How to Determine Cause of Muffled Hearing in One Ear

Muffled hearing in one ear is a frustrating feeling. Some people simply wake up with this condition without understanding why or when it occurred. There are reasons why one would experience a loss of hearing ability. Some of the reasons are easily reversible. Here you will learn how to diagnose muffled hearing in one ear so you can hopefully correct the problem.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror

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Instructions

• 1

  Think about the last time you cleaned out your wax. If you haven't done this for a long time, this is the most common reason for muffled hearing in one ear. Especially if you have been around water, this could irritate the problem.

• 2

  Consider your current location. Is it a different pressure than you typically live in. For example, are you in a high altitude state, or flying in an airplane. Pressure changes often cause muffled hearing in one ear or both.

• 3

  Pay attention to any pain. This could indicate an infection in either the inner, middle, or outer ear. All three could cause muffled hearing in one ear.

• 4

  Consider any recent head trauma you have experienced within the last few days. Sometimes, simply bumping your head can be enough to cause otitis media and muffled hearing in one ear. Usually it takes a bit more force, but not always.