Some children are susceptible to frequent ear infections. They may experience numerous episodes before outgrowing the problem. Occasionally, pain and additional symptoms are caused by a ruptured tympanic membrane. Although this sounds alarming, a perforated eardrum usually heals on its own. Physicians providing pediatric primary care in El Cajon help these young patients with pain relief and treatment.
Causes
An eardrum can tear because of a bacterial infection. It also can happen when a child inserts an object inside the ear. This could be something as seemingly innocent as a cotton swab to clean away wax. A child might push this swab too far into the ear. Another cause is an impact to the ear, as when kids roughhouse with other children.
Symptoms
The main symptom of a perforated eardrum is severe pain. If there is no infection, the pain commonly dissipates rapidly. The child may complain of ringing noises in the ear or hearing problems. There could be a blood or pus discharge.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Parents will want to bring the child to a center for pediatric primary care in El Cajon when these symptoms occur. Here, a doctor can make a definitive diagnosis and determine whether there is an infection. If so, the doctor prescribes antibacterial medication. If the youngster has had ear infections before, the parents will be accustomed to this. A small perforation in the eardrum typically does not require surgery for repair.
