Feeling Itchy, Sore Ear With Hearing Loss. Could This Be A Perforated Eardrum Or Wax?

Posted on Mon, 11 Feb 2013

Question: My right ear has felt intermittently irritated, itchy, and sore for several days. Three or four days ago, my ear felt stopped up and my hearing was affected. When I blew my nose in the morning, I heard a loud, piercing, whistling noise in my ear accompanied by discomfort. At first, it seemed to open my ear up, but later, the stopped-up feeling came back. The whistling happened again a day or so later when I blew my nose, followed by discomfort and a couple of sharp pains. Could this be a perforated ear drum or wax?

Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (32 minutes later)

Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. The most common cause for this is ear wax build-up.

2. Get an ear examination done. This will settle the issue.

3. Even if there is a small perforation, there is no cause for worry. You may have the above whistling sensation followed by discomfort and sharp pains even without a perforation.

4. Direct examination of the ear by an otoscope or under a microscope is the best option. Further tests and treatment will depend upon the diagnosis.

I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar