Damage to the eardrum with a sharp object. Tympanic membrane rupture: symptoms, causes and treatment

Rupture or perforation of the tympanic membrane is damage to the membrane due to exposure to a large number of adverse factors. Under the influence of mechanical, physical, chemical or thermal causes, a gap is formed, which disrupts the ability of a person to fully hear sounds. Sometimes there is an independent recovery of the membrane, but only with minor damage. With more severe trauma, a scar may remain, and in especially difficult situations, any violation of the integrity can lead to hearing loss.

There are quite a few predisposing factors that can lead to such a disorder. All of them can be conditionally divided into several groups. But the most common factors for membrane damage are inflammation in the middle ear, exposure to pressure, sudden and unexpected noise, trauma while cleaning the ear with objects not intended for this, the pathological effect of hot liquids both at home and at work, as well as penetration foreign objects in the ear.

Any violation of the integrity of the eardrum is accompanied by the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms. Symptoms of a ruptured tympanic membrane are pain of varying intensity and nature, a feeling of stuffiness in the damaged ear, the occurrence of tinnitus, hearing loss, up to its complete loss.

Diagnosis of such a disorder consists in performing a series of instrumental examinations. When discharge appears, a laboratory study of the contents is carried out. Treatment for perforation of the eardrum consists of the use of drugs or medical plastic surgery. The choice of therapy method is based on the volume of damage.

Etiology

As mentioned above, tympanic membrane rupture can occur from a large number of causes, which are divided into several groups. The first group consists of mechanical factors, which include:

a wide range of ear injuries;
accidental or intentional penetration of a foreign object into the ear cavity;
unskilled performance of medical manipulations aimed at removing the ear plug;
cleaning the ear with objects not intended for this process;
traumatic brain injury.

Physical damage can be caused by:

pressure drop in this area. This can happen due to severe coughing or sneezing, as well as temperature changes during airplane flights or deep diving;
falling on the ear
strong blows to the auricle;
unexpected noise.

The last group of factors - thermal, which can lead to perforation of the eardrum, includes:

ear burns. They can be household or industrial in nature;
ingestion of toxic or chemical substances into the ear.

A little-known group of injuries is military, which includes shrapnel and bullet wounds.

In addition, diseases can become factors in the formation of such a disorder. In particular, such as - acute course or chronic course. These or other factors can lead to both minor injury to the membrane and its complete destruction.

Symptoms

Immediately after the rupture of the eardrum, a pronounced pain syndrome appears, which disappears after a while, or other signs appear against its background. The following clinical manifestations come to the fore:

appearance and ;
feeling of discomfort in the form of ear congestion;
the occurrence of bloody or purulent discharge, often with an unpleasant odor;
partial reduction or complete loss of hearing;
increase in body temperature;
bouts of nausea and dizziness;
disorientation;
loss of appetite;
sleep disorders;
perforation;
episodes of loss of consciousness;
the exit of air from the auricle indicates a completely perforated membrane.

The severity of symptoms of perforation of the tympanic membrane depends on the intensity of the lesion. Minor trauma, affecting only the outer layer and a small part of the middle, does not lead to hearing loss and the appearance of other signs. Moreover, such damage can be eliminated on its own, which is observed in almost half of patients. Severe damage is often accompanied by fractures of the auditory ossicles or trauma to the internal muscles. With such a lesion, an intense expression of symptoms is observed.

Complications

If symptoms are ignored, as well as when unqualified or incomplete therapy is provided, the consequences of rupture of the eardrum may occur. These include:

the spread of the inflammatory process to the entire area of the inner ear;
feeling some unpleasant symptoms in a healthy ear;
nerve neuritis;
and - develop only when pathological microorganisms enter the affected area;
temporary loss of memory;
the release of cerebrospinal fluid from the ear opening - in cases where the cause of the lesion was a traumatic brain injury;
structural disorders of some elements of the auricle.

