How can the ear canal be damaged

Or use the Valsalva maneuver — gently pushing air into your nose, as if blowing your nose, while pinching your nostrils and keeping your mouth closed. Don't sleep during ascents and descents. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Ruptured eardrum Open pop-up dialog box Close. 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.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Middle ear Open pop-up dialog box Close. Middle ear The middle ear includes three small bones — the hammer malleus , anvil incus and stirrup stapes. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Elsevier Point of Care. Chronic suppurative otitis media. Accessed June 5, Evans AK, et al. Evaluation and management of middle ear trauma. Accessed Sept. Lalwani AK.

Temporal bone trauma. New York, N. They'll look into your ear using a small handheld torch with a magnifying lens.

The tip of this goes into your ear, but it only goes in a little way and should not hurt. Perforated eardrums do not always need to be treated because they often get better by themselves within a few weeks. While it heals, the following tips can help you relieve your symptoms and reduce the chances of your ear becoming infected:. If you have an ear infection caused by a perforated eardrum, a GP may prescribe antibiotics. If the hole in your eardrum is big, or does not heal in a few weeks, the GP may refer you to an ear specialist to talk about having surgery to repair a perforated eardrum.

Find out more about flying if you have a perforated eardrum. They also protect you from developing new infections from the perforation. Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics or medicated eardrops. You may also be told to use both forms of medication. In rare cases, surgery may be required to patch the hole in the eardrum.

A surgical repair of a perforated eardrum is called tympanoplasty. During tympanoplasty, your surgeon takes tissue from another area of your body and grafts it onto the hole in your eardrum. At home, you can ease the pain of a ruptured eardrum with heat and pain relievers. Placing a warm, dry compress on your ear several times daily can help. Promote healing by not blowing your nose any more than absolutely necessary.

Blowing your nose creates pressure in your ears. Trying to clear your ears by holding your breath, blocking your nose, and blowing also creates high pressure in your ears. If your eardrum is ruptured, fluid from these drops can get deep into your ear.

This can cause further issues. Eardrum ruptures can happen much more frequently in children because of their sensitive tissue and narrow ear canals. Any kind of small foreign object, such as a pencil or hairpin, can also damage or rupture their eardrum if inserted too far into their ear canal.

Ear infections are the most common cause of eardrum ruptures in children. Teach your child not to stick objects in their ear. In addition, try to avoid flying with your child if they have a cold or a sinus infection. The pressure changes could damage their eardrums. A ruptured eardrum often heals without any invasive treatment. Most people with ruptured eardrums experience only temporary hearing loss. Even without treatment, your eardrum should heal in a few weeks. Full recovery, especially after treatment or surgical procedures, typically occurs within eight weeks.

Eardrum ruptures can be easily prevented if you protect your hearing and avoid injury or putting objects in your ear. Many infections that cause ruptures can be treated at home with rest and by protecting your ears. However, see your doctor if you notice discharge from your ear or you experience severe ear pain for more than a few days.

There are plenty of successful diagnostic and treatment options for ruptured eardrums. Eardrum repair is a surgical procedure used to fix a hole or tear in the eardrum tympanic membrane. This injury can occur after exposure to a…. Ear irrigation is a routine procedure used to remove excess earwax, called cerumen, or foreign materials from the ear.

Here's what you need to know about the possible causes of ear bleeding. You should call your doctor if you're bleeding from your ear. Ear barotrauma, also known as airplane ear, is a condition that causes ear discomfort when you experience pressure changes, such as altitude change.