It is estimated that 1 in 200 adults have a hole in their ear drum. Many of these will go unnoticed by the patient and require no treatment.

Ear drum holes are commonly caused by a middle ear infection or trauma. If you had an episode of ear pain that was followed by ear leaking, a middle ear infection is the most likely cause of your ear drum hole.

An ear drum hole is common and in most cases without any health related effect. However, in some patients, an ear drum hole exposes patients to greater risks of recurring ear infections and reduced hearing.

If you are having repeated episodes of ear infections or struggling with hearing then treatments are available.

There are non-surgical and surgical treatment strategies available for holes in the ear drum.

Conservative (non-surgical) treatments include strict water precautions, treating each infection appropriately, and wearing a hearing aid for the hearing loss, if needed.

Some people may wish to try the conservative options first. However, despite these, some may continue to get infections and others may find hearing aids inconvenient, or that the hearing aid distorts sound, making it difficult to understand speech.

Patients who continue to get ear infections or hearing impairment affecting day-to-day function, frequently consider a surgical procedure called tympanoplasty.