What causes a hole in my tympanic membrane?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Due to trauma, there is a high probability that you would have accidentally injured the eardrum. This is a widespread thing to happen, and you do not have to worry much. The defect in the eardrum interferes with optimum sound transmission to the middle and inner ear, and thereby you will have symptoms such as continuous ringing sensations, muffled sounds, echoing of your own voice or any loud sound, intolerance to high-frequency sounds, decreased hearing, etc. Usually, this traumatic perforation heals over four to six weeks, and you will be completely fine. However, you should not let it get infected as it can interfere with the healing process, and if proper hygiene is not maintained, the perforation might never close. My advice for you would be to: 1) Completely refrain from using earbuds, however intense the itching might get .2) Always consult an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist before applying any medication to the ear. 3) Place sterile cotton in the outer ear and change it every six hours. 4) Wear a shower cap while taking a head bath so that water does not enter inside. 5) There is no medication required here unless you have an infection associated with a copious amount of discharge. I hope I have answered your query in detail. If there is anything you want to enquire about, please do let me know.