How common are burst ear drums? Has it happened to you?

[Musicalstatues]

Just curious really. I’ve had multiple burst ear drums through my life, probably 15-20 in total. It’s been such a common occurrence in my life that I’ve just kind of assumed it happens to everyone but maybe just not quite so often!

Have you had a burst ear drum? Or multiple burst ear drums?

Yes. I had a really painful ear infection and the pain suddenly went. My ear was all gooey and I couldn't hear out of it. It healed without complication on its own.

I’ve had it happen once (that I can remember) as a child after a nasty ear infection. It sucked at the time, but the relief afterwards was amazing!

It’s not happened to me as an adult, but I don’t think I’ve had a proper ear infection since I was very young.

Same as pp - only once as an adult, after a nasty infection

(possibly other times as a child, but I don't recall)

I have had 4 in one ear and 1 in the other!

Happened to me on a few occasions when I was a child/teenager. It hasn’t happened since I gave up competitive swimming/diving though. The most memorable time it happened was when I went to bed with really awful earache, fell asleep through sheer exhaustion and woke in the morning to find the pain gone, but the side of my face pretty much glued to the pillow with gunky ear stuff. I remember my poor mum having to clean me up. Was pretty disgusting.

Same here.. a lot as a child but never as an adult

I’ve had 3 or 4 as an adult, most of them happened when I was a child/teenager including one notable time when both sides burst and I was completely deaf for about a fortnight