The eardrum is a thin elastic membrane that separates the middle ear from the external auditory canal. Its purpose is to transmit sound vibrations from the environment to the inner ear and protect it from foreign objects. In adults, it has the shape of an oval with the largest diameter of one centimeter, and in children it is almost round.
Perforation or rupture of the membrane
A thin membrane separating the outer and middle ear is sometimes injured. Damage can occur in the form of hemorrhages in the membrane, rupture of blood vessels, and more often cracks and holes form.
This condition leads to hearing loss. In addition, damage to the eardrum contributes to infection of the middle ear. Membrane disruption does not require treatment; healing takes place on its own after a few weeks, except in very difficult cases, when they resort to its restoration by medication or surgery.
Causes of Damage
There are several reasons leading to a violation of the integrity of the membrane:
- Inflammation in the middle ear - a fluid is released that often contains pus and does not have an outflow due to blockage of the Eustachian tube. It exerts pressure and gradually leads to damage to the eardrum.
- Pressure exposure - sudden changes in atmospheric pressure when immersed in or rising from a pond, taking off and landing an airplane, sneezing with pinched nostrils, palm impact on the auricle.
- Air contusion - a sharp and loud sound can lead not only to damage the membrane, but in some cases to inflammation of the middle ear.
- In case of burns with hot liquid or caustic substances. In this case, not only the membrane is affected, but also the mucous membrane of the middle ear.
- Head injuries - domestic, during fights, in road accidents - lead to rupture of the eardrum.
- Damage to a foreign body - when picking a match in the ear with a hairpin, when babies push beads, pebbles and other objects into the ear.
Damage classification
To prescribe the correct treatment, all injuries of the membranes in the ear are classified by:
- lesion area - a part of the damaged surface is allocated from the entire membrane area (1/3, 3/4, 1/2, etc.);
- the form of a gap - point, round, slit-like, with uneven edges;
- the degree of rupture - a complete separation, a gap along the entire height, pinhole perforation of the tympanic membrane.
The doctor takes into account all of the above features when prescribing a course of therapy and to prevent the consequences of an injury.
Symptoms
Damage to the membrane in the ear is accompanied by certain symptoms. It:
- Painful sensations. They occur immediately after the appearance of a membrane defect. When it ruptures, there are unpleasant sensations of "draft" during inhalation and exhalation. The pain does not last long.
- Discharges from the ear - bloody, purulent or transparent - appear with a serious injury.
- Hearing impairment.
- Noise in ears.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea and vomiting.
The severity of signs of perforation of the tympanic membrane depends on the degree of damage. If these symptoms occur as a result of an ear injury, you should consult a doctor for timely treatment and preservation of hearing.
Diagnostics
To diagnose damage to the membrane in the ear, an integrated approach is used, for this purpose:
- Survey of the victim - it turns out under what conditions the injury occurred, the patient's complaints are heard.
- External examination - helps to identify damage to other parts of the body and skin tissues.
- Inspection of the ear using a mirror and reflector or with an otoscope. The doctor assesses the area of damage and the nature of the violation of the integrity of the eardrum. In addition, the doctor examines the nasal passages and oral cavity to assess the integrity and patency of the Eustachian tube.
- A general blood test is prescribed to detect inflammation.
- An x-ray of the skull bones is performed.
- In difficult situations, a tomography of the head is prescribed.
After identifying the causes and studies, the treatment of the tympanic membrane is prescribed.
Treatment methods
With minor damage to the membrane in the ear, no treatment is required; it heals on its own in a few weeks. Slit-shaped tears, which make up no more than a quarter of the surface of the entire membrane, are most quickly healed. The patient is advised to remain calm and not to perform any procedures in the ear canal. In other cases, two methods of treatment are used for rupture of the membrane: medication and surgical.
Medication method
It is used when a small rupture of the eardrum has occurred. The doctor gently with a cotton swab cleans the auricle of blood clots and foreign objects. It then treats the edges of the lesion with alcohol to prevent inflammation. A clean wound is sealed with a paper patch. A few days later it is replaced with a new one. For complete healing, you will have to do up to four such procedures. Sometimes the edges of the wound are cauterized with silver nitrate or chromic acid. To prevent the development of the inflammatory process, antibiotics are indicated.
Surgery
If the tympanic membrane has burst, and the damage area occupies a significant area, or if the medication failed to heal the gap, then they resort to surgery and do myringoplasty. The operation is performed under general anesthesia. A small patch of skin is taken behind the ear of the victim, with the help of a flexible endoscope is superimposed on the hole in the membrane and sewn with self-absorbable threads. The auditory meatus is closed with a swab moistened with an antibacterial agent. After surgery on the eardrum of the ear, the patient may experience pain and discomfort. For successful healing, the patient is advised not to make sharp retracts with his nose and not blow his nose to prevent pressure changes on the membrane. If these rules are not followed, the patch is shifted. After operations, the prognosis is in most cases favorable. The exception is cases when treatment was started late, and deep tissues managed to get the infection.
