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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include:
- Sharp, sudden ear pain that usually goes away quickly
- Clear, pus-filled or bloody drainage from your ear
- Hearing loss
- Ringing in your ear (tinnitus)
- Spinning sensation (vertigo) that usually goes away quickly
- Nausea or vomiting that can result from vertigo
When to see a doctor
Your middle and inner ears are composed of delicate mechanisms that are sensitive to injury or disease. Prompt and appropriate treatment is important to preserve your hearing. Call your doctor if you experience any of the signs or symptoms of a ruptured eardrum or any pain or discomfort in your ears.
- Perforated eardrum. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/perforatedEardrum.cfm. Accessed Jan. 3, 2009.
- O'Handley J, et al. Otorhinolaryngology. In: Rakel R, ed. Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders/Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/115405234-5/0/1481/281.html?tocnode=53392988&fromURL=281.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50027-0--cesec49_1202. Accessed Jan. 3, 2009.
- Mirza S, et al. Otic barotrauma from air travel. Journal of Laryngology and Otology. 2005;119:366-370.
- Ramakrishnan K, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of otitis media. American Family Physician. 2007;76:1650-1658.
- Staffel JG, et al. Hearing loss. In: Wax M, ed. Primary Care Otolaryngology. 2nd ed. Alexandria, Va.: American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; 2005. http://www.entnet.org/EducationAndResearch/updload/Chapter-6-Hearing-Loss.pdf. Accessed Jan. 4, 2009.