With an extensive tear, complete hearing loss can develop.

Diagnostics

What is perforation of the tympanic membrane, the ENT doctor knows - it is this specialist who diagnoses and prescribes treatment tactics. Before conducting instrumental laboratory examinations, the doctor needs to perform several manipulations. In particular, to get acquainted with the medical history and anamnesis of the patient's life. This is necessary to find the causes of the formation of the disease. It also requires palpation and a thorough examination of the affected area, using special tools. This will enable the doctor to determine the degree of rupture of the eardrum, as well as to determine the presence and severity of symptoms.

Instrumental diagnostic methods include:

otoscopy - the study of the affected area and the auditory canal, the search for membrane deformations. It is carried out with the help of special devices of an otolaryngologist - an ear funnel, an otoscope and a frontal reflector;
CT is a way to fully visualize all layers of the ear;
audiometry - a procedure for studying hearing acuity. It allows the doctor to determine the degree of its decrease or to diagnose a complete hearing loss.

Laboratory studies consist in performing a general blood test, as well as microscopic examination of purulent or mucous fluid secreted from the auricle.

Treatment

After a rupture of the eardrum, it is necessary to deliver the victim to a medical facility as soon as possible. Before that, you can not independently provide first aid. In particular, apply cold to the affected ear, rinse it, and also remove blood clots or purulent fluid. The only thing you can do on your own is to put dry cotton wool in the damaged ear and bandage it. If the pain is severe, pain medication may be given.

Professional treatment of perforation of the tympanic membrane consists of several manipulations:

elimination of bleeding;
cauterization - used only with a slight gap;
promoting the free outflow of purulent or mucous fluid;
infusion of antimicrobial drugs into the ear cavity using a catheter;
patch installation - used to repair only minor damage to the membrane.

Drug therapy consists of the appointment:

a course of antibiotics - in the form of ear drops or tablets;
vasoconstrictor drugs;
mucolytics;
anti-inflammatory drops.

In particularly difficult situations with perforation of the eardrum, surgical intervention is sought. This is necessary in the following cases:

complete rupture of the membrane;
partial hearing loss;
violations of the mobility of the auditory ossicles.

There are several ways to treat such a disorder with surgery. To do this, you can assign:

myringoplasty - the intervention consists in replacing the membrane with a flap taken from the temporalis muscle. Sutures are applied with threads, which dissolve on their own after a few weeks;
ossiculoplasty is an operation to restore the auditory ossicles, often with their prosthetics. The procedure is carried out only under local anesthesia;
tympanoplasty - removal or implantation of artificial auditory ossicles.

Often, folk remedies are used in the treatment, which must be used only after consulting a specialist. They promote rapid healing.

Prevention

In order for a person not to have problems with a rupture of the eardrum, it is necessary to adhere to several rules:

clean the ears only with cotton swabs intended for this;
make sure that foreign objects do not penetrate into the ear, especially in children, and also do not remove them yourself;
avoid the influence of strong noise;
do not fly on airplanes and do not dive to depth during exacerbations of ear diseases;
when the first symptoms occur or when fluid is released from the ear, you should immediately contact a specialist.

The prognosis of the disease directly depends on the degree of membrane rupture. With minor damage, half of the patients heal spontaneously. An unfavorable outcome is formed with the progression of complications, as well as in cases of damage to the auditory ossicles or infection with bacteria. This can lead to complete hearing loss, which in turn requires an operation to restore it or the installation of a hearing aid.

Communication is something no person can live without. Communication is necessary for each of us in order to create a family, find a job or pursue a favorite hobby. But unfortunately, sometimes due to some diseases or congenital conditions, a person loses his hearing completely or partially, which prevents him from adapting to society. Often this problem is associated with damage to the eardrum, which is injured and can burst for various reasons.

