[TerryL]

I have a slight hearing loss in my left ear. For the past two years I had been wearing ear plugs almost daily for about 20 minutes during vacuuming, steam cleaning etc. Initially everything was fine but then I started to hear a ticking sound in that ear, on and off. and when I tilted my head the ticking would stop. It was like that for about 6 months and then went away by itself. I thought whatever was wrong had healed itself. However nowadays after I take out the ear plugs, I have noticed a slight sensitivity/pain in that ear. It only dawned on me today all the problems might be because of the ear plugs. I have stopped wearing them. I don't have health insurance so am putting off a doctor visit. I did google about eardrum ruptures..am not sure if I have that...can ear plugs do that? I don't think I have any infection in the ear. Does anyone have any advice?

I think you might have an ear wax plug.

Ear plugs can cause wax blockages. Wax is produced in the last 1/3 of the ear canal (the end near the outer ear). The ear plugs (Q-tips, ear buds, etc.) can push wax further into the canal where it hardens and remains. This can hurt. Tinnitus, a sensation of fullness and loss of hearing are common symptoms.

If you pull on your earlobe does it feel better? Sometimes this can help relieve the discomfort, caused by wax buildup. It worked for me.

Ear plugs don't contact the eardrum unless they are too small and forced into the canal, that is about 3 cm long. Small objects, loud noises, infections, head trauma and pressure changes (airplanes, scuba diving) can cause the eardrum to rupture. Have you experienced anything listed here, lately?

[TerryL]

Your explanation sounds plausible but I don't have any problems in my right ear and I wear ear plugs in both ears. I have never tried pulling on my ear lobe but the slight pain is almost all gone now since I have stopped the ear plugs. But I can tell it is still sensitive/tender. Still, just in case, do I need to get my ears cleaned? or can I leave things as they are? I haven't experienced anything from the list you posted, at least not lately. I am planning on buying ear muffs for when I vacuum. Could they cause any problems? Thank you!

[Oxidopamine]

You probably should get your ears cleaned and as mentioned above, Q-tips aren't the way to do that. I'm not sure if you need a prescription for this but pharmacies carry liquid-based solutions to rinse out your ear, or you can have a doctor do it for you. In either of your ears, does it sound as though you hear as though you had a metal bucket on your head? In other words, hearing your body's own sounds through your ears? I ask this because you stated tilting your head to one side would relieve the ticking sound.

Have all of these symptoms and high sensitivity been around for many years or only recently?

The most accurate way to figure out if you do have a ruptured ear drum or a middle ear infection is by using an otoscope or tympanometry. The former is a medical device that is found in every doctor's office. The latter isn't found in your regular GP doctor's office as it's a specialty device but it would definitely be in the office of an ENT doctor. I'm not sure if you can buy one for personal use but if so, they're not cheap. If I still have them, I'll post a few pictures of the outputs of a tympanometry from some of the clinical audiological courses I took.

If you wear ear muffs for a short while, then there shouldn't be a problem. I'm not sure how great your sensitivity is, so cheaper ones may not do the trick and you'd want the ones that cover all of your outer ear.

[TerryL]

You probably should get your ears cleaned and as mentioned above, Q-tips aren't the way to do that. I'm not sure if you need a prescription for this but pharmacies carry liquid-based solutions to rinse out your ear, or you can have a doctor do it for you. In either of your ears, does it sound as though you hear as though you had a metal bucket on your head? In other words, hearing your body's own sounds through your ears? I ask this because you stated tilting your head to one side would relieve the ticking sound.

I don't have that metal bucket sound.

Have all of these symptoms and high sensitivity been around for many years or only recently?

The sensitivity started about 2 months ago. I think that was when the ticking sound went away.

The most accurate way to figure out if you do have a ruptured ear drum or a middle ear infection is by using an otoscope or tympanometry. The former is a medical device that is found in every doctor's office. The latter isn't found in your regular GP doctor's office as it's a specialty device but it would definitely be in the office of an ENT doctor.

I know I should see an ENT but they are very expensive. I did google and apparently if the eardrum is ruptured it should heal by itself. But I didn't have most of the symptoms though.

I'm not sure if you can buy one for personal use but if so, they're not cheap. If I still have them, I'll post a few pictures of the outputs of a tympanometry from some of the clinical audiological courses I took.

Thanks for the suggestion but I wouldn't know how to look at my own ears. I am hoping time will heal whatever is wrong but it doesn't seem to be healing as I still feel it is sensitive.

If you wear ear muffs for a short while, then there shouldn't be a problem. I'm not sure how great your sensitivity is, so cheaper ones may not do the trick and you'd want the ones that cover all of your outer ear.

I will check some out at the safety equipment store. Thanks so much for your advice!

[Oxidopamine]

Originally Posted by TerryL

I know I should see an ENT but they are very expensive. I did google and apparently if the eardrum is ruptured it should heal by itself. But I didn't have most of the symptoms though.

It depends on the current state of your ear's health when the ear drum bursts and chance. If you have an infection such as severe acute otitis media, you'll have a clear gucky substance coming out of your ear and usually some pain. Sometimes the substance can be a different colour due to whatever accumulated in your ear or from an infection (i.e. entered your ear via Eustachian tube). In some people though, there will be next to no pain, although there will be a noticeable difference in hearing. Unfortunately, many people will continue to feel pain or sensitivity even after their ear drums have healed completely.

You can also try products such as these. I have never used them but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting they're useful all over the Internet. I don't know if they're safe if you have a ruptured ear drum (not saying you do but just to play it on the safe side).