Why Would I Have a Hard Time Hearing in My Right Ear?

Hearing loss may be permanent or temporary, and can have a number of causes. Care should be taken to protect your ear canals and prevent loud noise from damaging the fragile components of your ear.

Noise Damage

• A common cause of temporary hearing loss is exposure to loud noise. This can cause a persistent ringing in your ear, a loss of hearing or both. Symptoms generally clear up in a few hours to a few days, but repeated exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss.

TMJ Dysfunction/Damage

• Receiving a blow to your temporo-mandibular joint, or TMJ (the joint at the base of your jaw, near your ear) can cause local inflammation that can lead to hearing problems in your right ear. Hearing loss or clicking noises when moving the jaw are common.

Ear Infection

• Fluid buildup in your inner and middle right ear because of an ear infection can prevent sound from moving through your ear properly, resulting in a loss of hearing. Untreated infections can lead to permanent hearing loss.

Perforation of the Eardrum

• If the tympanic membrane in your right ear was exposed to an explosion or large pressure burst or direct damage from an ear swab or other sharp object, it may have become perforated. When this happens, sound cannot be transmitted from the outside air to your ear ossicles, resulting in hearing loss.

Diseases

• Measles, mumps and rubella can all lead to hearing loss and can be prevented with proper immunization. High body temperature from illnesses like scarlet fever can also cause deafness.