Burst eardrum.

[Vormulac]

Hello folks,

Mine blew last night, was wondering how long it takes to heal properly?

Cheers!

V.

 

[big soft moose]

this is one of those how long is a piece of string questions and ranges from 2weeks- to never, depending on the severity of the damage and the cause.

what did your doctor say ?

(and incidentally what were you doing to blow your ear drum in the first place ?)

 

[Vormulac]

I've had the most appalling couple of weeks, health-wise. I had a bad cold which moved to my chest and had me coughing like an 80-a-day man, then on Tuesday evening I started to get earache which I just though was a spot in myear or something (you know how anything in your ear always feels worse than it is), but the earache got worse so on Wednesday I went to my GP and she confirmed an infection and that the ear canal was full of 'debris' and pus (sorry - TMI) and so she put me on two different anti-biotics.
Then on Thursday evening my back went completely as well!
The back has slowly improved with a couple of emergency visits to my chiropractor and plenty of painkillers, but the ear got worse and then the other ear started to hurt too. The last two nights I haven't slept because of the agony in my head, then last night after about 4 hours actually crying with pain I passed out around 0400hrs. When I woke up this morning there was blood and goo all over the pillow, it was a blessed relief though as the pressure was gone and most of the pain with it.
I went to Casualty this morning to get it looked at and the doc suggested infection was probably something that came in on the back of the cold/chest infection. It feels bloody weird, but I'm glad the pain has decreased - I seriously don't recommend it to anyone!!

 

[big soft moose]

I've had the most appalling couple of weeks, health-wise. I had a bad cold which moved to my chest and had me coughing like an 80-a-day man, then on Tuesday evening I started to get earache which I just though was a spot in myear or something (you know how anything in your ear always feels worse than it is), but the earache got worse so on Wednesday I went to my GP and she confirmed an infection and that the ear canal was full of 'debris' and pus (sorry - TMI) and so she put me on two different anti-biotics.
Then on Thursday evening my back went completely as well!
The back has slowly improved with a couple of emergency visits to my chiropractor and plenty of painkillers, but the ear got worse and then the other ear started to hurt too. The last two nights I haven't slept because of the agony in my head, then last night after about 4 hours actually crying with pain I passed out around 0400hrs. When I woke up this morning there was blood and goo all over the pillow, it was a blessed relief though as the pressure was gone and most of the pain with it.
I went to Casualty this morning to get it looked at and the doc suggested infection was probably something that came in on the back of the cold/chest infection. It feels bloody weird, but I'm glad the pain has decreased - I seriously don't recommend it to anyone!!

Have to sat that that sounds like an abcess or something rather than a technically "burst ear drum" the latter is usually caused by being too close to a very loud noise (for example my mate jamier who is a solider, suiffered a burst eardum after his vehicle was IED'ed in iraq)

Can you still hear ?

all in all chances are good that assuming the infection doesnt reoccur you will heal up fine in a couple of weeks - but it might be an idea to stay away from loud noises and excessive dust until the doc gives you the all clear

 

[studders]

:shock:

Yeah but, apart from that, How you been doing?




Hope you feel OK soon. I hate being ill. Even just a cold, sorry - Man Flu, gets me down.

 

[special bone]

The honest answer is that you won't notice when it gets better.

Try not to get any water in your ear for a while, let it all dry out properly. In about 2 weeks you'll realise you can hear again.

It's taken me 30 years but I have now finally accepted it.
DO
NOT
PUT
ANYTHING
IN
YOUR
EAR
EVER

I get a fluid buildup in mine so I kept using cotton buds. Several ear infections and a trip to the specialist later, I stopped using them for 6 months. Then I thought I'd just give them a quick clean. Two days later the lefthand side of my head bore no resemblance to the righthand side of my head.

If it gets bad again, apart from seeking medical help, try sleeping sat up slightly, it reduces the pressure slightly.

 

[barkwindjammer]

30 years

 

[Mike.C]

The first time I ever went to the US I did something to my ear which even today I do not know what it was :roll: All I remember is that as we approached Huston I felt a pain in my ear and then for about 2 weeks after, almost continually, I had a clear fluid running out of it, with ever now and again a very slight pain. I could hardly hear through that ear, but I think that was more down to the fluid.

I was told that some people have problems with cabin pressure when losing height before landing, so after that every time I fly I chew gum or suck a boiled sweet just before I land, and I have never had the problem again.

