There are a wide variety of reasons for muffled hearing. In the majority of cases, this condition is short-term. But muffled hearing can also be a sign that a more severe hearing issue is taking place. That’s because, for the most part, hearing loss is a slowly progressing condition. Symptoms develop slowly over a long period of time.
Often, one of the first detectable symptoms is a sense that sounds feel muffled, distorted, or quieter. Muffled hearing, however, isn’t always a sign that you are developing permanent hearing loss. Every year millions of people experience muffled hearing.
You might be wondering: when do I need to be worried about muffled hearing? The answer depends on various factors. Finding the proper treatment for your muffled hearing depends on recognizing the root cause. Added damage can be avoided and your hearing can get back to normal with some quick solutions. You will be able to go back to enjoying the sounds of your life after you get us to assist you with some successful treatments.
What is muffled hearing?
When sound can’t move through your outer, middle, and inner ear in a normal way, your hearing can sound muffled. This leads to a noticeable drop in sound quality. Hearing won’t be entirely gone with muffled hearing but things will sound distorted and quieter. This may particularly impact your ability to hear and understand voices and spoken language.
Your ears will frequently also feel clogged up when your hearing is muffled. Sometimes, when you’re on a plane or have a cold you might experience this feeling. This plugged feeling, however, doesn’t always come with muffled hearing.
Causes of muffled hearing
There are lots of possible causes of muffled hearing. Identifying the root cause of your muffled hearing can be significant in establishing an effective treatment plan. Here are a few of the most common causes:
- Hearing loss associated with age: As you age, your hearing can decline as a result of natural causes. Obviously, when you’re 80 all of your senses will be less sharp than when you were 18. This normal diminishing in your ability to hear can cause muffled hearing over time.
- Meniere’s Disease: Meniere’s Disease is a long-term balance and hearing problem. Dizziness, balance problems, tinnitus, and muffled ears will manifest over time as a result of this disease. There’s no cure for Meniere’s Disease, but symptoms can be managed.
- Travel: Altitude changes, such as when you’re on a plane, can lead to a feeling of muffled ears. Your hearing will go back to normal fairly quickly once your physical conditions return to normal.
- Earwax buildup: Earwax is generally a helpful thing. The health of your ear canal relies on the production of earwax. However, excessive earwax can ultimately cause muffled hearing (or even hearing loss). Try a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear to loosen the wax up. Do not utilize a cotton swab to attempt to dislodge the earwax, as cotton swabs can condense your earwax and make the problem worse. We can help if the issue continues.
- Sensorineural hearing loss: In some cases, muffled hearing can be the outcome of noise-related hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is, regrettably, normally irreversible. One of the first noticeable symptoms is muffled hearing; but damage to your stereocilia has usually already occurred by the time you detect the distorted sounds. You should seek out treatment rapidly to avoid your hearing getting considerably worse quickly.
- Infection: Inflammation of the ear canal will often come with issues such as ear infections or sinus infections. This swelling can cause your ear canal to swell shut, effectively diminishing your ability to hear. Muffled hearing symptoms due to infections will typically go away once the underlying illness has been treated.
The exact symptoms of muffled hearing will vary depending on the underlying cause.
Is there a cure for muffled hearing?
Some types of muffled hearing can’t be cured. The treatment for your muffled hearing will change depending on the underlying cause. We might use some special tools to help clear out your ear canal if, for example, earwax buildup is at the root of your muffled hearing. Antibiotics are typically prescribed if your muffled hearing is being caused by an infection.
When it comes to 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 manage symptoms. This might take several forms, but the most common is using a pair of hearing aids so that you can bring clarity to what you hear.
With hearing aids, you can continue to enjoy your day-to-day activities without hearing loss effecting your quality of life.
Avoiding muffled hearing
No matter what you do, some kinds of muffled hearing can’t be prevented. Infections, for instance, 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 examinations can help you stay on top of your hearing health and get treatment quickly.