[recycled sixtie]

Sometimes hearing loss can be attributed to wax build up in the ears. Sticking foreign objects in your ears like a pencil with an eraser on the end can compress the wax more.
I have done this myself and then it is harder to get out. I found my hearing is improved if I get a doctor or nurse to remove it with a jet of hot(not too hot water). However too much pressure can cause tinnititus. You can also buy a rubber bulb and solution to squirt in your ears which I find helps.

My father was a bomber pilot in WW2 and had a total of 1700 hours. His hearing was bad enough he needed a hearing aid in his forties.

Anyway as a caveat I am not a med professional. At 70 I don't like too much noise.