Ruptured eardrum

[ec437]

I just called the doc, they said they'd call me back. Is this something I should go in for today, or can it wait a day or two? What's the procedure here?

[JazzoBazzo]

I blew my left eardrum out while scuba diving about 20 years ago. I had a cold, was stuffed up and took a cold pill before diving. Stupid!!! After taking the pill I couldn't equalize and at about 36 feet jdown I felt it pop!!

 

It became infected. They put me on antibiotics, oral and ear drops, but didn't do anything else about the popped eardrum. It just healed up on its own.

 

Every year I get at least one ear infection in it, especially during the change of seasons from summer to fall.............don't know why.

 

Things may be different for you. I'm not a doctor. I'm just telling you what happened to me.

[Kindness]

I like the Mayo Clinic, they have saved my life a few times. They are the reason I lived in MN as long as I did and the reason I moved to AZ when I did. I don't know much about the subject matter, but this is the first place I'd look:

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ruptured-eardrum/DS00499

[db.]

Holy crap! Heavy doses of mojo sent to you....

[W33nie]

 

I like the Mayo Clinic, they have saved my life a few times. They are the reason I lived in MN as long as I did and the reason I moved to AZ when I did. I don't know much about the subject matter, but this is the first place I'd look: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ruptured-eardrum/DS00499

 

 

Web MD, Mayo clinic, google, they're all good

 

A ruptured eardrum sounds painful:eek: how are you feeling?

[ec437]

 

Web MD, Mayo clinic, google, they're all good A ruptured eardrum sounds painful:eek: how are you feeling?

 

 

It hurts like a bitch but not as bad as when it happened. The doc said it looked pretty bloody but it should start healing in a few days.

[Bluescout]

How did that happen?? I hope you feel better soon. At least you only have to listen to half the crap that you usually do...

[coyote-1]

HUH??

 

I just called the doc, they said they'd call me back. Is this something I should go in for today, or can it wait a day or two? What's the procedure here?

 

WHAT????

[georgestrings]

Best of luck with your ear, dude... Don't screw around - get that thing taken care of, or you'll be real sorry...

 

 

 

- georgestrings

[Craig Vecchione]

[Don MC]

My eardrum ruptured once when some @sshole dip{censored} slapped me on my ear. Went to the doctors and he said the eardrum had a flap that was folded over, so he had to use some sort of tiny suction device to fold it back into place so it would heal correctly.

 

I can only remember the procedure hurt like HELL. Then I had to be careful not to get water into my ear for some time afterwards.

 

Shortly after, I went to a concert with some friends. We all wore earplugs. I amused them by holding my nose and blowing so my earplug popped out.

 

 

EDIT: Oh yeah. I was too drunk to go to the doctor's immediately, so I went the following day.

[BottomHeavyKate]

My mom's eardrum ruptured four or five times....if you are in pain and worried about it go in today.

 

A lot of hospitals have a nurse line you can call. They can typically tell you if you should come in right away or if it's safe to wait.

[venturawest]

1) How did it "rupture" - an infection, did you stick something in it, were you on an airplane, what?

 

2) Are you having any dizziness? Not imbalance, but full-on dizziness like the room is spinning around

 

3) Is there anything draining from the ear?

 

4) Do you have any prior history of ear problems before this?

[ec437]

 

1) How did it "rupture" - an infection, did you stick something in it, were you on an airplane, what?

 

 

Freak q-tip incident.

 

 

2) Are you having any dizziness? Not imbalance, but full-on dizziness like the room is spinning around

 

 

No.

 

 

3) Is there anything draining from the ear?

 

 

Yes.

 

 

4) Do you have any prior history of ear problems before this?

 

 

Nothing serious.

[bassthumpintwin]

I once had a doctor tell me that you shouldn't stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

 

 

That being said, I swab my ears with a Q-Tip almost every day. It just feels good.

[venturawest]

 

Freak q-tip incident. No. Yes. Nothing serious.

 

 

 

Ok. So it was a traumatic perforation caused by a q-tip injury. In most cases, there's no actual perforation of the drum - ER doctors frequently misdiagnose it because they can't see through the blood and irritation. The majority of the time it turns out that it's just injury to the ear canal skin.

 

You need ear drops - preferably, ofloxacin or ciprodex. And keep the ear completely dry for the next 10 days or so - that means no swimming and wear an earplug when showering.

 

Even if there is a true perforation of the drum, when it's caused by traumatic injury - and it doesn't get infected - there's around an 80% chance of spontaneous healing with no need for surgery or additional intervention.

 

You need to be followed up by an ENT doc in your area. If you tell me your area, I'll recommend someone.

 

FYI: Q-tips aka cotton-tipped applicators are EXTREMELY dangerous. They are not meant to EVER be placed inside the ear canal. Even says so on the box. People do it anyway, and this is what can happen. Get out of the habit!

[Kindness]

I subscribe to the nothing smaller than an elbow in my ear except for my ear plugs. Too many ENTs in my life already. I love them all, but I don't need more.

[bassthumpintwin]

 

FYI: Q-tips aka cotton-tipped applicators are EXTREMELY dangerous. They are not meant to EVER be placed inside the ear canal. Even says so on the box. People do it anyway, and this is what can happen. Get out of the habit!

 

 

Indeed. But then again, running a razor sharp blade across your throat (I.E. shaving) can be considered dangerous too.

As long as I'm careful, I don't see the problem.

