Huh?? What??

I have been experiencing some temporary hearing loss since Sunday, when I was diagnosed with an ear infection. Yes, apparently adults do get ear infections. I woke up at 4am with a terrible ear ache. After some investigating we were lucky enough to find a walk-in clinic open on Sundays. Thank goodness! I got some antibiotics and pain meds and did my best to rest as best I could. By the end of the day I was feeling a bit better but my ear had begun draining. So, the next day I called the doctors office and they said that if it continues I should come back in. Well, needless to say I had to go back today and found that I have a perforated ear drum! Yikes, sounds awful, huh?

I did a google search and found what this site (www.entassociates.com) had to say:
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A perforated eardrum is a hole or rupture in the eardrum, a thin membrane which separates the ear canal and the middle ear. The medical term for eardrum is tympanic membrane. The middle ear is connected to the nose by the eustachian tube, which equalizes pressure in the middle ear.

Middle ear infections may cause pain, hearing loss and spontaneous rupture (tear) of the ear-drum resulting in a perforation. In this circumstance, there maybe infected or bloody drainage from the ear. In medical terms, this is called otitis media with perforation.

Most eardrum perforations heal spontaneously within weeks after rupture, although some may take up to several months. During the healing process the ear must be protected from water and trauma. Those eardrum perforations which do not heal on their own may require surgery.
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Here's a look at a normal eardrum





Here's a perforated eardrum