I think I may have damaged my ear drum recently....PLZ HELP!?

Question

I think I damaged my ear drum with a cotton bud. It aches a little and can get painful when I listen to headphones. I may have an infection in my ear too. I have taken some ear antibiotic drops. I have taken calpol too. I have a doctors appointment on Tuesday. What should I do? Is their any rush for treatment?

Answer 1

Hi, I'm an Audiologist (hearing and balance specialist)

If you're on Antibiotic drops already, there is not much more you can do. Pain relievers can help, but ear pain is usually very acute. We have many nerves in out ears as a protective measure because the structures are so delicate. It can take a few days for the pain to subside once the medication has taken effect. Here in the U.S. we can only get antibiotic ear drops with a Doctor's prescription, so I'm assuming you've seen a physician if your ear drops do contain antibiotics. I also do not know what "calpol" is.

If you have access to antibiotic drops without first seeing a Dr., then there is the possibility that you have impacted ear wax that you have pushed up against the eardrum. You may also have scraped the skin along your ear canal which could lead to an infection. It is possible, but doesn't seem likely based on your description, that you have ruptured the eardrum.

You won't really know what the damage is until you've had a professional examination. In the meantime, since you do not know the specific cause of your symptoms, DO NOT put anything else in your ear (such as peroxide or sweet oil) because you could make it worse. If the ear drops were not prescribed for you, they may have expired. Just use oral pain relievers and as others have mentioned, and apply heat to the outer ear (such as a hot water bottle).

This is why we always tell patients to NEVER use cotton swabs or anything else to clean their ears. Our ears are self-cleaning - the wax is there to catch dirt and debris and there are hair cells that push it out so we can wash it away with a washcloth while bathing. Extended use of cotton swab can damage those hair cells and they become less effective. Many people have ear canals that are actually smaller than the head of the cotton swab, so the swab does actually push the wax in deeper, where it sits and dries out and will be very painful to have removed by the physician.

Answer 2

If you ruptured it you would know. If kinda feels like someone shot you in the ear and there would be some blood. But the other poster is right...nothin can be done other than let it heal.
I would guess maybe with the Q-tip you pushed more wax towards the eardrum than you removed.
Try getting a warm towel and laying on it with your ear pressed against it.
Another thing that may work is putting a little peroxide in your ear. Lay down bad ear up, put some in and let it fuzz for about 3-5 minutes and then drain it out. Its quite bothersome because it will sound like rice crispies in your ear but it helps break up junk.
Sweet oil is also good at relieving the pressure cause by swelling from you sticking the Q-tip in there.
If you do this and the peroxide do the peroside first and the wait about an hour to get the ear dry.
IThe peroxide may do the trick as I have tried it with numerous friends and family and seems to help alot.

Answer 3

Hi there, don't worry, I know how painful ear infections are as I had two of them last year and it felt like somebody was jamming a metal pole in and out of my ear. I also love using cotton buds and think that this is the cause. All you can to until you app is take paracetamol or aspirin every four hours and get the doctor to prescibe you antibiotics which Im sure he will do anyway. Make sure you take the whole course because if you dont, there is a chance that the infection could come back. Best of luck.

Answer 4

In the mean time make sure you protect your ear, put a piece of cotton swab gently in your ear, don't stuff it in you just want to keep your ear warn and make sure no foreign objects enter it until the doctor checks, also be carefule when showering and washing your hair, try not to get water in it. Don't listen to your earphones at all until after it's been checked, you can cause terrible damage to your hearing, Just hang in there until Tuesday. But keep that ear protected so it has a greater chance of healing. Good luck

Answer 5

I had a perforated ear drum once and the pain from the infection i got was very painfull indeed.
If it gets very painfull or you not a discharge contact your local emergency doctor for some proper antibiotics.
Try lying on a warm hot water bottle to ease mild pain.

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Answer 7

no theres no mad rush but you need to see the doctor who will no doubt give you Otospirin drops and generally that does the trick but he will make a diag when he has a look inside the canal I dont know what calpol is

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Answer 9

not really you can rupture your eardrum and there is really nothing they do for you except time to heal it. stop with the antibiotic drops if you are going to the drs it may mask the infection if there is one there. take some aspirin or motrin for the pain and wait to you get to the drs. you can apply some heat which can give some relief.

Answer 10

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