IF IT'S NOT EARWAX WHAT COULD IT BE?

If it's not earwax causing your symptoms it could possibly be due an outer ear infection. Many people expect an ear infection to be painful but an outer ear infection is often not painful. Symptoms include hearing loss, itch and discharge. Treatment with a topical antibiotic and steroid spray prescribed by your GP is often required. Earwax may be part of the problem and can be implicated by trapping water in the ear canal behind the earwax. Water can enter the ear canal from the bath or shower or swimming or hot tub. It may be necessary to remove wax and debris from the infection to facilitate healing. Otitis externa is basically a skin infection caused by trapped water in the ear canal.

If the ear canal is clear of wax, foreign body or infection then the problem lies deeper in the ear. The middle ear is the space behind the eardrum (tympanic membrane). It is an air filled space linked to your sinuses. The middle ear contains the three smallest bones in the human body that vibrate and transmit sound from the eardrum to the inner ear (the hearing nerve). The middle ear space is closed to the outside most of the time and just opens to the outside via the Eustachian tube  when you yawn or swallow. The process of your Eustachian tube opening makes your ears 'pop' at altitude. Because the middle ear space is linked to your sinuses it can result in dull hearing following a head cold or rhinitis. A 'Eustachian tube dysfunction' can result in a hearing loss.

Damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear over time due to ageing and/or exposure to loud noise can permanently damage hearing. There is no cure as such. It is best to get a hearing assessment and wear hearing aids if required. 

Sudden onset of hearing loss that is not due to wax, or outer ear infection or associated with a recent head-cold requires onward referral to ENT or emergency department. Hearing loss with specific additional symptoms or signs may require urgent referral and are outside the scope of this website which is primarily related to hearing loss due to earwax,

I am dedicated to providing expert advice and support to help you navigate the complexities of hearing loss. I am here to help you achieve your hearing goals and live your best life. This may involve directing you to other appropriate specialists.