Muffled hearing can happen for a large number of reasons. For most individuals, it’s a short-term situation. In other cases, muffled hearing can be a precursor of more substantial hearing-related issues. Partly, that’s because, outside of sudden hearing loss, hearing loss is typically not a condition that progresses suddenly. Symptoms develop slowly over a long time period.
In many cases, one of the first noticeable symptoms is a sense that sounds feel muffled, distorted, or quieter. However, it’s important to mention that muffled hearing in and of itself is not always a sign of long-term hearing loss. Indeed, millions of individuals experience muffled hearing each year.
You might be wondering: when should I be concerned about muffled hearing? Generally, the answer varies. Recognizing the root cause of your muffled hearing is crucial to finding the right treatment plan. Additional damage can be prevented and your hearing can get back to normal with some prompt solutions. You will be able to get back to enjoying the sounds of your life after you get us to help you with some successful treatments.
What is muffled hearing?
Muffled hearing takes place when sound is unable to travel through your outer, middle, and inner ear in the way that it usually does. A rather noticeable decrease in sound quality is the outcome. Hearing won’t be completely gone with muffled hearing but things will sound distorted and quieter. Hearing speech and language can be particularly challenging.
Your ears will often also feel clogged up when your hearing is muffled. Many individuals have experienced this feeling for a short time, for instance, when they have a cold or when they are taking a flight. This clogged feeling, however, doesn’t always come along with muffled hearing.
What causes muffled hearing?
There are lots of potential causes of muffled hearing. In order to establish the appropriate course of treatment, it’s essential to establish the root cause. Some of the most common causes of muffled hearing include the following:
- Travel: The changing altitude associated with air travel can often cause a plugged feeling in the ear, accompanied by muffled hearing. Your hearing will go back to normal relatively quickly once your physical conditions return to normal.
- Infection: Swelling of the ear canal will frequently come with problems like ear infections or sinus infections. This inflammation can cause your ear canal to swell shut, effectively reducing your ability to hear. Muffled hearing symptoms due to infections will usually clear up once the underlying illness has been treated.
- Earwax buildup: Earwax is generally a helpful thing. It helps keep your ear canal healthy. However, too much earwax can ultimately cause muffled hearing (or even loss of hearing). Try a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear to loosen things up. Do not utilize a cotton swab to try to free the earwax, as cotton swabs can compact your earwax and make the problem worse. If the problem continues, come in and see us.
- Meniere’s Disease: Meniere’s Disease is a chronic balance and hearing problem. Over time, this disease can cause tinnitus, hearing loss (frequently beginning with muffled hearing), and dizziness or loss of balance. The symptoms of Menier’s disease can be managed but not cured.
- Hearing loss related to age: As you age, your hearing can decline due to natural causes. Obviously, when you’re 80 all of your senses will be less sharp than when you were 18. This natural decline in your ability to hear can cause muffled hearing over time.
- Sensorineural hearing loss: Hearing loss caused by noise-related damage can sometimes cause muffled hearing. Unfortunately, this kind of hearing loss is normally irreversible. Muffled hearing is frequently one of the earliest detectable symptoms; but damage to your stereocilia has likely already happened by the time you detect the distorted sounds. You should find treatment promptly to avoid your hearing getting substantially worse quickly.
The exact symptoms of muffled hearing will vary depending on the root cause.
Is there a cure for muffled hearing?
Not all forms of muffled hearing can be cured. The treatment for your muffled hearing will change depending on the root cause. For example, if excess earwax buildup is the main cause, we may use specific tools to help you clear out your ear canal. Antibiotics are frequently prescribed if your muffled hearing is being caused by an infection.
In terms of sensorineural hearing loss, the focus changes to symptom management instead of a total cure. That’s because there’s no cure for sensorineural hearing loss. But it is possible to control symptoms. There might be numerous strategies to this treatment including a set of hearing aids.
With hearing aids, you can continue to enjoy your day-to-day activities without hearing loss effecting your quality of life.
How to steer clear of muffled hearing in the first place
Some forms of muffled hearing are hard to avoid, no matter what. Infections, for example, can’t always be avoided.
However, in most cases, routine hearing tests can help you steer clear of many of the causes of muffled hearing and detect any permanent hearing loss early. These checkups can help you stay on top of your hearing health and get treatment quickly.