The human organ of hearing is a unique system for transmitting sound vibrations. It is organized in such a way as to amplify and transmit sound to the perceiving receptors. First, the vibrations are captured by the auricle, it is shaped to concentrate them and direct them along the external auditory canal. That, in turn, leads to the eardrum. This is a thin mucous membrane that limits the entrance to the middle ear cavity, where the auditory ossicles are located. Because of their shape, they are called the malleus, anvil, and stirrup. They move and transmit sound further to the receptor cells. There, the vibrations are transformed into a nerve impulse, which is transmitted along the auditory nerve to the region of the cerebral cortex. But in the event of a malfunction of the sound-perceiving apparatus, the mastoid process can take over its work. It performs bone conduction.

Causes of damage to the eardrum

If the eardrum has burst, then there may be several reasons for this. It is quite fragile and easily injured. This may be due to the following reasons:

Otitis. This is the name of the inflammation of various parts of the ear. If this is an acute process, then the membrane is affected by pus. It destroys it and flows out. In this case, a hole is formed in the membrane. In the case when otitis media is chronic, the tympanic membrane gradually becomes thinner, resulting in hearing loss. Over time, it can also perforate.
Barotrauma. One of the functions of the tympanic membrane is to equalize the pressure between the atmosphere and the tympanic cavity. If outside it changes very sharply, then the membrane may burst due to excessive stress. Such damage is accompanied by acute pain and a sharp decrease in hearing. Sometimes there is bleeding.
Damage from sharp objects. Many of us use cotton swabs to clean our ears. But with any careless movement, if someone suddenly pushed or frightened you, you can damage or even pierce the eardrum. That is why it is recommended to treat the outer part of the ear canal with a cotton swab dipped in a warm solution. Don't try to get too deep, it's not necessary.
TBI or traumatic brain injury. It can be either closed or open. In case of damage to the head, especially injuries of the labyrinth located in the temporal bone, the tympanic membrane may rupture due to its overstretching.

Symptoms of damage to the eardrum

There are several characteristic symptoms associated with a tympanic membrane lesion. First, there is a sharp pain in the affected ear. She is very intense. After some time, the pain subsides, but other signs appear: congestion and noise in the ear, hearing loss or complete loss.

But if everything is clear with adults and they can talk about what and where they hurt, then with young children everything is much more complicated. Most often, their eardrum is affected due to otitis media. The fact is that the auditory tube in infants is wider and shorter than in an adult, as a result of which the infection quickly spreads from the nasopharynx to the middle ear. In addition, in children, the immune system is imperfect, which predisposes to the transition of the process into a purulent one. The kid can not say what makes him uncomfortable. He worries, is naughty, cries, sleeps badly and refuses to eat. When sucking, the pressure inside the tympanic cavity increases, which provokes an increase in pain. From about the age of three months, the child can already turn towards the affected ear, rub it against the pillow or reach out with his hands. At the moment when the perforation of the membrane occurs, pus is released outward and the baby's condition improves, and you can see purulent discharge mixed with blood on the pillow.

Another common cause of eardrum damage in children is poor ear hygiene. In a child, it is thin and located close enough, so it is easy to damage it. The rules for processing a child's ear are the same as for an adult. Wipe with a cotton swab once every few days.

Diagnostics

Any visit to the doctor begins with an anamnesis. The doctor finds out the nature of the symptoms and the circumstances of their occurrence. How long ago did the pain or discharge from the ear appear, what preceded this, did the temperature rise, and so on.

After all the necessary information has been collected, the otorhinolaryngologist examines the external auricle, notes its condition, whether there are any signs of inflammation and traces of pus. Palpates the ear and adjacent areas. For example, with otitis media, the pain increases with pressure on the tragus.

Next, the doctor proceeds to otoscopy. This is an examination of the external auditory canal and the tympanic membrane directly with the help of a frontal reflector. This is a special mirror, which is located on the forehead of an ENT doctor and, with the help of reflected light, allows you to examine deep-lying anatomical formations. This method allows you to see if there is a perforation, whether it was preceded by barotrauma. Whether the walls and eardrum are damaged by a sharp foreign object.

