Infection Myringitis

If your only symptom of bullous myringitis is pain, you can wait a day or two to see if the pain goes away before calling your doctor. If the pain is very severe, which is common in bullous myringitis, or if you have a fever, call your doctor immediately. Also call your doctor if you have trouble hearing or have fluid coming from your ears.

If your child is showing signs of ear pain, you should always call a doctor, especially if they have a history of ear infections.

Your doctor will take your medical history and ask about your symptoms and how long you’ve had them. They’ll also use a handheld device called an otoscope. This device has a magnifying glass and light to help your doctor see inside your ear and figure out if you have an ear infection.

If you do have an ear infection, your doctor will determine if it’s bullous myringitis or another type of infection. If you have bullous myringitis, they’ll be able to see the blisters on your eardrum. Your doctor might also do a hearing test to assess any hearing loss from the infection.

Treatment for bullous myringitis usually includes over-the-counter pain relievers and antibiotics. Both of these can be taken either by mouth or in eardrops. It will depend on preference and age.

Although viruses can cause bullous myringitis, antibiotics are usually prescribed. This is because it can be hard to tell if a virus or bacteria have caused the infection. Symptoms usually improve within two days.

If pain relievers don’t help reduce your pain, your doctor might break open the blisters on your eardrum with a small knife to allow them to drain. This won’t cure the infection, but it will help relieve your pain while you take antibiotics.