There are other symptoms of a cold that are less common than the widely recognized runny nose. One type of cold you don’t frequently hear about is the one that moves into one or both ears. While you may generally think of colds as harmless, here’s why this ear-related cold symptom shouldn’t ever be ignored.
What does it feel like when you get a cold in your ear?
It’s not abnormal to feel some blockage in your ears when you’re experiencing a common cold. After all, your ears and sinuses are connected. Normally, when you use a decongestant for sinus relief, this blockage will also be relieved.
But if you experience pain inside the ears, this is something you shouldn’t ever ignore, even when you have a cold. The eardrum can be infected if the cold moves into the ears. And that will lead to inflammation. The immune system responds to the cold by producing fluid that can build up on the eardrum. So a person who is coping with an inflamed eardrum may also experience a gradual leaking of fluid from the ear. This leak is most apparent when you sleep on your side because the leak is so gradual.
This is known as conductive hearing loss and impacts how well you hear over the short term. But long term hearing loss can also take place if this inflammation causes the eardrum to burst. As a result, more permanent damage takes place to the hearing nerves from the inflammation, which is called sensorineural hearing loss.
It could cost you if you wait
If you’re having pain in your ear, get your ears tested by us. In many cases, a primary doctor assumes that the ear symptoms will go away when the initial cold clears up. Sometimes, a patient won’t even remember to mention any pain they might be feeling in their ear. But if you’re feeling pain, the infection has progressed to a point where it is most likely doing damage to the ear. In order to avoid additional damage, the ear infection needs to be promptly treated.
Many individuals who experience pain in their ear during a cold, get over their cold only to notice that the ear pain remains. This is usually when an individual finally decides to see a hearing specialist. But, a lot of damage is usually done by this time. Irreversible hearing loss is often the consequence and that’s even more relevant with individuals who get ear infections frequently.
Every time you get an infection, eardrum lacerations and scar tissue can happen which, over time, can impact hearing clarity. The eardrum is a buffer between your inner and middle ear when it’s healthy and working in a normal capacity. If the eardrum becomes perforated even once, then the infection that was previously confined to the middle ear can now enter the inner ear, where it can harm the irreplaceable tiny nerve cells that you need to hear.
What should you do if you waited to deal with that ear infection?
Don’t beat yourself up. Most people just think ear pain with a cold is normal when it actually signals a much more significant cold infection. If you are dealing with continued hearing loss after a cold, it’s best to make an appointment with us sooner rather than later.
We can assess whether the hearing loss is temporary (conductive). If this is the situation, you may have a blockage in your ear that needs to be extracted by a professional. If you’re dealing with sensorineural, or irreversible hearing loss, there are treatment options, including new hearing technology, that we can help you with.
Schedule an appointment right away if you’re having trouble hearing after a cold.