Why do your ears feel blocked during monsoon? ENT specialist Dr M Gowrishankar explains reason behind muffled hearing

Know from an expert if your ears feel blocked during monsoon season. Instead of panicking, go visit a doctor as it is due to viral infection.

The monsoon season brings weather changes as temperatures drop and the dry summer transitions into a period of high humidity and profuse sweating. While the rain brings much-anticipated relief from the heat, the damp environment creates favourable conditions for infections. Among the common concerns are ear-related problems, including the uncomfortable sensation of blocked ears. But why does this happen, and how are monsoon infections connected to ear pain and temporary hearing difficulties? Instead of panicking, mistaking the sudden muffled hearing for hearing loss signs, hear from an expert why it is actually common during this season.

Don't panic if your ear feels blocked. (Picture credit: Freepik)

Explaining this condition of temporary ear blockage during the monsoon, Dr M Gowrishankar, director and senior consultant-minimally invasive surgeries in ENT, SIMS Hospital, Chennai, shared with HT Lifestyle why this sensation becomes more common during monsoon.

Why does ear infection occur in monsoon?

First, he broke down the anatomy of the ear into three parts: the external ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. External ear infections commonly occur due to exposure to moisture or the use of unhygienic earbuds. Attempting to remove water using tissue paper, towels, or earbuds can further damage the softened skin inside the ear canal and increase the risk of infection.

The ENT doctor said ,“Monsoon-related ear infections are commonly linked to cold-like symptoms and viral infections affecting the throat, such as tonsillitis or pharyngitis, and the nose, such as sinusitis or rhinitis.”

Why does ear blockage occur?

There's a name to this condition of ‘ear blockage.’ Dr Gowrishankar described, “Nose and throat areas are connected to the middle ear by a small tube called the Eustachian tube. So, infections in these areas that occur due to viral infections during the monsoon season can spread through the Eustachian tube into the middle ear. People who develop an infection in the middle ear will experience ear-blocking sensations, and the eardrum will become congested and bulge. This condition is called acute otitis media.”

The middle ear essentially needs air to carry sound properly; this fluid interferes with sound vibrations, and the doctor observed that the ears may feel blocked and hearing may become temporarily muffled.

A blocked ear's sensation would typically feel like there is a pressure or a sense of fullness inside it, sometimes accompanied by mild pain too.

How to prevent?

For prevention, he insisted on taking precautions well, which is to wear masks and avoid getting in close contact with those afflicted with viral infections and showing cold symptoms, and avoid eating cold foods to prevent infections.

More about the doctor

Dr M. Gowrishankar is an ENT surgeon and has had over 28 years of extensive experience in the field. His specialisation includes advanced hearing surgeries, facial nerve decompression surgeries, difficult cochlear implant surgeries in children with variable anatomy, tinnitus & vertigo management, endoscopic sinus surgeries, anterior skull base and lateral skull base surgeries, pediatric ENT surgeries and pediatric bronchoscopy, salivary gland and head neck surgeries, and emergency ENT care.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.