Help in the diagnosis and laboratory methods. For example, in acute otitis media, leukocytosis is noted in the blood with a shift of the formula to the left, which indicates severe inflammation. Under other circumstances of damage to the eardrum, tests do not provide the necessary information. Here it is necessary to resort to instrumental visualization methods. This is computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. They allow you to see damage to the bones of the skull and other signs of a traumatic brain injury.

Treatment

First aid

In order to help yourself or another person with damage to the eardrum, you should follow a few rules. In no case do not bury anything in the ear, do not try to remove blood clots, pus or a foreign body. All you can do is place a dry, sterile cotton swab in your ear and cover it with a bandage. In case of severe pain, any analgesic can be used. Well, if at the same time it will have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Antibiotic therapy

Antibiotics are used in the complex therapy of acute otitis media. For this, protected penicillins, macrolides or cephalosporins are used. That is, antibacterial drugs with a wide spectrum of action. They are used orally in the form of tablets, as well as topically as ointments and creams.

This allows you to destroy the pathogenic flora that caused inflammation, that is, it is an etiological treatment.

Vasoconstrictors

We are all used to the fact that vasoconstrictor drops are used for a cold. But they have found their application in diseases of the ears. If the eardrum is damaged, it becomes inflamed and swollen. Vasoconstrictors can reduce this swelling, reduce pain and improve the outflow of inflammatory exudate. Drops such as Xylometazoline or Naphthyzinum are usually used.

Mucolytic agents

Drugs such as ACC are used for bronchitis and pneumonia. They dilute sputum, improve its outflow and stimulate coughing. Approximately the same effect is used in otorhinolaryngology. Inflammatory exudate can be very viscous, causing the disease to drag on. Mucolytics thin it and promote recovery.

NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve swelling, reduce pain and inflammation. They are used for any cause of damage to the eardrum, whether it is otitis media or trauma. Most often it is Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine is still a controversial issue for scientists. Often its methods run counter to evidence-based medicine, but at the same time it cannot be said that it is ineffective. But in the case of perforation of the eardrum, folk remedies will not only not help, but will also harm. With otitis, according to folk recipes, it is recommended to instill boric alcohol into the ear and apply a warming compress. But with a damaged eardrum, it is strictly forbidden to do this, since alcohol drops enter the middle ear cavity, and this causes hearing loss.

Attention! Do not use traditional medicine recipes without consulting a specialist. You can seriously harm your health!

Surgery

If, as a result of damage to the eardrum, hearing loss develops or the auditory ossicles are damaged, then one has to resort to surgical treatment. There are several types of such operations.

Myringoplasty. For this procedure, the doctor uses a flap of the fascia of the temporalis muscle. He sews it to the damaged area of the eardrum, thereby closing the hole in it. After the operation, a swab with an antibiotic is placed in the ear for a day. The sutures dissolve themselves in about a week and the patient can not limit himself in anything.
Ossiculoplasty. This is an operation that is used for damage to the auditory ossicles. During the procedure, they are replaced with prostheses, which allows you to restore hearing. The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia.

After the treatment, all patients are shown to undergo audiometry. This is a diagnostic method that allows you to assess the safety of hearing on both the affected and healthy sides. Through headphones, the subject is given sounds of different frequencies, as soon as he hears the sound clearly, he presses a special button. The result of the study is evaluated by an audiologist.

Tympanic membrane injuries are divided into domestic, industrial and wartime. Pathogenetically, these injuries are divided into mechanical and burn.

