You wake up with a “full” ear, like after a plane flight. Or, suddenly, on the phone, you realize that you hear significantly less well on one side. The right reflex is not to immediately look for a cotton swab or drops: you must first check whether it is a simple sensation of a blockage or a real sudden loss of hearing.
Health Insurance reminds us: sudden deafness, partial or total, in one or both ears, is a
medical emergency. It can be accompanied by a feeling of blocked ears, but also by whistling, ringing, dizziness, pain, discharge or fever. If in doubt, it is better to have the situation assessed quickly.
“A blocked ear that appears suddenly should prompt a simple question: do I really hear less well than before? If so, we don’t delay” explains Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
The sign that should alert you: a sudden loss of hearing
A blocked ear can have many causes: pressure variation, cold, ear infection, earwax blockage, irritation of the ear canal… But the important point is the suddenness of the hearing loss. Suddenly hearing much less well, or no longer hearing in one ear, should not be trivialized..
An earwax blockage can cause a feeling of fullness in the ear, tinnitus or sometimes dizziness. But according to Health Insurance, hearing loss linked to earwax is generally moderate and progressive. Conversely, a sudden drop should lead to something else being looked for and requires medical advice. To better understand the possible causes of a blocked ear, the examination remains decisive.
“The trap is to blame everything on earwax. A blockage exists, of course, but sudden deafness can give exactly the same impression of a full ear” recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
What to do right away if your ear suddenly becomes blocked?
If you notice a sudden decline in hearing, Health Insurance recommends urgently consult an ENT doctor or, if this is not possible, the nearest hospital emergency room. At reception or on the telephone, it is useful to clearly formulate the problem: “I have a sudden loss of hearing” or “I have a sudden deafness”. Specify the start time and the context: very loud noise, diving, plane, shock, pain, fever, discharge, dizziness.
If the person cannot travel, particularly after trauma or in the context of a serious infection, the French instructions are to call 15 or 112. 114 is accessible by SMS, chat or video for people who cannot telephone.
“In the emergency room or at the ENT, you have to say the words: sudden hearing loss. This helps to quickly direct you to the right examination” recommends Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
Recommendations from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgerygo in the same direction: the doctor must distinguish a loss linked to the transmission of sound from damage to the inner ear, with audiometry as soon as possible when indicated. To go further, a sudden hearing loss must be evaluated the same day.
Actions to avoid before being examined
Faced with a blocked ear, there is a strong temptation to “unclog” it yourself. However, when in doubt, do not insert a cotton swab, sharp object or send a jet of water into the ear. These actions can worsen a blockage, irritate the canal or injure the eardrum. Health Insurance also advises against ear candles, which are ineffective and cause burns or an aggravation of the problem.
If a cerumen blockage is suspected, it must be confirmed, in particular by examining the ear canal. Some softening products are not suitable if the eardrum is perforated or suspected of being perforated, or if there is pain, discharge or fever. A useful reminder: a blockage of earwax can make your ear feel blocked, but it should not make you ignore a warning signal.
“Before you want to clean, you have to know what you are treating. If your hearing has suddenly dropped, the right action is not in the bathroom, it is in the urgent consultation” insists Dr Gérald Kierzek.