Causes

It’s not clear why children put foreign objects in their ears, but they do. Sometimes they may not be aware, or they may forget, that they have put a small object in the ear until it starts to bother them or cause problems. Some adults attempt to clean their ears using a cotton swab or a thin, sharp instrument. Even a cotton swab can puncture the delicate eardrum. Other causes of a ruptured eardrum include:

• A blow to the ear
• A very loud noise close to the ear
• Rapid change in pressure, as happens while flying, while scuba diving, or even sometimes while driving at high altitudes

Symptoms

• Earache, a partial hearing loss, and discharge or even bleeding from the ear can indicate a perforated eardrum.
• Dizziness, nausea, or a buzzing in the ear can indicate an ear emergency if there has been some kind of trauma to the ear.

Prevention

• Never put anything inside your ear to clean it. A cotton swab can puncture your eardrum. Use a washcloth and your finger to clean your ears.
• Protect your ears at times when there is likely to be loud noise, such as at a live concert, by using earplugs.

First Aid

• If you can see an object in the ear clearly and you can grab the end of it easily with a tweezers, you can remove the object.
• If you can’t see what’s stuck in the ear, get medical help. Don’t try to dig into the ear canal with tweezers or another instrument. You could force the object deeper into the ear or damage the eardrum.
• If the eardrum may have been ruptured, put some sterile cotton in the outer part of the ear to keep it clean while you get a doctor’s help.
• Don’t flush your ear if you think you may have a ruptured eardrum or an infection.
• If the ear is draining, have the person lie on his or her side with the affected ear down so that it can drain.
• Ease pain by placing a warm cloth on the ear.