Causes of damage to the eardrum

Household mechanical damage occurs when the tympanic membrane is directly impacted by an object inserted into the external auditory canal to cleanse it of earwax or accidentally caught in it, when the auricle is hit with an open palm (a sharp increase in pressure in the external auditory canal), or with strong sneezing with pinched nostrils (a sharp increase in pressure in the tympanic cavity, tympanic membrane), or with a kiss on the ear (the occurrence of negative pressure in the external auditory canal), leading to rupture of the tympanic membrane. Mechanical damage to the tympanic membrane can occur when falling on the ear, with deeper injuries, accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the tympanic cavity and the pyramid of the temporal bone, in cases where the fracture line passes through the tympanic ring. Domestic injuries can include thermal and chemical burns resulting from an accident. These burns are usually accompanied by damage to the auricle.

Occupational lesions of the eardrum are divided into barometric, caused by a sharp drop in air pressure (in caissons, hyperbaric chambers, in diving suits, during technological explosions, etc.), thermal (in the metallurgical industry, in blacksmithing, pottery, etc.) and chemical in contact with caustic liquids in the external auditory canal and on the auricle.

Damage to the tympanic membrane of a military nature are divided into gunshot (bullet, fragmentation) and barometric or detonation (according to V.I. Voyachek), caused by mine-explosive action.

Pathogenesis and pathological anatomy

With an increase in barometric pressure in the external auditory canal or tympanic cavity, the tympanic membrane is stretched, in which its structures are deformed, and depending on the pressure force, this deformation can occur at the cellular level, as well as at the microfiber and microvascular level. With this kind of injury, only individual elements and layers of the tympanic membrane can be affected without a total violation of the integrity of all its layers. With the weakest impact, an injection of blood vessels in the relaxed part and along the handle of the malleus can be observed, with a more severe injury associated with rupture of the vessels of the tympanic membrane, hemorrhages occur in it, and with a significant barometric impact, a complete rupture of the tympanic membrane, which, due to the elasticity of the middle a layer that stretches the edges of the wound is visualized as a hole with uneven (torn) edges covered with a small amount of blood. A similar, but pathologically more pronounced picture is observed in industrial and detonation-explosive injuries of the tympanic membrane. Gunshot wounds are characterized by significant destruction not only of the eardrum, but also of the surrounding tissues.

All types of mechanical injury to the tympanic membrane with a violation of its integrity are infected, which creates the risk of a secondary infection with severe clinical consequences (acute purulent otitis media and mastoiditis, labyrinthitis, sinus thrombosis, etc.).

Burns of the tympanic membrane with acids and caustic alkalis, as a rule, lead to its complete destruction, often to the destruction of the structures of the middle ear and the penetration of a caustic substance through the vestibular and tympanic windows in the labyrinth with dire consequences for auditory and vestibular functions.

Symptoms of damage to the eardrum

Injury to the eardrum is accompanied by the appearance of sharp pain, ear congestion, hearing loss and noise in the ear. With otoscopy, various options for traumatic damage to the tympanic membrane can be observed - from a slight injection of vessels along the handle of the malleus to massive hemorrhages, slit ruptures, scalloped perforations to subtotal defects of the tympanic membrane. If there is a perforation of the eardrum, patients sometimes report that when they blow their nose (Valsalva test), air comes out of the damaged ear. This fact indicates the presence of perforation of the tympanic membrane, however, this test is not recommended due to the possibility of infection entering the middle ear from the nasal cavity through the auditory tube and damaged tympanic membrane. The further clinical course is determined by the degree of violation of the integrity of the tympanic membrane and the possible addition of a secondary infection.

With small slit perforations, in the vast majority of cases, their edges stick together and spontaneous healing of the injured eardrum occurs, after which either no traces of perforation remain on it, or scars of various sizes form, which eventually become impregnated with calcium salts, which are defined as white formations, " embedded" in the thickness of the tympanic membrane. In such cases, the auditory function remains normal. With significant ruptures with a divergence of the edges of the wound, massive scarring of the tympanic membrane occurs with the formation of coarse calcifications (the so-called adhesive otitis media) or persistent single perforation. In these cases, signs of conductive hearing loss of varying degrees are revealed.

