Perforated Eardrums and Their Role in Hearing Loss
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Updated September 03, 2013.
Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.
What Is the Eardrum?
The eardrum is between the middle ear and the outer ear. It is made of a thin layer of tissue. Another word for eardrum is "tympanic membrane."Eardrum and Hearing
The eardrum plays an important role in the hearing process. When sound waves hit the eardrum, the eardrum vibrates. Those vibrations are transmitted to the small bones of the middle ear, which in turns sends signals to the inner ear (where the cochlea is) and from there, to the brain.Symptoms of a Perforated Eardrum
The eardrum can become perforated (a hole is created), through injury or infection.How do you know if you have a perforated eardrum? Symptoms of a perforated eardrum include hearing loss, pain, and drainage from the ear. A perforated eardrum may heal on its own, but if infection caused the perforation, it may not heal properly. Conversely, a perforated eardrum puts the ear, particularly the middle ear, at risk for infection.
Perforated Eardrum and Hearing Loss
So if the eardrum is damaged, the hearing process is interrupted. Hearing loss (usually temporary, though it can be permanent) may result from a perforated eardrum. How much hearing loss there is, depends on the size of the hole.What to Do About Perforated Eardrum?
To help a perforated eardrum heal properly, it is important to keep the ear dry. In more severe cases, the eardrum may have to be reconstructed through a type of surgery called a tympanoplasty. A tympanoplasty rebuilds the eardrum using the patient's own tissues.Sources:
Perforated Eardrum. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/perforatedEardrum.cfm. Accessed December 2009.
Ruptured Eardrum: Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001038.htm. Accessed December 2009.
Tympanic Membrane. New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. http://www.nycornell.org/ent/tympanic.membrane.perf.html. Accessed December 2009.
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