Any injury should be taken seriously, and this is even more true for ear injuries. The ear plays an essential role in your ability to pick up information from your environment, and an injury can compromise your hearing.
Many injuries are obviously concerning at first glance. But with the ear, it is sometimes difficult to assess the severity of a lesion.
Here is a detailed examination of the main ear injuries, the symptoms to look out for, how they can be diagnosed, and possible treatments.
Injuries from a foreign body
Overall, injuries related to the presence of a foreign body in the ear canal are among the most frequent. Cotton swabs are the most common culprits, but any object inserted into the ear canal can cause an injury.
Many people mistakenly believe that their ears need to be cleaned regularly. In reality, in most cases, the ear is an entirely self-cleaning organ, capable of naturally expelling earwax. Almost all healthcare professionals agree that you should leave your ears alone and not use cotton swabs or other objects to clean them, at the risk of injury.
Here's an overview of the symptoms to be aware of after an injury from a foreign body, how it's diagnosed, and its treatment.
Symptoms of an ear injury
After an injury involving a foreign body in the ear, the very first symptom to watch for is hearing loss. These injuries can lead to sudden hearing loss in one ear and signal a perforated eardrum.
The eardrum is a thin membrane that vibrates from sound waves entering the ear. If a hole goes through it, it can no longer conduct sound, which can cause sudden hearing loss.
Another symptom to be aware of is excessive pain accompanied by bleeding. An injury to the external structure of the ear or the ear canal may require medical attention to be properly closed and prevent infection.
Diagnosis
If you decide to see a doctor after an injury due to a foreign body, the main examinations used are visual examination and hearing test. The visual examination allows the doctor to determine if the eardrum or the canal has been damaged. They may also perform various hearing tests to find out if damage has occurred deeper in the ear.
Treatment
The treatment of an injury due to a foreign body first involves removing any part of the object remaining in the ear. This extraction is essential to allow the ear to heal properly.
If the injury has perforated the eardrum, antibiotic drops may be prescribed to prevent infection. Your doctor will probably also recommend that you avoid blowing your nose and getting water in your ear until it heals.
In many cases, the eardrum heals on its own within a few weeks, but sometimes it does not heal completely. In this case, surgery may be necessary to repair the membrane.
Auricle injuries
The external part of the ear is called the auricle; it plays an important role in channeling sounds to the ear canal. Its unique shape helps you locate sounds in your environment.
The auricle is largely made of cartilage, which makes it elastic and semi-rigid. During a head injury, the ear can easily get caught somewhere or be crushed against the skull. Possible consequences include laceration, bruising, or even tearing off the ear, called avulsion. Here's what you need to know in case of outer ear injury.
Symptoms to watch for
Outer ear injuries range from visible lacerations to internal hematomas. Several elements should therefore be monitored when it comes to an outer ear injury.
The first thing to look for is bleeding. Bleeding indicates a laceration or an avulsion. When you notice one, try to locate the source. Many outer ear injuries are superficial. However, an injury can be serious enough to require stitches and repair. Once the source of bleeding has been identified, apply a sterile compress with pressure to limit the bleeding until you see a doctor.
In the absence of bleeding after an outer ear injury, watch for the appearance of a bruise. Bruises are a form of internal bleeding. While most resolve on their own, the outer ear can develop a condition called subperichondral hematoma.
Subperichondral hematoma is also known as cauliflower ear; it results from a bruise to the ear. Due to the particular anatomy of the ear, the bruise can lead to necrosis of the underlying cartilage, which deforms the appearance of the ear.
If your ear is severely bruised after an outer ear injury, prompt consultation limits the risk of developing a cauliflower ear.
Diagnosis
For an outer ear injury, a simple visual examination is sufficient to make the diagnosis. From this examination, the healthcare professional will be able to determine the best course of action: stitches, drainage of a hematoma, or other medical intervention.
If the outer ear does not require further examination, the doctor may order other tests concerning the middle and inner ear to ensure that no other damage has occurred.
Treatment
In case of laceration or avulsion of the auricle, the first step of treatment is to clean the wound to prevent infection. Any skin breach exposes the body to infections, and cleaning the wound reduces this risk.
The healthcare professional will then likely use stitches to bring the tissues together, close the wound, and allow for proper healing. Post-operative care may also be provided to reduce the risk of wound infection.
If an ear bruise is suspected and a hematoma forms, the first step is to drain the excess fluid. Once drained, the outer ear must be compressed in some way.
This prevents fluid from continuing to accumulate in this area and causing cauliflower ear. Several methods exist, such as bandaging the ear against the head to compress it or, more commonly, using molds designed to treat cauliflower ear.
Inner ear trauma
While most of the injuries discussed involve the external parts of the ear, a blow to the head can also damage the internal parts, such as the middle ear and the inner ear. These injuries can be serious and permanently affect your hearing.
Here's what you need to know about inner ear trauma after a blow.
Symptoms
The main symptoms associated with inner ear trauma are hearing loss, headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, pain, and tinnitus. Unlike other signs, many have no visible manifestation. You must therefore rely on your sensations. If you experience any of these symptoms, consult a doctor.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of inner ear trauma is generally based on a series of audiological tests to determine if there is hearing loss and to locate the internal lesion. Examinations such as audiometry, tympanometry, and bone conduction study are usually added if necessary.
Treatment
Lesions of the internal structures of the ear (such as the ossicles or the cochlea) are difficult to treat. Depending on the injury, it is sometimes not possible to do anything. These forms of lesions are rare, but they can leave some hearing loss. Hearing aids or surgery may then be offered.
Hear and heal
A blow can injure the ear in many ways. Understanding the different possible injuries, as well as their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, will help you better know when an injury warrants medical consultation.
Sources
Why You Shouldn't Use Cotton Swabs to Clean Your Ears | Noisy Planet | NIH
Ruptured eardrum (perforated eardrum) - Diagnosis and treatment | Mayo Clinic
Treating "cauliflower ear" with silicone mold | NCBI
