I also just blew my ear drum last weekend on a backroll attempt. I think I was lucky w/ not that much pain, but now I'm off the water for a couple weeks which really sucks. I went and picked up some "Proplugs"
www.proplugs.com from a local SubaDive shop and I'll be using them from now on when I'm trying anything new or maybe all the time? I'd say go for it! but I think grabbing a set of these plugs would be an easy thing to protect your ears..... A helmet is another, but I've heard that there are many out there that blew their ears w/ a helmet on...even the Shapiro model w/ the ear pads.....
Good luck!
Levi