Common Causes, Symptoms & Care for a Bruised Eardrum

Bruised eardrums are an injury caused by trauma or improper cleaning of the ear. Sonic trauma (like an explosion or sustained, high-decibel noises) and physical trauma (like a punch to the side of the head) can both causing bruising of the ear and eardrum. Car accidents are also a common cause of ear trauma.

Cauliflower ear, which is a buildup of fluid in the outer ear, can also lead to bruising.

Common Symptoms of Bruised Eardrum

The symptoms of a bruised eardrum are somewhat similar to a perforated eardrum—with the exception of sudden relief from an earache. Sudden loss of an earache is more likely to be caused by a perforation than a bruised eardrum.

If you experience the following symptoms, see your local ENT doctor quickly:

• Trouble picking up background noise
• Mild or incomplete hearing loss
• Bleeding or discharge of fluid
• Tinnitus, or ringing in the ear
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Difficulty keeping your balance

What to Avoid If Your Eardrums Could Be Bruised

Keep your ears dry, so avoid swimming. To prevent water from getting into your ears while showering, insert cotton balls into your ear. You can also seal them with petroleum jelly if you’re concerned about water getting past the cotton balls.

Whatever you do, do not insert cotton swabs into your ears to clean them. Using q-tips or other tools to clean your ears could turn a bruise into a puncture. Your ears might be filled with fluid, but it’s better to let a doctor handle your ear care rather than risking the health of your ears.

Treatment

Thankfully, bruised eardrums should heal on their own. If you experience symptoms for longer than two weeks, consider seeing a Florida ENT doctor to check up on you. While healing, avoid exposure to allergens, cigarette smoke, and blowing your nose—blowing your nose alters the pressure of your inner ear and causes discomfort.