Have you ever noticed that when you have a really bad cold you lose some of your hearing? As a kid you may have asked why, but as an adult you just accept that hearing loss may be part of the side effects of the cold. No one may have ever explained to you that it may not be just hearing loss, but something more severe. Here are four sinus and hearing loss issues and how you can tell them apart before you even see your doctor.
Blocked Ears
Blocked ears often accompany a head cold with severe sinus congestion. There are many sinus cavities in the head, and most of them drain down the back of your throat. Extra fluid in your inner ears as a result of congestion drains through the eustachian tubes and down the back of your throat. When all of these cavities and drainage passages are swollen from the congestion, your ears get that blocked, "swimming underwater, head in a fishbowl" sensation. If you take an OTC to relieve the congestion and pressure and your hearing returns, that is all it was. If not, you may have one of the other three problems with your ears.
Popped Ears
This strange phenomenon occurs when you blow your nose really hard and you feel your ears pop. Yet, they feel as though they have popped outward and inward at the same time and your hearing suddenly becomes muffled. When you blow your nose and suddenly close off your nostrils but continue to blow, you change the air pressure inside your head. It is very similar to when you take off in a plane and your ears suddenly pop and become blocked off because the air pressure inside the cabin changed the pressure inside your sinus cavities within your head. Just swallow rapidly a few times and your ears should "un-pop." If not, leave everything alone and the air pressure inside your head should gradually return to normal on its own, clearing your ears at that time.
Infected Ears
If your cold has caused you to have a sinus infection, the sinus infection can travel into your ears and cause an ear infection as well. Infected ears will not be able to hear well and may even hurt every time you try to breathe. If you begin to have any sort of drainage from your ears, you need to see your doctor right away and have your ears, nose and throat examined.
Ruptured Ears
In the most extreme case, ear drums can rupture, rendering your ability to hear at almost nill. Ruptured ear drums will be extremely painful, and there is almost always blood and other discharge leaking from your ears. This is extremely dangerous, as ruptured ear drums may not heal and your hearing loss may be permanent. The condition is most often caused by severe sinus issues that have gone unchecked, infected ears that went untreated, and/or other illnesses affecting the ears, nose and throat.
If you have any questions about your sinuses or hearing loss, contact a local ear, nose and throat specialist, such as Cohen Angelique MD SC, for more information.
Share6 January 2016
My parents taught me healthy eating habits and I played outside a lot as a kid. Once I was old enough to work, I got a job as a waiter at a restaurant and kept waiting tables throughout high school and college. After college, I got my very first desk job, and my health started declining. I soon realized that even though I had never stepped foot in a gym, I was living a sedentary lifestyle for the first time in my life. I wasn't getting exercise playing outside or running around at work, so I decided to commit to going to the gym. My health began to improve and I now greatly enjoy bodybuilding. I know many other people are in ill health and can't figure out why, so I decided to start a blog to share my health tips and inspire everyone improve their health!