Pneumatic massage
In case of ear disease, complex treatment is used with the use of medical, surgical and folk remedies, as well as physiotherapeutic procedures. Pneumatic massage of the tympanic membrane is used to stimulate its vibrations that increase muscle tone. To perform the procedure, special electrical or mechanical devices are used, during which the air flow with different intensities acts on the muscle moving the membrane. At home, air is blown using a palm. Treatment helps discharge secretions, eliminate inflammation and strengthen the eardrum. The procedure is recommended at the initial stages of inflammatory processes in the middle ear and in the Eustachian tube, during remission after acute processes and in the postoperative period. With barotrauma or purulent discharge from the ear, the membrane is not massaged. No special skills are required to perform pneumatic massage. The device sets the amplitude, frequency, time of the procedure. A soft tube connected to the device is inserted into the auricle, and the device turns on. Each ear is massaged in turn for 1-3 minutes, usually 10 sessions are performed. After pneumatic massage of the tympanic membrane, the following positive changes are noted:
- the muscle associated with the membrane is strengthened;
- the elasticity of the membrane increases;
- scars disappear and adhesions resolve;
- hearing loss is prevented;
- outflow of serous fluid improves.
In addition, as a result of the procedure, blood circulation is activated and metabolic processes improve.
Eardrum Disorder in Children
Young children are not able to foresee the consequences of complications and damage the ear membrane:
- small objects that are placed in the auditory canal;
- with a cotton swab, when they try to clean their ears on their own.
In addition, an ear membrane defect occurs when:
- colds accompanied by otitis media;
- takeoffs and landings of the airplane while traveling with parents;
- strong noise effects;
- burns;
- exposure to chemicals;
- head injuries.
With any violations of the tympanic membrane, the symptoms in the child occur immediately. He immediately grabs his ears and bursts out with a loud cry. In addition to severe pain, hearing loss, lethargy, chills, vomiting, fever and general malaise are possible. In this case, the child should be shown to the doctor as quickly as possible in order to avoid serious consequences.
Treatment of damage to the membrane in children
After conducting research and diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a course of therapy, which includes:
- Drug treatment. It includes antibiotics, vitamin complexes, ointments, drops, sometimes folk remedies.
- Physiotherapy is carried out using electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, UHF, laser, massage.
- Phytotherapy. Use vitamin teas and decoctions to strengthen the body, make warming compresses.
- Diet therapy. Proper nutrition strengthens the baby’s immune system and helps to recover quickly after an illness.
The doctor selects individually for each child the necessary course of treatment. A baby whose eardrum bursts most often needs treatment with medications with mandatory physiotherapy. In this case, the symptoms of damage quickly disappear, and the membrane is restored more efficiently. Sometimes, with large damage to the membrane, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
Treatment with folk remedies
Folk remedies for violation of the membranes in the ear are used only on the advice of a doctor. They cannot replace official medicine and are used as adjunctive therapy. For quick healing, it is recommended to use more products that contain vitamins and minerals:
- vegetables and fruits;
- greens;
- tincture of hawthorn and wild rose;
- citrus and sweet grape varieties should be preferred.
To wet the turund use propolis tincture, plantain juice, pine needles.
Complications
Possible complications after rupture of the membrane in the ear include the following:
- Hearing impairment - depends on the size and location of the damage. Most often it is a temporary phenomenon. Hearing is restored with perforation healing. However, with extensive damage, partial hearing loss is possible.
- Otitis media - through an open hole in case of non-compliance with the rules for surface treatment with antiseptic agents, the infection enters the middle ear. The onset of the inflammatory process affects the quality of hearing.
- Middle ear cyst - it can form from dead cells of the epithelium of the auditory meatus. Such a formation can damage the middle ear bone.
For any abnormalities after perforation of the membranes in the ear, you should consult a doctor.
Contraindications
In case of violation of the integrity of the septum in the ear and the occurrence of pain is not recommended:
- remove foreign bodies, blood clots and pus themselves;
- rinse with water;
- Warm up in a bath, sauna, heating pad or make a compress.
It is advisable for patients to abandon air travel, parachuting, diving, listening to loud music with headphones.
Prevention
Preventive measures to prevent rupture of the membranes in the ear are as follows:
- timely treat colds;
- do not supercool;
- visit a doctor at the first sign of otitis media;
- do not use sharp objects to clean the ears;
- protect your ears from harsh sounds;
- do not plan flights on airplanes for ear diseases;
- Do not listen to loud music, especially with headphones;
- during take-off and landing of air transport, dissolve the lollipop or open your mouth.
With pain in the ear, you need to visit a doctor at the ENT specialist. With a defect in the eardrum, you can not self-medicate, this can lead to irreversible consequences. Use folk remedies only on the recommendation of a doctor. It should be remembered that timely and correctly conducted therapy restores the ear membrane and retains hearing.