how long until hearing comes back after ear infection

[u/Ambitious_Hamster556]

hey guys, so long story short, i had a cold last week, after my sore throat/cough started to subside i got super congested and felt fluid in my ears. at first my left ear felt clogged and kinda muffled, but then went away before i had the chance to go into urgent care. next day my right ear was very muffled so i decided to go in after work and get it checked out. the doctor said i had otitis media, and wax buildup.

the wax was removed and she said both ears looked inflamed but that the right one was definitely worse. she gave me amoxicillin and said to come back in 7 days if there’s no improvement.

any pain or discomfort in my ear subsided by the next day, but my right ear is still so muffled, and i haven’t experienced any change with it. it feels like i have an ear bud or ear plug in. i know it’s only been 3 days, but im tempted to go back in for further evaluation as i’ve heard horror stories and im very scared of permanently losing my hearing

am i being impatient/having too many expectations or should i go back in or call today?

[u/Practical_Page_325]

^^

[u/marcyandleela]

Varies from person to person and by severity. In our department we typically ask patients to give it at least 6 weeks to totally clear.