# Anyone have experience with eardrum ruptures



## mamathellama (Mar 9, 2008)

Hi!
I have never had problems with ear infections, I haven't had one since I was a kid. I just had a nasty cold for almost two weeks and apparently it turned into an ear infection with rupture although I didn't realize it...
I had a little sinus pressure but it wasn't anything I thought was out of the ordinary. Anyway, Wed night after I took a shower, I flipped my head over to comb my hair out and felt water going somewhere "wrong" and after that my ear felt plugged. I felt a ton of ear pressure that night and since I usually also have lots of ear wax I did the ear wax drops that night and in the morning. Then I started having fluid draining out of my ear and some looked slightly pink. So....I went in to the ENT and he said I had an ear infection with little cystic things on my ear drum and my eardrum had ruptured, fever 100. He gave me ear drops and antibiotics and said the rupture should heal on it's own, because it's not that large. I can go back in 3 weeks *if* I want to have it rechecked...he sounded like I only need to do that if something still doesn't feel right.
Anyway, I've been taking the antibiotic for two days now and I don't have a fever, but my ear still feels blocked. Has anyone else ever been through this...when should I expect to be able to hear normally out of this ear?? I am still having a little bit of drainage but not like the first day and no blood. The feeling is more annoying than anything.
Anyone that can tell me more about what to expect, that would be great! I had never heard of this and it sure scared me!


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

I think I am a few days ahead of you on the ruptured-eardrum-journey. Mine burst a week ago, after flying across the country and having agonizing pain the next day. Been draining all week. Have been to the NP, who looked in and said that it was healing fine. I am on oral abx, which I hate to do, but when I was in agony last week and clear across the country, I knew I wanted to be able to fly home.

I stopped putting drops in as soon as I knew it was ruptured.

The best thing I think I'm doing is putting a warm, rice-filled sock on my ear. I do this about 8-10 times a day. I lie down so that I'm lying on my bad ear. Lots of juicy stuff comes out that way, and it relieves the pressure. I get less fluid now that the hole is closing.

I also take ibuprofen a couple of times a day for the pain, only as needed.

At night, I sleep with my head on a heating pad, and I turn it on a few times throughout the night (automatic shut-off). I put a cloth wipe under my ear to catch the drainage.

If you are vertigo-free, consider yourself lucky. I have had significant vertigo for the past 4 days. Nothing seems to help. I just ram myself around the house doing chores while bumping into things. I can read online for about 5 minutes before I have to rest my eyes. The NP said that the vertigo can last up to 2 weeks.


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## mamathellama (Mar 9, 2008)

Do you still have the feeling that your ear is blocked? I also have some ringing in that ear. The ENT said I should expect also to feel a lot of "fullness" in the next week as it starts to heal.
I'm also sleeping with the bad ear down and a towel to catch everything that's draining out. There is less drainage now than the first day, but it's still gross! Did your dr want to see you again to check if it healed? I am just wondering what is normal protocol and how I know that for sure the infection is gone if my ear is still feeling blocked. Like is the blocked feeling due to the rupture or is it that my tubes still have fluid in them. Anyone know?


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I ruptured an eardrum several years ago after an injury to the head. I had no infection/fluid but still had the blocked feeling. I seem to remember it gradually disappearing over a few weeks, and it took longer then that before sudden, sharp noises were not painful to hear.


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamathellama* 
Do you still have the feeling that your ear is blocked?

*Yes, I do. This is why I still use the hot rice sock - to pull out as much fluid as I can while the hole is open*
I also have some ringing in that ear.

*I do, too. However, I had significant tinnitus in both ears before this began. It's just extra loud and echo-y in that ear now.*

The ENT said I should expect also to feel a lot of "fullness"l in the next week as it starts to heal.
I'm also sleeping with the bad ear down and a towel to catch everything that's draining out. There is less drainage now than the first day, but it's still gross! Did your dr want to see you again to check if it healed?

*The NP said to come back only if the drainage was yellow or green. I thought it was yellow the night after she told me that, so I went back in. However, "that is the good yellow (ear wax)." She also told me that the hole had improvement over the day before.*

I am just wondering what is normal protocol and how I know that for sure the infection is gone if my ear is still feeling blocked. Like is the blocked feeling due to the rupture or is it that my tubes still have fluid in them. Anyone know?

*I would say if you still feel significant pain or if the drainage becomes green and gross - then you have a problem.*


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

I just wanted to jump back in here and add that if you have a partner who can give you a neck and shoulder rub, go for it! DP gave me a good rubbing last night, and it really helped clear my Eustachian tube. And, lots more fluid came out the ear during my sleep.

Still dizzy, however. I think some ginger tea helped with that yesterday afternoon.


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## mamathellama (Mar 9, 2008)

Thanks ladies, it is helpful just to hear other people going through the same thing and what you're doing to handle it. I still wouldn't say I'm actually "dizzy" but I've bumped into a couple things







No more drainage, so I think the ear infection is cleared up (I did take antibiotics, which normally I would avoid, but he said it looked awful and after all my eardrum did rupture!). Ear still feels totally blocked







How are you doing?


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