Ask the DOCTOR: My Ears Feel Plugged!

As a musician, noticing an acute change in your hearing is alarming, and it’s one of the more common things we see in our on-site clinic at Sweetwater. It’s always interesting when one of our studio personnel or Sales Engineers comes in noting, “a bit of attenuation around 2k that is driving me nuts!” Though it’s stressful to experience, fortunately it’s rarely serious, and a little knowledge can go a long way toward finding a solution.

Earwax Buildup

The most common cause of this “plugged ear” sensation is a blocked ear canal — usually caused by wax buildup. It can happen if you wear earbuds or in-ear monitors often, or sometimes it’s just bad luck. There are a few things you can try yourself to cure it before heading to your doctor’s office. Various irrigating devices can be found for purchase online; my favorite is the Rhino Ear Washer. Do not try this on your own if you are having ear pain or have a history of eardrum perforation or damage, though. Alternatively, there are camera/fiber-optic devices that pair with your phone and allow visualization of the ear canal. These must be used with caution, however. Simultaneously maneuvering something like this in your ear while watching on your phone screen can be tricky and disorienting, so be careful. Still, using one of these, you can usually at least see if something is clogging your ear canal.

Eardrum Dysfunction

Another common “plugged ear” culprit is an eardrum dysfunction, which can happen for many reasons. The eardrum, or tympanic membrane (TM), transmits sound from the air to tiny bones in the middle ear. When the TM responds differently to incoming sounds, you’ll notice a muffling or decrease in sound (akin to being under water) or an altered frequency response or even distortion — similar to how putting your fingers on the cone of a speaker affects the sound it produces. This situation is a bit more complex to solve and may require some patience and perhaps a visit to your doctor. While sometimes caused by infection, TM dysfunction in adults more commonly results from something called “eustachian tube dysfunction” (ETD), which compromises the middle ear’s ability to equalize pressure changes. While an ear infection could potentially need an evaluation by your doctor (key symptoms would be pain, drainage, fever, or having cold symptoms along with the ear pain), ETD can affect people seasonally (especially if you have allergies) or occur after a recent upper respiratory infection. Often times, this will resolve itself with patience and time, but sometimes the addition of a nasal steroid spray (such as over-the-counter Flonase) will hasten resolution. Antihistamines with a decongestant can help too, but your mileage may vary.

PRO TIP: Avoid nasal decongestants (such as Neo-synephrine) — although the cheap price is tempting, they won’t help this issue and could set you up for rebound congestion if used for more than a few days.

Conclusion

Now you have a better
understanding of what can cause an acute change in your hearing! Be wise,
though — there is a balance between what’s safe to try on your own and what can
cause more damage, so be sure to check with your doctor, who can help guide the
process when you’re unsure of what to do.
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