If you have hearing problems, frequent discharge from the eardrum, slight sporadic pain in the ear or sudden relief from a chronic ear ache, you may be suffering from a perforated ear drum. The eardrum is made of a thin membrane in the shape of a cone within the ear canal. The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, has the function of transmitting audio signals from the air through the ear and to the ossicles in the middle ear. It also has the function of providing a layer of protection to the middle ear, keeping harmful materials such as bacteria, water and other foreign debris out of it.
Causes of an Eardrum Perforation
There are several reasons that an eardrum can become perforated, but the condition…show more content… Treatment of the Perforated Eardrum
Medical treatment of a perforated eardrum starts with a hearing test. This will help provide a benchmark for initial damage and gradual improvement. Next, the perforation should be closed. This helps the healing process along, improves hearing, lessens the effects of tinnitus and helps prevent water from getting into the ear canal after activities such as bathing or swimming. In addition, properly mending the eardrum will help prevent cholesteatoma, a cyst that develops on the middle ear that can damage areas of the ear and cause chronic ear infections.
In cases where the perforation is particularly minor, otolaryngologists may choose to simply let the eardrum heal on its own, but they can also choose to make a patch on the perforation to help promote healing. This process includes examining the perforation with a microscope, applying a chemical solution designed to encourage healing and the growth of tissue to the damaged area and putting a paper patch over the wound. The wound may need several patch applications before the wound is fully healed, but many patients heal fully with this
