Even minor injuries to the outer ear or ear canal can lead to bleeding and infection that can affect other parts of the ear. Inserting something into the ear. Things like a cotton swab, fingernail, or pencil can scratch the ear canal or cause a tear or hole in the eardrum (called a ruptured eardrum).
Inserting an object into the ear.
This includes fingers, cotton swabs, safety pins and pencils. Any of these can easily rupture the eardrum.
a ringing or buzzing sound in your ear (tinnitus) earache or ear pain. itching in your ear. clear fluid, blood or pus leaking from your ear.
A tear in the eardrum can allow bacteria and other things to get into the middle ear and inner ear. This could lead to an infection that might cause more permanent hearing damage. Most perforated eardrums heal in a few days to weeks. If they don't heal, sometimes doctors do a surgery to repair the hole.
A ruptured eardrum, like a clap of thunder, can happen suddenly. You may feel a sharp pain in your ear, or an earache that you've had for a while suddenly goes away. It's also possible that you may not have any sign that your eardrum has ruptured.
Most ruptured (perforated) eardrums heal without treatment within a few weeks. Your provider may prescribe antibiotic drops if there's evidence of infection. If the tear or hole in the eardrum doesn't heal by itself, treatment will likely involve procedures to close the tear or hole.
Sharp ear pain commonly results from an infection or a temporary change in air pressure or altitude. In other cases, it may stem from TMD or a foreign object lodged in the ear. The pain, though unpleasant, may be no cause for concern and resolve without treatment.
Most eardrum tears from Q-tips come from accidents that happen while the swab is in their ear. For example, someone falling in the bathroom while they had a Q-tip in their ear may pop an eardrum. If carefully using a Q-tip to clean your ears, it's unlikely that it would cause eardrum damage.
Tinnitus may occur as a result of a ruptured eardrum, which is a buzzing, ringing or whooshing sound in your ears with no external cause.
If the eardrum is ruptured, the doctor will see an opening in it. The bones of the middle ear may also be visible. Pus draining from the ear may make it harder for the doctor to see the eardrum. If pus is present and blocking the view of the eardrum, the doctor may need to suction the ear to clear the pus.
So if you tap on the eardrum, you're sending shock waves into the inner ear and you can cause problems with your hearing and balance. What's a worst-case scenario? If you put a Q-tip into your ear you could puncture your eardrum and that may require surgery to fix it.
You may have an earache or have fluids that drain from the ear. Your eardrum should heal on its own in a few weeks, and you should hear normally then. If you have an infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Over-the-counter pain reliever may help your earache.
Digging in your ears can easily cause damage to your eardrum, as mentioned above. As a result, you will have some hearing problems as your eardrum repairs itself. That's a key point to make; your eardrums can repair and heal over time. So, the damage doesn't have to be permanent.
Cotton buds can damage the inner ear
Although they may seem soft to the touch of your fingers, in a sensitive space such as the ear they have a lot of potential for damage. If you push one into your ear too hard then you could instantly perforate the eardrum, for example, which is incredibly painful.
The ear can be injured (traumatized) in a number of different ways. The more common types of injuries are a slap to the ear, a cotton swab injury, a severe blow to the head from falling off a bicycle or having a motor vehicle accident. These types of injuries can range from minor to severe, needing emergency surgery.
Ruptured or Burst Eardrum
If you suspect a burst eardrum, keep the ear clean by placing sterile cotton over the outside and go to the nearest emergency room for medical help. Never push cotton swabs into the ear to try to clean it, or pour liquid inside.
Muffled hearing can occur in one or both ears. When the condition occurs in one ear, it's likely a sign of a single-sided ear infection, a clogged ear or earwax buildup. Muffled hearing due to sinus infections or changes in pressure while flying or changing altitudes typically occurs in both ears.
While people assume they are just keeping their ears tidy, using a cotton swab in their ear canal can cause damage and affect their hearing. Delicate eardrums can be perforated by a cotton swab — or any other long, narrow object.
How far is the eardrum situated within the ear? The eardrum lies approximately 2.5 millimeters (1 1/8 inch) from the ear's opening canal. However, this could be different based on the shape and size of the ear. It's crucial to know that the eardrum can be a fragile, sensitive area of the ear.
An infection in your outer ear canal or middle ear behind your eardrum can be painful. It can hurt to touch the ear itself or even the skin in front or behind the ear. Since the conditions are treated differently, your doctor can find out where your pain is coming from and then treat it appropriately.
Outer ear infections are often very painful– especially when you touch or tug on your earlobe. Itching is common too. The skin in the ear canal is red and swollen, and sometimes also sheds skin flakes or oozes a liquid. The ear might then become blocked, making it difficult to hear properly.
If your ear hurts to touch, you may have an outer ear infection (otitis externa). This infection of the outer ear and the ear canal is caused by bacteria or fungi that thrive in the moist, dark environment of the ear.
Cholesteatoma — this is an abnormal growth of cells in the middle ear, which can cause fluid with a bad smell to leak from the ear. A serious head injury — this can cause fluid from the brain to leak out of the ear. The fluid might look clear or blood-stained. Eczema of the ear — this can cause clear discharge.