Perforated Ear Drum...anyone answer questions?

[verbeier]

I went to the doctors this morning and, following a heavy cold, I was told that I have a perforated eardrum. But the doctor was junior (he had to call his senior colleague for confirmation of condition and medical treatment) and so I came away with questions. Namely, do I need to take time off work to ruperate? If so, how much? And do I need to go nack to the doctors at a later date for them to check that it healed? Anyone had this before who can advise? Thanks!

I had one a few years ago, it healed by itself - I think it takes about 6 -8 weeks IIRC. I wasn;t working at the time - so I don;t know about taking time off, I was a bit deaf while it was healing though. I felt quite dizzy too - but I had various things wrong with me at the time and was in hospital so, it might not have been the ear alone causing that.

I was told to be very careful not to get water in my ears - to put cotton wool in them and use a shower cap while showering - and be very careful to cover the ear and put cotton wool in it when you are washing your hair (I found the best way was to do it leaning over the bath tub with using a shower attachment - that way you can keep the water away from your ear more easily)

Also don't go swimming until it is healed.

I'd also make sure you wrap up warm with a woolly hat over your ears when you go out in the cold.

They usually heal by themselves in about 2 months. Just keep it dry, definitely do not get water in your ears.

I had a perforation that didn't heal as i had lost of 50% tissue and never had any time off but that's an individual thing. You don't need time off for a perforation but if you feel crap then you want to go in to work.
You can always go and see the practice nurse in 2-3 months to check it's healed if you're worried.

My ears perforate a lot. Time off isn't standard, there's not much you can do anyway. It'll heal when it wants to heal!

You'll know when it's healed. No medical need to see the doctor then but you can get a nurses appt for peace of mind if it helps.

Thanks for the replies....googled and found a mumsnet post which said something along the lines of "you dont go into work with a perforated eardrum!" and was a bit panicked as cant really do with too much time off at the moment. Fairgame, that sounds awful, did you have surgery in the end?

Yes i did have surgery but ever since the surgery i've suffered with chronic otitis externa. My current infection has been going on since february and i'm seeing the surgeon again on monday because nothing is clearing this one up. It's frustrating.