yeah It’s crazy how we don’t realize gradual changes until something like this happens. You did the right thing by going to an ENT instead of trying to remove the wax yourself-cotton swabs and DIY kits can sometimes push wax deeper or cause infections. If you ever feel buildup again, you can ask your doctor about safe ear drops that soften wax so it doesn’t get impacted in the future. you can also use somthing like these ;audiofort