Ruptured Eardrum from Trauma

Hello Everyone:

I got sucker punched on my right ear. I went to the doctor and she looked at my eardrum and said that it is pretty badly ruptured. I have never had any problems with ear infections in the past, and it has been 8 days since the incident… my hearing is still about 30% normal. I am just curious as to the general healing pattern that I could expect…

I am seeing an ENT 3 weeks after the incident and will get professional help, obviously… but i just wanted to know:

1. If I have never had issues with my ears before, what are the chances that a badly ruptured ear drum will heal itself in due time?

2. How long can I expect to be back to relatively normal hearing?

3. How do I know if there is cochella, ossicle, or neve damage? Would I even be able to hear anything? Currently, when I hold a phone up to my bad ear, I can hear the dial tone still… it is just muffled and quiet.

4. I have not had an ear infection so far… will this help my ear heal?

5. Any advice? Any anecdotes saying this will get better? I am terrified that my hearing will never fully return and that I will have this the rest of my life. I was sucekr punched! So unreal… there was no bleeding or bruising around my face, but my ear drum is badly ruptured.

I am a singer in a band… this is hands down the worst experience of all time for me. I just pray and hope to god that it will heal itself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone,

Tim