Perforated Eardrum

A hole or tear in the tympanic membrane

Overview

A perforated eardrum is a hole in the thin membrane that separates the ear canal from the middle ear. Common causes are middle ear infections that burst through the drum, sudden pressure changes, blast injuries, and objects pushed into the ear. Symptoms can include sudden pain followed by drainage, muffled hearing, and ringing. Many small perforations heal on their own over weeks. Persistent perforations can lead to recurrent infections and conductive hearing loss, and may be repaired surgically with a graft in a procedure called tympanoplasty or myringoplasty.