There are a number of causes of a perforated tympanic membrane including infections, trauma from a foreign object, barotrauma or head injury.
Symptoms include sudden ear pain, or sudden decrease in ear pain, discharge (which may be bloody) or hearing loss.
The vast majority of ruptured eardrums will heal without treatment.
A simple perforation of the ear drum as part of acute otitis media does NOT need referral unless it persists > 6 weeks.
TM perforations in children can take up to 2 years to heal
C.M. & G.T. 13-01-25
