Ear Health: Ruptured Eardrum

Today we are going to take a look at the health of our ear, and in doing so we are going to be looking at the topic of the day: Ruptured or Damaged Eardrum.
What is the eardrum? It is the thin layer of tissue that is located in the ear canal. It separates the outer ear from the middle ear. According to experts the eardrum will vibrate the moment sound waves hit it. After vibrating, it will instantly convert the sound wave and transfer it to the brain. So the eardrum is very crucial when it comes to our hearing. The main purpose of the eardrum is to protect the middle and inner ear, which are extremely delicate and fragile. The eardrum will thus protect the inner and middle ear from damage and infection.

Because the eardrum as was said earlier on is so thin, it can be easily damaged or ruptured. And when this happens, our inner and middle ear are exposed to dangerous things like infections or can even get damaged leading to permanent hearing loss.

What causes a ruptured eardrum?
There are many things that can contribute to the rupture or destruction of our eardrums. Some of these things include the following:
• Eardrums can be damaged by sudden and extremely loud noise.
• When certain foreign object are forcefully inserted into the ear then the eardrum can get ruptured or damaged
• An infection that affects the middle ear can also cause the eardrum to rupture
• Major accidents like being involved in a vehicle accident can also rupture the eardrum

What are some of the signs and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum? The below cases are some of the common symptoms of a ruptured eardrum.
• The first major symptom of a ruptured eardrum is that the victim would experience extreme earache.
• The victim of a ruptured eardrum can also suffer significant hearing loss which can be accompanied by severe ringing in the ear.
• One can also expect to see drainage coming from the affected ear. Sometimes this drainage may be accompanied by traces of blood.

How a ruptured eardrum is treated
First you should know that a ruptured eardrum is treatable or curable. According to experts, a ruptured eardrum can heal all by itself with two to three months. Doctors can also accelerate the healing of a ruptured eardrum by applying certain medications like antibiotics to the affected ear.
 
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ruptured-eardrum/DS00499/DSECTION=causes