Popped my eardrum today

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faramir

Joined
Oct 30, 2004
Messages
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Before my teens i had this inner ear infection which resulted in surgical procedure during which my eardrums were pierced. It took those eardrums something like 10 years to heal back fully (so i couldn't blow air out through my ears anymore). They lasted well, until today - i managed to pop my left eardrum again so i can blow air out of my lungs through it, mouth and nose closed; right ear on the other hand feels as if it was immersed in a water tank (you know the feeling, it's exactly the same as when you dive and every sound seems so distant and yet it resonates right in the center of your skull). It doesn't hurt at all if i don't poke it, there's no blood coming out, i think the hole is quite small.

I was wondering if any of you experienced pierced eardrums before and whether you went to see the doc with it or just left it to heal on your own. I really have no desire to see the doctors (between waiting and ungodly unpleasant procedure to clean the mess inside the inner ear up) so i was wondering if this thing would perhaps heal on its own, without an infection ? (infections suck and ache like hell, right in the center of the friggin skull) Like i said, back when i wasyoung the drums healed up eventually and pretty much on their own - no medications, no control/supervision or additional procedures from doctors, except for (initially regular, but later far more scarce) hearing tests.

Anybody with first-hand experience that can chime in ? Would i need to see a specialist to tell me wtf has actually happened (how big the hole is and all) or can my regular doc do it with that ear-peeking thingy she's got ?
 
I've had bad ears since birth, I create ear wax like you wouldn't believe. No pierced ear drums to my knowledge, but whenever I go up in the mountains, my eardrums pop, and blood comes out! Like you, I guess I better get my ears checked!
 
I wouldnt fool around, go to the doc. Eyes and ears are nothing to fool with. Also ask around to find a good one. I once had a clogged eustation tube in my ear and it took 3 different Docs to tell me it was the eustation tube. Good luck.
 
I would go just to have it checked out. No specialist just a primary care. There is really nothing than can be done. But it would be good to have someone look to make sure its just what you describe and nothing worse.

ruptured eardrum



Paul
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I've had bad ears since birth, I create ear wax like you wouldn't believe. No pierced ear drums to my knowledge, but whenever I go up in the mountains, my eardrums pop, and blood comes out! Like you, I guess I better get my ears checked!
Click to expand...

I don't have an ear popping problem but i do have excessive wax production. I asked the ENT guy and he said that normally the ear is self cleansing but certain people just tend to have their wax compacted inside. He says sometimes it's the way you grind your teeth when you sleep or jaw movement or something like that. This massages the wax to go further inside.

The best thing i've found yet is Audiclean. It's not one of those normal ear wax remover. It's sort of a spray you use while you're showering. If you use it about 3 times a week you'll have relatively clean ears. IT WORKS.
 
Any chance you could get an infection inside the ear is a great reason to see a doctor. You probably don't need a specialist at this point, but you might need antibiotics while the problem is new, so the ear will heal more quickly.
 
I burst my left eardrum in sept 03... 7 weeks of being 1/2 deaf, constant migranes and no balance at all.

enjoy.
 
Hi All-

One also doesn't want infections proximal to the brain and heart. Please see a doctor posthaste!

~ Blue Jays ~
 
blew a eardrum from diving. Infection made it one of the more unpleasant experiences of my life. See a doc and get antibiotics. Feel better soon!
 
Thanks for input fellows, i went to doc's today, they had me see the specialist and the verdict is eardrum rupture through existing scar with some (hopefully temporary) hearing loss and antibiotics up my ear. Such is life :(
 
Good move. It ruptured through an existing scar ... next time would be worse. The older you get, the harder it would be to treat.
 
good going seeing the doctor... i dont want to sound insensitive but if you could blow air out your ear, you should be able to blow smoke and create a pretty cool effect right? ;) talk about intimidation...
 
I punctured my left eardrum playing soccer when I was younger. It took three surgeries to fix it, but I did get back to nearly normal hearing in my left ear. The worst part of having punctured it (aside from the repeated surgeries) is the weird behavior effects it has had on me. Since I went so long having to be careful with my left ear and having bad hearing in it, I now almost never talk on the phone with my left ear. Also, I get a little uncomfortable when submerging my head in water since I had to keep my left ear dry the whole time it was punctured.

Neither is a big deal, but I find it interesting how you can learn to do something out of necessity and then it becomes difficult to stop or go back to the way you were before.

edit--btw, I originally went to a normal doctor and was then referred to a couple different ear, nose, and throat specialists for the surgeries.
 
I was sparring with my brother about 10 years back or so and he kicked me in the ear hard enough to pop the eardrum. I disregarded it, didn't go to the doc and ended up with a very painful ear and jaw and a tender skull all along with a grayish fluid dripping out my ear. Even I knew that this is bad.

I ended up in the ER with an attending doctor who wasn't happy with me... I got what is probably one of the sternest lectures of my life for that one- apparently I was within a few days of a terminal brain infection.

Yeah, so, my advice even if I did miss the bell= don't mess around with the ear, go see a good ear nose and throat guy.
 
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