Part 0800.0005

[ChrisP]

I found out today I have a burst ear drum and ear infection. Not ideal It's extremely painful at the moment, so hoping it will be less painful soon with the antibiotics I've been given!

Does anyone know whether I should keep the ear dry or not? And if so, then how long for?

Thanks

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Ouch . Sorry, I don't know the answer, just wanted to offer sympathy, it sounds painful .

[Lewis]

I think you should - Nat, my brother, had a burst eardrum, gromits etc, and ended up having an operation. He had earplugs fitted for the shower + has been told loads of stuff about being careful swimming etc.

 

Wouldn't hurt to keep it dry for a bit

[Chucky Mama]

OH burst his ear drum following a severe ear infection picked up in a holiday swimming pool (apparently not uncommon). It was very painful before it burst and then it improved and healed very quickly. I don't recall him taking special measures to keep it dry. He didn't swim though.

[Cate in NZ]

I'd suggest that keeping it dry would be a good move, just use some ear plugs (or cotton wool maybe ) when showering, and avoiding swimming for the time being.

I'd also suggest seeing your GP or nurse in a couple of months just to check it's healed. Perforated ear drums almost always heal by themselves, but rarely they don't & then they may need specialist follow up & repair.

Useful patient info leaflet: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Perforated-Eardrum.htm

 

Hope it starts to feel heaps better very soon. I think ear pain is right up there with toothache for really getting you down.

[Purplemaniacs]

Hope you feel better soon.

 

Chrissie

[welovemarmite]

i have really itchy, blocked feeling ears.... went to the docs sometime ago and they just tell me it will go away.... any ideas?? Its annoying!!

[bluekarin]

My son burst his ear drum 5 or so years ago and has now only just been signed off the ENT books. He had an ear infection which was really smelly The GP gave him antibiotics which did nothing so we had to go to the ENT department at the hospital where he was given stronger ones. But his eardrum hole was a bit more serious than we first thought as his had almost completely gone and stared to regrow along the ear canal which meant there was nothing protecting his inner ear He had an operation to have a new one sewn in which has completly healed. and was, as I say, signed off their books last week.

 

It is very important to keep it dry as the infection will keep recurring if it gets any water in there. You can buy ear plugs but the best ones are the moulded ones they make in the ENT department. Bit fiddly to get in, but worth it. The only down side of them is as they are so small you tend to misplace them a bit too easily. Or, as happened at school, some girls found his and didn't know what it was so threw it away

[chickencam]

My YD had a burst ear drum when she was 7 and the smell was something else

 

She had been a bit miserable but didn't mention her ears until just before the drum burst at which point the pain went from really bad to much better very quickly. Fortunately she healed quickly, but she does get blocked ears when she has a cold, the last time she had to be given a nasal spray to clear them.

 

Keep your ears dry and it should soon heal with the antibiotics, hope you feel better soon.

[AJuff]

OOOOo painful, I remember the feeling well enough. When I burst an ear drum I just kept it reasonably dry, showering wasn't too much of a problem I just put in a bit of cotton wool. It healed very quickly once the antibiotics kicked in. I lost my hearing in that ear. It gradually returned within six months.

 

Hope you heal well!!! At least you're not in pain now!

[Mrs Webmuppet]

LMW is prone to ear trouble. We were told to use some Blue Tack in her ears for swimming, showering etc ( new Blue Tack of course) as it moulds easily, is cheap, doesn't matter if it gets lost and of course fairly hygienic ( we throw the used bit away after a couple of uses to prevent further infection). It was a tip from a friend who is a retired GP, apparently she picked the tip up from GOSH.

[bluekarin]

LMW is prone to ear trouble. We were told to use some Blue Tack in her ears for swimming, showering etc ( new Blue Tack of course) as it moulds easily, is cheap, doesn't matter if it gets lost and of course fairly hygienic ( we throw the used bit away after a couple of uses to prevent further infection). It was a tip from a friend who is a retired GP, apparently she picked the tip up from GOSH.

 

Wish we thought of that. Before we got DS's moulded one, we used to use cotton wool buds covered with Vaseline. Not nice *ewwww*