A woman presented today with a hearing loss in her right ear only.  She began noticing a ringing noise accompanying difficulties with hearing within the last month.  After performing a typical test battery, I explained to the patient that it seemed something was blocking sound from getting through her ear properly.  I had noted a small amount of wax in her ear canal but nothing I would have expected to cause a mild hearing loss.  I sent her along to the ENT.  

After his examination, he determined that the small amount of wax I had seen was against her eardrum.  He removed the wax and sent her back to me to re-test her hearing.  Amazingly, her ear was back to normal.  

Most people wouldn't assume that wax can cause extreme hearing difficulties when, actually, it is a common culprit.  Wax can completely occlude the ear canal, or shift slightly and block sound, or lead to a feeling of pressure in the ear.  It is a good idea to ask your doctor about your wax accumulation and whether or not it needs to be removed.  If you detect a sudden change in hearing, DON'T PANIC; it may just be wax. However, you should act quickly and schedule an appointment with a hearing care professional in case the cause is more sinister.  Many people are challenged by wax but don't let it stop you from hearing your best.  If you are noticing a decrease in sound, go to a doctor and ask about wax.