Trouble Hearing in One Ear? What It Could Mean and When to Call a Doctor
A reader wrote in to the site because they sometimes have trouble hearing in just one ear. It doesn’t happen all the time and never in booth ears.
According to the Mayo Clinic, hearing loss can show up as muffled speech, trouble understanding words, asking people to speak louder, needing more TV volume, or ringing in the ears. It also clearly states that a sudden loss of hearing in one ear, needs medical attention.
Start by understanding the problem
The first step is figuring out what “trouble hearing” really means.
If it’s muffled hearing, a simple cause might be that the ear is plugged with wax. Miracle-Ear states that people often describe it as a “full” or blocked feeling, almost like something is sitting in the ear canal. That is a different sensation than the volume dropping on one side. Both of which are very different from full-on hearing loss.
A helpful way to track it is simple:
- Does the ear feel clogged?
- Do voices sound dull?
- Is there ringing?
- Is there pain, pressure, or drainage?
- Does the issue happen after a shower or loud event?
- How long does the hearing loss last?
When it happens, make these notes.
What can cause trouble hearing in one ear?
There are many potential causes:
- The Mayo Clinic highlights that earwax buildup can block the ear canal and stop sound waves from passing through, and removing the wax can help restore hearing.
- Miracle-Ear adds that ear infections can cause fluid to build up in the middle ear, which can block sound from reaching the inner ear. Swimmer’s ear may also narrow or block the ear canal after water gets trapped.
- Loud noise is another potential reason for infrequent hearing loss. For instance, a concert, a power tool, a gunshot, or even one blast of sound near one ear can leave hearing muffled or cause ringing.
- Florida ENT & Allergy reported that sudden hearing loss in one ear can also be linked to sudden sensorineural hearing loss, pressure changes, Ménière’s disease, acoustic neuroma, or certain medications.
It’s vital that you don’t wait and hope it gets better. Florida ENT & Allergy states that sudden hearing loss in one ear is a medical emergency, especially if it comes with pressure, ringing, dizziness, balance trouble, pain, or fluid drainage.
A doctor or ENT can look for wax, infection, fluid, eardrum problems, nerve-related hearing loss, and other causes quickly.
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