# ruptured eardrum experience and recovery?



## [email protected] (Apr 26, 2006)

Same thing happend to me. Don't put anything in it. Go to the doc as soon as you can and they will put a little paper piece on the hole to help it heal faster. The unfortunate news is that you will have to keep it dry, but it heals pretty quick so I don't hink it will ruin your season, maybe just the start. heal up fast.

-Tom


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## Old Fart (Oct 12, 2003)

I had a similar experience a nmber of years ago. Difference was that when I rolled after hitting my head and the air hit it I had severe vertigo which lasted for a while. Long story short, it was an actual rupture of the eardrum which resulted in a long and painful surgery/recovery period. That was in the 80's. Don't know if med procedures on this have gotten better/easier, but go see somebody. Good luck


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## Paul (Oct 11, 2003)

I ruptured my eardrum in a similar manner several years ago. When I rolled up after a mild head hit, I was extremely dizzy. I couldn't imagine how the mild head bump would make me that dizzy. The doc diagnosed the ruptured eardrum. When cold water gets into the vestibular system it can be very disorienting.

You should see a doctor. If you actually have a rupture, you'll need antibiotic eardrops to prevent an infection and further damage. My eardrum healed in 2 or 3 months, but it was a small hole. 

Best of all, the doc cleared me to paddle as long as I kept water out of the ear. He recommended silocone putty ear plugs. They work amazingly well at keeping water out. You can get them at any drug store. Good luck.


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## colopaddler (Dec 8, 2003)

*Ears*



willpaddle4food said:


> Doh! I was out creeking today and managed to hit my head pretty hard on a rock, right flat on my ear. Sure am glad I got rid of that old Pro-Tec helmet that had ear protection....oh well. So it hurt for a while and I thought it was done, but I had to carry the boat through some trees and managed to get a lot of big spiders on me before I got the boat back in the water. Then I decided to roll and leave the spiders behind. It worked, I rolled up and there were a couple big spiders on the water, and I thought: "Hell. Why not roll again." So I did. I just stayed under a while making sure all the spiders got rinsed off but then the water found it's way into my earhole and man, that hurt in a deep and intimate and lasting way. Now I can't hear and there's tinnitis in that ear and altitude change isn't much fun either. And it's the weekend and no ready E-E-N-T doctors around.
> Is this gonna screw up my kayaking season? Have to keep it dry all summer? Is this gonna screw up my hearing forever?
> Alcohol in my ear hurts more tonight than it usually hurts the next day when I just drink it, too.


 
Get into a ear nose throat doc A.S.A.P. then on your way home stop and purchase a set of Docs ear plugs..i put a post about a month ago regarding my experience with losing all the hearing in my left ear and now i suffer with tinitus to the point that some days i can barely function...i can give you more advice if you want regarding my experience..the surgery that failed ..etc.....call me at 970-988-2494..scotty


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## Force (Apr 27, 2004)

i ruptured my eardrum last fall. go see an ENT as soon as possible and in the meantime keep it dry no rubbing alcohol.

i'm trying to decide if the surgery will be worth it since it did not heal on its own. in the meantime i got fitted earplugs from the ENT that seem to work really well at keeping water out of my ear.


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