How long does it take to heal after eardrum perforation surgery?

After eardrum perforation surgery, a bandage is generally placed over the ear, which is removed after about 6-7 days. By this time, the stitches have usually healed enough to be taken out as well. The graft used to repair the eardrum perforation typically takes several weeks to fully take up, with complete healing generally seen around 4-6 weeks after surgery.

It's important to understand that this healing process only goes smoothly if no infection develops during recovery, and if the patient doesn't come down with an acute illness like a cold or cough during this period, since these can interfere with how well the graft settles in.

During the healing weeks, certain activity restrictions matter quite a bit. Swimming should be avoided completely, since water entering the ear can disrupt healing or introduce infection. Forceful nose-blowing is also best avoided, as the pressure it creates can affect the healing graft and potentially dislodge it before it's fully settled.

Once the healing period is complete, a follow-up hearing test is done to confirm that the surgery has been successful and that hearing has improved as expected. This test gives a clear, objective picture of how well the graft has taken and whether the hearing bones and eardrum are functioning properly together, rather than relying on guesswork about whether the surgery worked.