What causes bleeding in the ears after drinking? You need to know these 5 things to note

Many people often have to drink at the table because of work and social events. People who drink frequently will find that their ears sometimes bleed. Some people will not take it seriously, while others will be very worried and don’t know what causes it. Today I will share with you what causes ears to bleed when drinking and what precautions you need to take.

Ear bleeding often occurs when the eardrum is perforated or the base of the skull is fractured. The eardrum is a thin membrane with a certain toughness, located deep in the external auditory canal, and is an important component of the human sound conduction system. The eardrum is susceptible to rupture from direct injury or indirect impact. Direct injuries often occur when tweezers, hairpins or matchsticks are inserted too deep into the external auditory canal when cleaning the ears or removing foreign objects, causing the eardrum to be punctured. Indirect impact is often caused by the sound waves during an explosion rupturing the eardrum; the eardrum may also be ruptured by diving, boxing the ear, or a sudden fall while skating.

When head trauma causes a skull base fracture, the eardrum may also be injured and ruptured. Once the eardrum ruptures, there is a sudden severe pain in the ear, followed by tinnitus and deafness, and a small amount of blood flows out of the external auditory canal. In severe cases, it is accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting, etc. During otoscopy, blood was seen in the external auditory canal and irregular perforations in the tympanic membrane. Patients suspected of having a ruptured eardrum should be sent to the hospital for examination and treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment and precautions:

1. If the injured person is conscious, let him lie on his side with his head tilted toward the bleeding side to allow the blood or cerebrospinal fluid to flow out.

2. Do not drop medicine into the ears or flush the external auditory canal casually to avoid accidentally bringing bacteria into the middle ear and causing otitis media. Before seeing a doctor, if there is dirt or foreign matter at the opening of the external auditory canal, you can wipe off the dirt with a 70% alcohol cotton ball and carefully remove the foreign matter with clean tweezers. After the doctor confirms that the eardrum is ruptured, you need to roll a small amount of cotton wool on a toothpick, dip it in 70% alcohol or 60-proof liquor and gently wipe the external auditory canal 1 to 2 times a day, then use a sterilized cotton ball to gently block the opening of the external auditory canal to prevent dust from entering.

3. When a skull base fracture causes the eardrum to rupture, clear or bloody fluid may flow out of the external auditory canal. This fluid is cerebrospinal fluid, which is clinically called traumatic cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea. At this time, do not try to stop the bleeding by blocking the external auditory canal. Just let it flow out naturally. Otherwise, it will cause pressure on the middle auditory canal and may also cause retrograde infection, allowing bacteria to enter the skull and cause greater harm. Should be sent to hospital for specialist treatment.

4. When the eardrum is ruptured, be careful not to pour water into the external auditory canal when washing your face, hair, or taking a bath. At the same time, try not to blow your nose or blow it as little as possible to prevent gas and mucus from entering the tympanic cavity through the Eustachian tube and causing otitis media. Traumatic rupture of the eardrum can avoid infection as long as it is treated promptly and properly, and in most cases it can heal on its own.

5. For general traumatic ear bleeding, you can take hemostatic powder or Panax notoginseng, Baiyao orally, as well as use folk remedies and proven recipes for treating nosebleeds to stop the bleeding. Severe ear bleeding should be treated in hospital immediately. If the ruptured eardrum has not healed within 3 months after the injury, you can go to the hospital for eardrum repair surgery to restore your hearing.