# Advice on perforated eardrum with respect to training

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/advice-on-perforated-eardrum-with-respect-to-training/4581>\
**Category:** Medical Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [January 8, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/advice-on-perforated-eardrum-with-respect-to-training/4581 "2019-01-08T12:03:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stroven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@stroven](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/stroven)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/advice-on-perforated-eardrum-with-respect-to-training/4581/1 "2019-01-08T12:03:29Z")

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Hi All!

I believe I have just blown a hole in my eardrum and am I need of some advice.

Today I was performing RDL’s for sets of 8 reps at RPE 8. For me this is about 220 pounds.

I generally punch out 2-3 reps on a single breath of air for these to try and reduce the time holding the bar.  
During one of my sets, as I was releasing my valsalva and dropping the bar, I felt my left ear pop. No pain, not dizzy, nothing extraordinary, ears pop all the time, whatever.  
Finished the rest of my training session as normal.

Afterwards, I went for a swim and my ear instantly filled with water. This does not usually happen to me, but I wasn’t really bothered… ears get water in them from the pool all the time.

But then I held my nose try and pop my ears in an attempt to get rid of the water as people do (I think?) and I realised that I could actually blow air out of my left ear (the one that popped at the gym earlier).

It was a pretty weird sensation and shortly after I got a headache. I can still feel the water bouncing around in there now.

Could the lift have been the cause of a burst ear?  
Maybe I was holding on for too many reps?  
I am not new to this type of exercise. Can an eardrum deteriorate from this sort of thing?

I am heading to my local GP to get confirmation that it is actually perforated but I am fairly sure already.

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**Author:** ![Austin\_Baraki](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/austin_baraki/32/1095_2.png) [@Austin\_Baraki](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Austin_Baraki)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/advice-on-perforated-eardrum-with-respect-to-training/4581/2 "2019-01-10T04:14:56Z")

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I would agree with your plan to get the ear evaluated in-person.