With extensive trauma to the tympanic membrane, the auditory ossicles, their joints, and the internal muscles of the tympanic cavity may be involved in the traumatic process. The most common occurrence in this case is a rupture of the malleus-anvil or incus-stapedial joint, as well as a fracture of the legs of the stirrup and subluxation or fracture of its base. When the chain of the auditory ossicles breaks, a sudden almost complete conductive hearing loss occurs, and if the base of the stirrup is damaged, a sharp noise in the ear occurs, the hearing loss becomes mixed, vestibular dysfunction and perilymph leakage can be observed.

Treatment and prognosis of tympanic membrane injury

With uncomplicated damage to the tympanic membrane, therapeutic measures are minimized. Any active manipulations in the external auditory canal and on the tympanic membrane, letting in drops and washing the ear are prohibited. In the presence of blood clots in the external auditory canal, they are carefully removed with dry sterile cotton wool, the walls of the auditory canal are treated with moistened ethyl alcohol and a squeezed cotton pad, and dry sterile turundas are loosely placed in it. If complications arise in the form of purulent inflammation of the middle ear, treatment is carried out corresponding to acute purulent otitis media. If damage to the structures of the tympanic cavity is suspected, appropriate treatment is carried out until the acute phenomena subside and the damage to the tympanic membrane is eliminated. In the future, the victim is examined for the state of auditory and vestibular functions and to determine the nature of further treatment.

Perforation of the tympanic membrane, which must be treated in most cases, causes both the middle and inner ear to lose their original protection. This condition can be complicated by frequently occurring inflammatory diseases. If the barrier function of the membrane is not taken care of in a timely manner, the infection can deepen and spread through the intracranial space, provoking irreversible complications. If you have a hole in your eardrum, only a doctor should figure out how to treat this damage. Self-activity in this case is inappropriate and even dangerous.

First aid

What should I do if my eardrum bursts? First of all, the victim should be extremely careful. It is strictly forbidden to wash the ear, remove blood clots from the ear cavity, as well as dry it or cool it by applying cold objects. First aid comes down to placing a sterile ball of cotton wool or turunda (they must be dry) in the external ear canal, bandaging the ear and transporting the person to a nearby clinic or hospital.

If the pain syndrome is too strong, you can take diclofenac (1 tablet of 0.05 grams) or paracetamol (0.5 grams).

When transporting the victim, you need to protect him from shaking. In addition, he can not throw back and tilt his head in any direction. And remember: if the eardrum has burst, treatment should be prescribed as soon as possible in order to avoid complications.

Methods of treatment

More than 50% of all cases where the eardrum ruptures do not require treatment. Slit-shaped tears that occupy less than 25% of the membrane area are much faster and easier to heal. So, if in such a simple form the eardrum burst in the ear, what should the victim do? He is prescribed complete rest, sharply limiting any manipulations in the external ear canal. In particular, it is forbidden to process it with cotton swabs and bury any drops. The last event can even be harmful. After all, through the hole formed as a result of an injury, the medicine in drops will fall into the middle ear and disrupt its structure.

If there is a foreign body

Treatment of perforation of the tympanic membrane, if it is not complicated by any pathological process, does not require the intervention of a surgeon. First, the doctor removes a foreign body from the ear canal that has got there. Then he inserts an antiseptic swab made of cotton wool soaked in medical alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Such a thorough treatment of the damaged area makes it possible to prevent infection from entering the auditory tube.

If damage to the membrane by a foreign body is complicated by an ear disease, it is treated according to the same method as acute otitis media.

Myringoplasty

If, for example, the eardrum is damaged with a cotton swab, the treatment will be carried out in an operative way. This operation is called myringoplasty. In the process of such an intervention, the surgeon cuts out a small fragment of the fascia (connective tissue membrane) of the temporal muscle from the area above the patient's ear. It will be needed in order to close the damaged section of the membrane with it.

