Constant muffled ears/fullness for almost a year with mostly normal tests — anyone else?
36F, 5’6”, ~150 lbs, non-smoker. Current medications: Topamax, Wellbutrin, montelukast, allergy medication, magnesium, vitamin B, and Wegovy.
Main issue is daily muffled hearing/ear fullness for almost a year. It fluctuates throughout the day and sometimes improves temporarily when I lay down or use warmth behind my ear/jaw area. It feels very physical/pressure-related to me, almost like my ears won’t “open” correctly.
Testing/history:
Normal hearing test in May 2025
Hearing test in May 2026 showed only the highest decibel ranges slightly outside normal/average range
My ears did feel actively “muffled” during the 2026 hearing test
Bone conduction testing was normal
Tympanometry normal
CT head/sinuses clear
ENT mentioned possible auditory processing disorder or early hearing loss
I’ve already tried antibiotics, steroids, allergy medications, and nasal sprays without improvement. I do have migraines, but I had migraines long before these ear symptoms started, so I’m unsure if they’re related. TMJ hasn’t really been explored yet either.
No major infection findings. Also recently had a neck ultrasound that showed a small borderline prominent lymph node but otherwise nothing significant.
Has anyone experienced chronic muffled hearing/fullness with mostly normal testing? Curious what diagnoses ended up being the cause.