending a course of treatment. There are multiple options available, such as letting the tear heal on its own, prescribing antibiotics to cure an infection, using one or more paper patches to encourage the hole to close, or performing a surgical graft.

If your rupture is minor and our ear, nose, and throat specialists send you home to heal naturally, there are certain tips you can follow to protect the process and deter complications.

• Avoid Moisture: Do your best to keep your ears dry during recovery, possibly by wearing an earplug or using a cotton ball while bathing.
• Leave Your Ears Alone: Avoid poking or scratching inside your ear during recovery. Also, do not use Q-tips or any other utensils to clean your ears.
• Avoid Blowing Your Nose: Due to air pressure between your ears and nose, blowing your nose could irritate or damage your ear as it recovers. Try alternative ways to clear out your sinuses during recovery.

Contact the ear, nose, and throat team at Dr. Steven Bramwit, M.D. of Stamford ENT today with any further questions or to schedule an appointment for eardrum perforation treatment in the Greenwich, Stamford, Westchester areas. We look forward to assisting you!