A blocked ear but not wax is more common than most people think. Wax is a well known cause, but a cold, an ear infection, swimming, flying or a hole in the eardrum can make an ear feel just as blocked. How it started usually tells you more than how it feels.
If you have sudden hearing loss, or hearing loss with earache or discharge, get urgent advice from NHS 111 or your GP. Do not wait for a wax appointment.
We are the team at Theydon Bois Pharmacy, and we want you to get the right help. This page helps you work out whether your ear feels blocked because of wax or something else. It is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Why you can have a blocked ear but not wax
It is natural to blame wax. Many people have had it before, so it is the first thing they think of. But several things can make an ear feel full, muffled or under pressure.
Different problems, similar feeling
A full ear, muffled hearing or a feeling of pressure can point to wax. They can also point to an ear infection, fluid behind the eardrum, a change in your hearing or something stuck in the ear. Earwax can even cause earache, ringing and dizziness, so the symptom alone does not tell you the cause.
That is why we do not like to guess. If you treat the wrong problem, you may wait longer for the right help.
Why we start with a question, not a treatment
Before we think about wax removal, we ask what else it could be. Our pharmacist assesses each person individually, and wax removal is not suitable for everyone.
Signs that point towards wax
Earwax usually affects one ear. It can cause muffled hearing, a blocked feeling, earache, ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) and sometimes dizziness. So the symptom alone does not tell you it is wax. How it started matters more. Wax tends to build up slowly over days or weeks, while an ear infection usually starts quickly.
Wax can also affect your balance. You can read how earwax can affect your balance.
Here are a few questions we often ask:
- Did it build up slowly over days or weeks, rather than starting quickly?
- Have you had a similar blocked feeling before that turned out to be wax?
- Is it mainly in one ear?
If you say yes to these, wax could be the reason. It is still only a possibility. An ear check at our pharmacy is the way to find out, because we can look rather than guess.
If you would like to know why wax builds up, read about narrow ear canals.
If you are not sure, that is fine too. You do not need to work it out on your own. Ask us, and we will talk it through with you.
Other reasons your ear can feel blocked
Some causes are not wax at all. None of these prove anything. They are simply reasons to ask us before you assume it is wax.
A cold or flu
Middle ear infections are often caused by viruses like colds and flu. They affect the small tube that links the middle ear to the back of your nose, called the eustachian tube. Your ear can feel full or under pressure, and sounds can seem dull. Most ear infections clear up within 3 days, though symptoms can last up to a week. See a GP if earache does not get better after 3 days. Read the NHS guide to ear infections.
After swimming
An outer ear infection (otitis externa) affects the ear canal. Water, eczema or wearing earplugs can set it off. It can cause itching, pain and a blocked feeling.
Muffled hearing that feels different
Muffled hearing can come from wax. If it comes on quickly or feels different from anything you have had before, get it checked. If your hearing has got worse over the last few days or weeks, get urgent advice. If it has slowly got worse in both ears over a long time, it is often linked to age or years of loud noise, so see your GP.
If this is about your child, please read our page on glue ear or ear wax in children instead.
Ear infection signs
Earache, discharge or hearing loss can point to an ear infection, which can feel very different from wax. If you have hearing loss with earache or discharge, ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111. Do not wait for a routine wax appointment.
If a baby under 12 months may have an ear infection, see a GP. For a child under 5, call NHS 111 for advice.
Fluid behind the eardrum
Fluid behind the eardrum can make an ear feel blocked or muffled. It often comes with a cold. It can feel much like wax, and only an assessment can tell the two apart.
Something stuck in the ear
A feeling that something is stuck in the ear could mean there is an object in it. Do not try to remove it with your fingers or cotton buds. Contact your GP or NHS 111.
A hole in the eardrum
A hole in the eardrum (perforated eardrum) can cause sudden hearing loss after an ear infection, a very loud noise or a change in air pressure, for example when flying. If this sounds like you, ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111.
