My AirPods are louder and clearer on the outsiders

My AirPods use to work great with amazing sound but suddenly for a while now I have had to turn the volume all the way up to hear almost anything. Also, when my volume is very low every one in the room can hear what I am playing but me (and yes I have checked if it was playing from my phone, it was not) when I hold my AirPods close to my ears but not inside them I can hear the volume loud and clear but as soon as I place them in my ears I can’t hear anything.