Perforated eardrum - Causes of a perforated eardrum

A perforated eardrum can have several different causes.

Middle ear infection

An infection of the middle ear is one of the most common causes of a perforated eardrum. If you have an ear infection, pus can build up inside your ear and put pressure on your eardrum.

Sometimes, the amount of pus in your ear can build up so much that the eardrum bursts, allowing the pus to escape. This mucus discharge is a common symptom of a perforated eardrum.

Injury

A perforated eardrum is sometimes caused by an injury to the eardrum. For example, a severe blow to the ear or poking an object such as a cotton bud deep into the ear may perforate your eardrum.

Loud noises

A perforated eardrum can be caused by a sudden loud noise. For example, the shockwaves from a loud explosion can damage the sensitive parts of your ear, including the eardrum.

A perforated eardrum caused by a loud noise will often cause severe hearing loss and ringing in your ears (tinnitus).

Changes in air pressure

Sudden changes in air pressure, such as when changing altitude in an aircraft, often cause pain in the ear. Occasionally, sudden pressure changes can cause your eardrum to become perforated. This can also happen when you are scuba diving or driving at high altitudes.

This occurs because there is a big difference between the air pressure outside the ear and the pressure inside the middle ear.