Left ear hearing problem and pain for almost 1 year — looking for medical advice
​
I’ve had a problem with my left ear for almost 1 year and have visited different ENT doctors around 7 times.
Initially, one ENT said there was fluid in my ear. Later, after a few visits, I was told it could be related to my wisdom tooth/teeth. The ENT also said my eardrum looks normal.
The hearing loss is not noticeable in normal daily life. I mainly notice the difference when using earphones/headphones. The pain is more noticeable: I have mild pain almost 24/7. Whenever I use earphones/headphones, the pain gradually becomes much stronger, and the increased pain can last for several days. It then gradually becomes weaker again, but a mild background pain remains.
My previous audiogram showed mild conductive hearing loss with an air–bone gap.
I’m looking for medical advice from ENT doctors or people who have experienced something similar. Could this still be a middle-ear problem, or could it involve the inner ear/hearing nerve? Would a repeat audiogram, tympanometry, and bone-conduction testing help identify the cause?
Any advice on what I should investigate next would be appreciated.