Anyone else come across this?

When I was about 16 I had an abcess in each ear at the very same time, and the pain drove me mad.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Vormulac]

Bloody Hell, an abcess in both ears? The pain of one infected eardrum had me crying for hours and pretty much at the 'kill me' stage.

 

[Digit]

I'm deaf in both ears and have to use an aid V. Your drum hasn't burst it has ruptured. If the internal parts of your ear haven't been damaged then the membrane should heal like any other piece of flesh.
If the internal ear has been damaged, mine was by an abscess, then you may well suffer some hearing loss.
It it a very painful condition but till the infection has cleared up it will continue to drain through the rupture.
I loss the use of my other ear as the result of a skull fracture, the blood ruptured that drum and damaged the internal mechanism so that now I have little sense of balance either, but you do adjust.
As advised, stay away from water, no swimming and absolutely no diving or SCUBA sports.

Roy.

 

[Mike.C]

I'm deaf in both ears and have to use an aid V. Your drum hasn't burst it has ruptured. If the internal parts of your ear haven't been damaged then the membrane should heal like any other piece of flesh.
If the internal ear has been damaged, mine was by an abscess, then you may well suffer some hearing loss.
It it a very painful condition but till the infection has cleared up it will continue to drain through the rupture.
I loss the use of my other ear as the result of a skull fracture, the blood ruptured that drum and damaged the internal mechanism so that now I have little sense of balance either, but you do adjust.
As advised, stay away from water, no swimming and absolutely no diving or SCUBA sports.

Roy.

Blinking hell sorry to hear that Roy. With my abscess's I was pretty lucky then.

 

[Digit]

Like I said Mike, you adjust, but without a doubt the abscess was one of the most painful things I've known so you'll be glad to be free of that!

Roy.

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi V,

I sincerely hope everything clears up, and I can believe you when you say you cried. When my disc went completely, I was suffering those whacking-racking pains, at the rate of one every five seconds or so. I sobbed a bit too!

Finally went into shock, and the Doc had me whisked into Casualty. (Where they treated me like a sack of spuds!) So I know of what you speak. At least the radiologist managed to get me up and about again.


My ears hiss slightly now, too, but so far it's just excess wax, which I clear up with Medicinal Olive Oil. Hope the heaven I don't get anything worse.

So all the best on that one, and get well soon V.

John




John

 

[Mike.C]

One thing I forgot to ask about is wax. I seem to be forever suffering from excess wax. I go to the doctors where they syringe my ears, and the only way to describe it is to think about swimming under water where you can hear muffled voices and then when you come up the noise increases 100 fold. Not that my hearing is that bad it's just that after syringing it is much clearer.
The only trouble is that it only lasts a couple of weeks before they begin to become blocked again. :roll: So I have to put up with it because I cannot keep running to the doctors all of the time.

I have thought about getting one of those kits from the chemist, but looking on the Internet there seems to be countless of different kits that cost anything from £2.87 to £128.00 http://www.google.co.uk/products?hl=en& ... =N&start=0 But the thing that really worries me is the damage that I or any other non medical person could case to my ear.

Do any members use any of these kits?

Cheers

Mike

 

[Russell]

You can get drops to stop wax build up and to disperse hard wax my daughter has to use them and so does my dads dog (different ones for the dog)

 

[Mike.C]

You can get drops to stop wax build up and to disperse hard wax my daughter has to use them and so does my dads dog (different ones for the dog)

so does my dads dog (different ones for the dog)

Oh thanks very much :lol:

Seriously I will ask a pharmacist. The only trouble I have found with these drops is the cotton wool does not get anywhere near enough out and what's left just hardens up again. I could try a cotton wool bud but I was always told not to use them.

On the other hand there maybe better drops out now, so I will investigate.

Thank you

Cheers

Mike

 

[studders]

I've sorta gone off the idea of Breakfast now.

 

[Mike.C]

I've sorta gone off the idea of Breakfast now.

When I was writing the above I did think "wax" what a horrible discussion.

Cheers

Mike

 

[RogerS]

I've sorta gone off the idea of Breakfast now.

You mean Marmite has lost its' appeal ?

 

[studders]

Not Wax as such Mr C , just the variety being discussed.


Cheers Rog, now I've gone off Marmite too.