 

But now I'm curious: What exactly was involved in this "freak" accident?

[ec437]

Ok. So it was a traumatic perforation caused by a q-tip injury. In most cases, there's no actual perforation of the drum - ER doctors frequently misdiagnose it because they can't see through the blood and irritation. The majority of the time it turns out that it's just injury to the ear canal skin. You need ear drops - preferably, ofloxacin or ciprodex. And keep the ear completely dry for the next 10 days or so - that means no swimming and wear an earplug when showering. Even if there is a true perforation of the drum, when it's caused by traumatic injury - and it doesn't get infected - there's around an 80% chance of spontaneous healing with no need for surgery or additional intervention. You need to be followed up by an ENT doc in your area. If you tell me your area, I'll recommend someone. FYI: Q-tips aka cotton-tipped applicators are EXTREMELY dangerous. They are not meant to EVER be placed inside the ear canal. Even says so on the box. People do it anyway, and this is what can happen. Get out of the habit!

 

The drum was definitely perforated because I could blow air through it.

 

I went to see the doc yesterday evening and she said it was pretty bloody and if it didn't show improvement in a few days then she would send me to otorhinolaryngologist. She did not prescribe anything.

 

As far as keeping the ear dry, it is already very moist because of the stuff that's coming out of it

[georgestrings]

I once had a doctor tell me that you shouldn't stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. That being said, I swab my ears with a Q-Tip almost every day. It just feels good.

 

 

Yeah, same here - if we run out, I can't stand the feeling of wax build-up in my ears... I'm just really careful - I've done this my entire adult life, and have never had an incident of any kind...

 

 

 

 

- georgestrings

[venturawest]

The drum was definitely perforated because I could blow air through it. I went to see the doc yesterday evening and she said it was pretty bloody and if it didn't show improvement in a few days then she would send me to otorhinolaryngologist. She did not prescribe anything. As far as keeping the ear dry, it is already very moist because of the stuff that's coming out of it

 

Ok, that's perforated.

 

You should be on ear drops. Not over-the-counter kind, only one of the two I mentioned above. Someone should definitely do that for you.

 

Don't let water get in the ear.

 

As long as you're not having dizziness, there's no emergency. Typically I recommend waiting 10-14 days to see the ENT, because as I mentioned, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 77% of traumatic perforations will heal themselves with no further intervention other than what I've described.

[bassthumpintwin]

 

Yeah, same here - if we run out, I can't stand the feeling of wax build-up in my ears... I'm just really careful - I've done this my entire adult life, and have never had an incident of any kind... - georgestrings

 

 

Indeed. Last time we were out of Q-Tips, I thought I was gonna go crazy. I think I even tried rollng up a paper towel. hahah.

 

When I went to the store that week, I bought TWO boxes. That way when one runs out, I don't have to go without. (until that one runs out anyway)

I even keep a handful in my desk at work. Sometimes you just get that drainy/waxy feeling.

 

I've never had an accident in 25 years.

 

My former bass said he was swabbing his ears out when day, when he went to grab something, leaving the Q-tip in his ear. He then forgot about it, and went to scratch his head, hitting the Q-tip into his ear on the way up.

OUCH!

 

I don't think it did any real damage, but he said it hurt like crazy.

[venturawest]

 

I've never had an accident in 25 years.

 

 

much like my experience over the years with motorcycles - eventually, your time will come.

 

i've seen more of these injuries than you'll ever believe, and i guarantee it would get you off of using them. people permanently deafened, in one case made almost permanently dizzy, all because they had a q-tip in the ear canal when the dog (or the kid, or the spouse, or the mailman) suddenly opened the door, hitting their elbow and shoving the q-tip down.

 

do what you want, i'm not your dad or your conscience or even your personal ENT doctor. but in all likelihood, you're going to suffer an injury, or get a head of a qtip stuck in your ear canal or something of that nature.

[georgestrings]

 

much like my experience over the years with motorcycles - eventually, your time will come. i've seen more of these injuries than you'll ever believe, and i guarantee it would get you off of using them. people permanently deafened, in one case made almost permanently dizzy, all because they had a q-tip in the ear canal when the dog (or the kid, or the spouse, or the mailman) suddenly opened the door, hitting their elbow and shoving the q-tip down. do what you want, i'm not your dad or your conscience or even your personal ENT doctor. but in all likelihood, you're going to suffer an injury, or get a head of a qtip stuck in your ear canal or something of that nature.

 

 

 

I appreciate your concern, and I will most definitely give your words of warning some serious thought - thank you for sharing your experience...

 

Since I have a GSD puppy that's still under a year, I've actually kept myself aware of that possibility, and kept a watchful eye out for it...

 

 

 

- georgestrings

[ec437]

Ok, that's perforated. You should be on ear drops. Not over-the-counter kind, only one of the two I mentioned above. Someone should definitely do that for you. Don't let water get in the ear. As long as you're not having dizziness, there's no emergency. Typically I recommend waiting 10-14 days to see the ENT, because as I mentioned, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 77% of traumatic perforations will heal themselves with no further intervention other than what I've described.

 

Is it unusual that she didn't prescribe the drops? She didn't really offer much advice other than cover it when you shower.

 

Its still dripping a reddish-clear liquid, but it hurts much less now. Although when I went for a run last night I had to take max doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen afterwards because it felt like someone was shoving a red-hot fire poker around in there. I can't blow air through it anymore, which is good I suppose.