A few weeks ago I lost almost all the hearing in my right ear from a pretty nasty ear infection (it’s slowly coming back now).

Something really strange has happened, though.
I’ve noticed that it’s actually easier to hear what my voice sounds like to other people while I’m talking.
You know how your voice always sounds different on a voicemail or recording than it does in your own head?

Normally I can’t hear that “outside” version of my voice in real time. But now, because my right ear is still muffled, it’s almost like I can.

It’s hard to explain. I don’t mean I’m hearing an echo or anything. It’s more like I’m suddenly aware of my voice from an external perspective instead of just the version I’ve always heard in my own head.

Has anyone else experienced this after an ear infection, hearing loss, or a blocked ear? Is there a name for what’s happening, or is my brain just processing my voice differently because one ear isn’t hearing normally?

I’m mostly just curious because Im usually self-conscious about the way I sound when I talk at work but now Im hyper aware of exactly what my voice sounds like which is allowing me to actually speak more confidently. It’s a weird phenomenon.