My report shows hearing loss, but I feel fine. Should I worry?

Hi doctor,

I want to ask a question about my recent hearing test. I want to confirm whether this is normal. My audiologist told me that my hearing was within normal limits. But the ENT specialist reviewed it and told me that there is a fraction of hearing loss.

According to the report, I have hearing loss in my left ear. But during an examination of it, it looked normal. According to the image, hearing loss was present in my right ear.

I am still confused, as the audiologist assured me that there was no hearing loss, pressure, or fluid in my ears.

Please help.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I had pressure in my ear, and it started due to the build-up of fluid in the ears. After that, it got cleared. But still, I have some feelings of pressure that radiate under my right ear and under my jaw. It seems like a tickling sensation that radiates into my right ear.

But I do not have any clogged feeling when I have fluid in the ear. I consulted my ENT specialist again, and he told me that it could be due to a muscle issue with TMJ. But I do not have any pain. I also did an MRI of the head, along with a CT of the neck. Both the results were normal. I used a massager on my jaw joint.

After that, my symptoms got worse with stress and anxiety. It caused sensitive hearing or hyperacusis in my left ear. For a while, hyperacusis went away, but it came back when I became more stressed. My doctor thinks that increased stress and anxiety cause muscle tension in my neck, jaw, and ear muscles.

When I am eating, I can hear a fluttering-like sensation in my ears, and it dissipates when I get relaxed. My concern is about the pressure or tightness feeling on the right side of the face and under my jaw, and there is occasional hyperacusis in my left ear.

Kindly suggest.

Hi doctor,

Thank you again for your time; I greatly appreciate it

Is it the right ear or the left ear that tested slightly below 20 dB? I know that this value is still considered normal, but I am confused because the doctor said it was the left ear, whereas it was my right ear.

Please suggest.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I have a last follow-up question. Do the tiny hairs in the ear canal, like the hair in our ears that is where wax builds up, grow back if damaged when cleaning the ears?

I know the hairs in the inner ear, where the cochlea is, are past the eardrum and do not grow back if damaged, and those help with hearing, but I am referring to hairs in the outer or middle ear canal that are tiny.

I was just nervous they would not grow back if damaged, and I was not sure if damage to them impacts hearing. I know they can also get longer with age.

Please help.