After this manipulation, the doctor inserts microinstruments into the external ear canal, the work of which is controlled by a special microscope. With these tools, the doctor slightly lifts the torn membrane, substitutes a pre-cut “patch” to the place of the rupture and securely sews it on, using threads that self-destruct over time.

After the completion of the surgical intervention, the external ear canal is plugged with a turunda with antibacterial impregnation. The patient is discharged with an ear bandage, which can be removed no earlier than after 7 days.

Self-liquidation of the sutures occurs, as a rule, after about 2-3 weeks. This period is just enough to fully heal the wound. A hole in the eardrum that has been successfully treated will close completely. In the first couple of days of the postoperative period, minor pain in the ear and some discomfort are possible.

In order not to damage the membrane a second time, it is forbidden to sneeze with your mouth tightly closed and take sharp breaths through your nose.

Ossiculoplasty

If the tympanic membrane has ruptured from impact, treatment involves ossiculoplasty. This is the second stage after tympanoplasty (surgery to restore the integrity of the membrane). Such surgical intervention is mainly aimed at reconstructing the damaged sound conduction system. The surgeon restores the chain of auditory ossicles with the help of instruments, replacing the damaged areas with implants.

The operation takes place under local anesthesia. In the first few days of the postoperative period, the patient must strictly comply with the prescribed bed rest. This is very important for a complete healing.

Treatment with folk remedies

After the diagnosis of perforation of the tympanic membrane established by the otolaryngologist, treatment with folk remedies is permissible. However, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor about this. After all, each case is individual, and the main thing is not to harm yourself.

If the victim is diagnosed with otitis with perforation of the eardrum, treatment with propolis will be one of the most successful options. After the course of such treatment is completed, hearing acuity increases significantly, tinnitus decreases and even completely disappears.

For treatment with propolis, its 30-40% alcohol tincture is used, combined with vegetable (preferably olive) oil in a ratio of 1:4. Before each use, the alcohol-oil emulsion should be shaken well. Turundas are impregnated with it and introduced into the ear passages.

It is necessary to leave turundas in the ears for 36 hours for adults and for 10-12 hours for children over 5 years old. It is recommended to do this every time before going to bed. The course of treatment consists of 10 to 12 such procedures. A noticeable increase in hearing is usually noted in 4-6 procedures.

Important: propolis can provoke allergic reactions in those who have a predisposition to allergies to bee products.

Recipes for soaking ear swabs

What to do if the eardrum is damaged, you have already visited the doctor and he gave the green light to the use of folk methods? Of course, you need tampons with special healing impregnations.

To speed up the restoration of the membrane, soak a tampon folded from sterile cotton wool with olive oil and place it in the ear, then cover it with a warm handkerchief and attach a cloth bag with preheated bran on top. In addition, it is recommended to use an infusion of wild rose at room temperature or a decoction of medicinal chamomile flowers of low concentration inside.

Before going to bed, you can put a cotton swab soaked in onion or calendula juice in your ear and leave it all night.

As an alternative, with severe pain, you can use the leaves of fragrant pelargonium. Two or three of these leaves need to be crushed a little with your fingers so that they release juice, then wrap them in a sterile bandage and insert such tampons into the ear canal.

Let's summarize

When the eardrum is damaged, treatment should begin immediately. The prognosis is very favorable if your reaction to ear pain after an accidental injury is adequate and as fast as possible. In this case, you cannot delay. It is recommended to immediately seek advice from a traumatologist or an otolaryngologist (your choice - to whom you get access faster, go to that one).

Minor injuries are characterized by the most favorable prognosis: over half of all cases are self-healing with complete recovery of the victim.

If the injury turned out to be significant, then after healing, a scar forms at the site of the rupture and calcium salts are deposited. In this case, unfortunately, there is no hope for a full recovery. Patients complain of a steady decline in hearing quality. The same not very favorable prognosis is typical for non-healing perforation.