A quick decision guide
This table is a guide, not a diagnosis. It shows what you might notice, what it could be and what to do.
| What you notice | What it could be | What to do |
| A muffled or blocked feeling that built up slowly over days or weeks | Often earwax | Book an ear wax appointment so we can look first |
| A blocked or pressured feeling during or after a cold | Often fluid or a middle ear infection | Give it a few days. See a GP if earache lasts more than 3 days |
| Itching, pain or a blocked feeling after swimming | Could be an outer ear infection | Speak to a pharmacist or your GP |
| Sudden hearing loss after an ear infection, a loud noise or flying | Could be a hole in the eardrum (perforated eardrum) | Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 |
| Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears | Needs checking quickly | Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 |
| Hearing loss with earache or discharge | Could be an ear infection | Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 |
| Hearing slowly getting worse in both ears | Often due to age or years of loud noise | See your GP |
| A feeling that something is stuck in the ear | Could be an object in the ear | Do not try to remove it with fingers or cotton buds. Contact your GP or NHS 111 |
Symptoms that need urgent advice
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if:
- you have sudden hearing loss in one or both ears
- your hearing has got worse over the last few days or weeks
- you have hearing loss with earache or discharge coming out of your ear
- your ear is swollen, you have a very high temperature, or you feel generally unwell
It might not be anything serious, but it may need treatment quickly. Read when the NHS says to get urgent help for hearing loss.
We would always rather you got checked and it turned out to be nothing. Please do not worry about wasting anyone’s time.
What an ear check can find
An ear check is a chance for our pharmacist to look in your ear with an otoscope and talk about your symptoms. We ask what you have noticed, how long it has been going on and whether anything has changed quickly. Then we look at what is happening, rather than assuming.
The check can show whether wax is the reason. If it is not, we will tell you plainly where to go next, and when you need another assessment.
| Book an ear wax appointment |
A pattern we see every winter
Someone books wax removal a week after a heavy cold, sure their ear is packed with wax. When we look with the otoscope, the ear canal is clear. The blocked feeling is coming from behind the eardrum, not from wax. We explain what we can see, and when to see a GP if it does not settle.
When to book an ear check in Theydon Bois
If your ear feels blocked, start by asking how it began. Did it build up slowly, or did something change suddenly? If you have sudden hearing loss, or hearing loss with earache or discharge, contact NHS 111 or your GP first.
If it feels more like a slow, muffled blockage, an ear check is a sensible step.
If you are thinking about ear drops, please ask us first. Do not use ear drops or oil if you might have a hole in your eardrum. If you are not sure, ask us before you use them. You can read more in the NHS advice on earwax build up.
We welcome people from Theydon Bois, Epping, Loughton, Chigwell and the rest of Essex. We would rather help you find the right answer than book you in for the wrong thing.
Not sure if it is wax? Book an ear wax appointment and we will look first. If there is wax and removal is suitable for you, microsuction is £50 for one ear or £90 for both. If there is no wax, you pay only the £20 otoscopy fee, and we will tell you where to go next.
| Book an ear wax appointment | Call 01992 812130 |
FAQs
Can a blocked ear be something other than wax?
Yes. A cold, an ear infection, fluid behind the eardrum, swimming, flying or a hole in the eardrum can all make an ear feel blocked. How it started usually helps tell them apart. An ear check lets us look rather than assume.
Should I try ear drops first?
Please ask a pharmacist first. Do not use ear drops or oil if you might have a hole in your eardrum. If you are not sure, ask us before you use them. We can talk through your symptoms and tell you what makes sense for you.
When should I get urgent help?
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if you have sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, your hearing has got worse over the last few days or weeks, or you have hearing loss with earache or discharge. The same goes if your ear is swollen, you have a very high temperature, or you feel generally unwell. Do not wait for a routine wax appointment.
How can I tell if I have a blocked ear but not wax?
It is hard to tell from the inside, because many causes feel alike. Wax tends to build up slowly over days or weeks, while an ear infection usually starts quickly. A cold, swimming or flying can also be a clue. If you are unsure, an ear check lets us look, and we will tell you if you need another assessment.
What happens at an ear check?
Our pharmacist looks in your ear with an otoscope and talks through your symptoms with you. We assess each person individually, and wax removal is not suitable for everyone. The check can show whether wax is likely to be the cause. If it is not, we will tell you where to go next. If there is no wax, you pay only the £20 otoscopy fee.