Perforated eardrum

A perforated eardrum is a hole or tear in the tympanic membrane, the thin barrier between the ear canal and middle ear. It can impair hearing and allow water or infection to enter the middle ear.

Tympanic membrane: The thin, flexible membrane that separates the ear canal from the middle ear and transmits sound vibrations. A perforation is a break in this membrane.
Acute otitis media: A rapid-onset infection of the middle ear, often involving fluid and pressure behind the eardrum. Infection-related pressure can rupture the membrane.
Otoscopy: Examination of the ear canal and eardrum using a lighted viewing instrument. It can directly reveal the perforation and its location.
Otitis externa: Inflammation or infection of the external ear canal, often called swimmer’s ear. It affects the canal rather than requiring a break in the eardrum.
Conductive hearing loss: Reduced hearing caused by impaired transmission of sound through the outer or middle ear. A tear can disrupt the membrane’s role in conducting sound.
Barotrauma: Tissue injury caused by a pressure difference between an air-filled body space and its surroundings. Rapid pressure changes can tear the eardrum.
Audiometry: A set of hearing tests that measures the softest sounds a person can detect across frequencies. It measures the hearing loss associated with the tear.
Otitis media with effusion: Fluid in the middle ear without signs of an acute ear infection. It can cause hearing loss while the eardrum remains intact.
Middle ear: The air-filled space behind the eardrum containing the ossicles and connecting to the throat through the Eustachian tube. The perforation opens directly into this space.
Ear barotrauma: Pressure-related injury to the ear, commonly affecting the eardrum during flying, diving, or blast exposure. It is a specific pressure injury that can cause perforation.

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