US Medical Term · anatomy
Eardrum
Tímpano
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Eardrum |
| Spanish (Español) | Tímpano |
| Chinese (中文) | 鼓膜 |
| Korean (한국어) | 고막 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Màng nhĩ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Tympanum |
| Portuguese (Português) | Tímpano |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | เยื่อแก้วหู |
| Japanese (日本語) | 鼓膜 |
What it means
The eardrum, also called the tympanic membrane, is a thin, cone-shaped membrane that separates the outer ear canal from the middle ear. When sound waves traveling through the air hit the eardrum, it vibrates. Those vibrations pass to three tiny bones in the middle ear, which amplify the sound and send it to the inner ear. The eardrum also helps protect the middle ear from water, bacteria, and foreign objects. Infections (such as ear infections, or otitis media), rapid pressure changes during flying or diving, or a cotton swab pushed too far can all rupture or perforate the eardrum. Most small perforations heal on their own within a few weeks.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor looked in my ear and said my eardrum is red and bulging from an infection.
Mi doctor me revisó el oído y dijo que el tímpano está rojo e inflamado por una infección.
I think I burst my eardrum — there was a loud pop and now I can barely hear.
Creo que se me reventó el tímpano — hubo un fuerte chasquido y ahora casi no oigo.
Will my ruptured eardrum heal without surgery?
¿Mi tímpano perforado sanará sin cirugía?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026