busted ear drum

[slightlyhuman]

Was wakeboarding, had a very hard fall. Pretty sure I busted something as I can blow air/water out of my right ear when I hold my nose and push.

It's not excruciating pain but it's pretty annoying. Feels like a lot of pressure on the inside.


Don't really want to go to the ER. I just took 4 aspirin hoping to help.


What to do? Just deal with it I suppose? I read online they usually heal themselves. If the pain keeps increasing I might as well go to the ER.


Moved to Health and Fitness.

minendo
Forum Administrator

 

[silverpig]

I perforated my eardrum using one of those squirter things (ear irrigation devices) trying to clean it out. It hurt good, and I couldn't hear very well out of it. I went to the doctor, he said it was perforated and that it'd heal itself. It did, and I can hear fine now.

You should probably still see the doc though.

 

[yhelothar]

If your eardrum is gone, and there's air/water freely flowing through your middle ear to your outer ear, I doubt you'd feel any pressure.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Should be alright but don't keep blowing crap through it and go see a doctor too.

 

[Scarpozzi]

It's common. It will heal back. There's little a doctor can do except prescribe stronger drops than what you can get over the counter. You might want to put some cotton in your ear to keep the wind factor to a minimum.

 

[slightlyhuman]

little bits of water keep coming out..

i might make an appt this week to get it checked out. hurts when i hiccup!

 

[yhelothar]

When you say you can blow air/water, is that into your ear, or completely through and out of your ears?

If it's the former, that's totally normal. The air/water is going to the middle ear through the eustachian tube, that connects the nasal cavity to the middle ear. That's actually how your ears control the air pressure in your ears, through that tube. Sometimes on a plane, or driving up a mountain, your ears won't pop, you can do the nose squeeze and blow to force air through that tube.

 

[lyssword]

can blow air in one ear so that it comes out of the other?

 

[slightlyhuman]

I can hold my nose and blow and hear the air pass through to the outside. I hear water swishing around as well. When I do that a little water seeps out on the tip of my finger.

I'm wondering if I should lay my head down and let the remaining water drain out or would I be ok to go out for a couple hours with some friends..?

 

[yhelothar]

If your eardrums are gone, you should definitely be nearly deaf on that ear.

 

[slightlyhuman]

waters been slowly leaking out on my pillow all night.

there's still some in there. i'm guessing this is normal??

no pain really, just the muffled sound is driving me nuts.

 

[uberman]

As an old diver I've seen guys with busted eardrums smoke a cigarette out of their ear. Can you do that and then blow the smoke out of your nose or mouth?