Sudden
Muffled hearing can occur in one or both ears. When the condition occurs in one ear, it's likely a sign of a single-sided ear infection, a clogged ear or earwax buildup. Muffled hearing due to sinus infections or changes in pressure while flying or changing altitudes typically occurs in both ears.
The reference to deafness can confuse some people who might assume it's a permanent condition. Fortunately, that is usually not the case. The phenomenom of hearing going in and out can occur suddenly or multiple times over a period of several days.
If you start to experience muffled hearing or hearing loss in one ear, you should contact a physician, preferably a physician specializing in diseases of the ear. He or she can examine the issue and refer you to an audiologist to properly evaluate and diagnose the hearing problem.
Clogged ears from a mild ear infection usually last one or two weeks. If the problems are in the inner ear, this could last longer. Mild ear infections clear up by themselves, and you can alleviate the pain with painkillers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, ear drops, or simply by applying a warm cloth to your ear.
If you have a sudden loss of hearing, particularly in one ear, seek medical attention right away. Talk to your health care provider if loss of hearing is causing you trouble. Age-related hearing loss happens little by little. So you may not notice it at first.
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), commonly known as sudden deafness, occurs as an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing—usually in one ear—either at once or over several days. It should be considered a medical emergency. Anyone who experiences SSHL should visit a doctor immediately.
Sometimes exposure to impulse or continuous loud noise causes a temporary hearing loss that disappears 16 to 48 hours later. Recent research suggests, however, that although the loss of hearing seems to disappear, there may be residual long-term damage to your hearing.
Ear stroke is also known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss. In as short as three days, the patients will suddenly lose part or all of their hearing ability. Meanwhile, they may experience sudden dizziness, tinnitus and earache.
In many cases, a muffled ear will go away on its own. This is especially true for conditions like airplane ear, or sickness-related hearing loss. Even certain ear infections will resolve themselves if given time, but there are some instances where you should not wait to seek medical treatment.
The most common cause of a blocked eustachian tube is a stuffy nose, such as from a head cold or sinus infection. When the nose is stuffed or clogged, it can prevent the eustachian tubes from draining or filling with air properly. A buildup of earwax is also a common cause of a blocked or obstructed eustachian tube.
Summary. In excessively cold weather, your foal's or horse's ears appear frozen. When you feel the ear, it feels cold and stiff. Frostbite is the cellular destruction of tissues due to extreme cold, and often occurs to extremities such as the ears, tail or limbs.
When people experience a blockage of their ears through excessive or impacted ear wax their immediate perception could be that they have gone suddenly deaf. Fortunately, very few people ever lose their hearing completely and certainly never as a result of a build-up of ear wax.
What are the causes of clogged ears? Eustachian tube blockage. The eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the throat, can become blocked when fluid or mucus is trapped. Oftentimes, this occurs when experiencing seasonal allergies, a cold or sinus or ear infection.
Tinnitus is random ringing in the ears for a few seconds or a prolonged period. It sounds different for everyone but is often described as ringing, buzzing, hissing, roaring, whistling, swooshing, or clicking. It can be in one ear or both.
If you believe you may have had a sudden hearing loss, it is strongly recommended to go to your nearest emergency room or call your ear, nose, and throat physician for an immediate, urgent appointment.
If your ears are plugged, try swallowing, yawning or chewing sugar-free gum to open your eustachian tubes. If this doesn't work, take a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. If you hear a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.
Chronic stress can lead to gradual hearing loss, sudden hearing loss, and even tinnitus. The symptoms of hearing loss that's due to stress include: Pain or pressure in the ear. Muffled sounds.
A silent stroke refers to a stroke that doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms. Most strokes are caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. The blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching that area, causing nearby brain cells to die.
Pre-strokes or mini strokes are the common terms used to describe a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Unlike a full blown stroke, a TIA only lasts a few minutes and does not cause permanent damage. Nevertheless it is a warning sign that a possible stroke may be coming in the future.
Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, usually on one side of the body. Trouble speaking or understanding. Problems with vision, such as dimness or loss of vision in one or both eyes. Dizziness or problems with balance or coordination.
This can happen for brief periods during air travel, but also due to allergies, sinus or ear infections, or other respiratory viruses (including COVID-19). Sudden onset of muffled hearing in one ear may signal an urgent problem requiring prompt treatment to prevent or reduce possible hearing loss.