If, as a result of an injury, not only the membrane, but also the auditory ossicles are damaged, the so-called adhesive otitis media can develop, which also leads to hearing loss.

Thus, if the eardrum has burst, you already know what to do. The main thing is not to delay the treatment and contact experienced specialists.

Trauma to the tympanic membrane is damage to the membrane as a result of its puncture, rupture or other factor that can injure it. This disease is rare in children.

Causes of damage to the eardrum

Mechanical damage to the tympanic membrane occurs as a result of direct exposure to it with an object that was introduced into the external auditory opening in order to cleanse it of earwax. Damage can also occur as a result of a loud kiss on the ear - negative pressure occurs in the external auditory canal; when you hit the auricle with open palms, a sharp increase in pressure occurs in the external auditory canal. The eardrum can also rupture as a result of violent sneezing with pinched nostrils. In this case, the pressure in the tympanic cavity and in the tympanic membrane rises sharply.

Mechanical damage can occur after a fall on the ear, with deep injuries. There are household causes of damage to the eardrum. These include chemical and thermal burns that occur due to an accident. Most often, these burns are accompanied by damage to the auricle. Often, a membrane injury can develop after a traumatic brain injury, which is characterized by a fracture of the bones in the region of the bottom of the cranial fossa. Often, after infectious diseases, inflammation can go to the eardrum. The result of this is suppuration, then a rupture. Most often, in young children, an injury to the eardrum occurs due to neglect by adults. They may not see how the child plays with sharp dangerous objects. There may be a rupture or puncture of the eardrum.

Clinical manifestations of damage to the tympanic membrane

When the eardrum is damaged, acute and sharp pain occurs, noise in the ear, ear congestion. When conducting otoscopy, there are different options for trauma to the eardrum. It can be light hemorrhages, and subtotal defects of the tympanic membrane may occur. Patients may report that while blowing their nose, air comes out of the injured ear. The patient has severe hearing loss. If there was a craniocerebral lesion or barotrauma, then blood may flow from the ear canal. In the event of the slightest symptoms of injury to the eardrum, you should immediately consult a doctor. Since if treatment is not started on time, the baby can completely lose his hearing.

Diagnosis of eardrum injury

The patient is examined by an emergency room doctor or an ENT doctor. The diagnosis is made after a visual examination. For this, an otoscope is used. A plastic or metal funnel is inserted into the patient's ear. After that, the patient's auricle is pulled up and back. This technique helps to align the ear canal, after which the eardrum becomes visible. Light is directed into the area of the ear canal. If there is a perforation, you can see a hole in the membrane. If the eardrum is ruptured, the auditory bones of the middle ear may be visible. Based on what you see, a diagnosis is made.

Treatment of damage to the eardrum

If damage to the eardrum does not have any complications, then treatment is minimized. Any manipulations on the eardrum and in the external auditory canal are strictly prohibited. If there are blood clots in the external auditory canal, they must be carefully removed with sterile dry cotton. The walls of the ear canal must be treated with ethyl alcohol, and then put sterile turundas there.

If, as a result of damage to the tympanic membrane, such a complication as purulent inflammation of the middle ear occurs, then treatment is carried out that corresponds to acute purulent otitis media. It is forbidden to drip something into the ear on your own. Rebecca is mostly hospitalized, as he must be under medical supervision to avoid complications. In a hospital setting, antibiotic therapy, cleaning of the oropharynx from infections, physiotherapy procedures are carried out.

Prevention of eardrum injury

To prevent the occurrence of trauma to the eardrum, it is necessary to treat inflammatory diseases of the middle ear in time. If there are noises in the ears, regular dull pain, hearing loss, then you should immediately seek help from a specialist. Self-medication is not necessary.

Young children need constant supervision, you should make sure that they do not put any sharp objects in their ears. Older children should be made aware that playing with firecrackers or similar devices is very dangerous. It is necessary to try not to take any sharp objects to cleanse the ears of sulfur, so as not to injure the eardrum.