Are Some People More Prone To Ear Congestion Than Others
If you think youre more prone to ear congestion than other people, you might be right. Some peoples Eustachian tubes are naturally shaped in a way that makes them more prone to congestion and clogged ears from a cold.
Your Eustachian tubes could also be narrower or more horizontal than average , which makes it much easier for fluid to collect. You could also have a greater amount of mucus at the opening of your Eustachian tubes which facilitates greater swelling when you come down with something.
Infections Inside The Ear
Antibiotics are not usually offered because infections inside the ear often clear up on their own and antibiotics make little difference to symptoms, including pain.
Antibiotics might be prescribed if:
- an ear infection does not start to get better after 3 days
- you or your child has any fluid coming out of the ear
- you or your child has an illness that means there’s a risk of complications, such as cystic fibrosis
They may also be prescribed if your child is less than 2 years old and has an infection in both ears.
Treating Ear Congestion At Home
You May Like: Are Hearing Aids Free On Nhs
Olive Oil Or Hydrogen Peroxide
This technique serves to open up your Eustachian tubes by softening and removing your earwax. Add lukewarm olive oil or hydrogen peroxide to an ear dropper and lie down with the affected ear facing up. Place three to five drops of liquid in your blocked ear and remain in that position for five to ten minutes. Next, switch sides with the affected ear facing down and wait for your ear to drain earwax and excess oil or hydrogen peroxide . When you are done, use a cotton ball or tissue to soak up any liquid at the entrance to your ear canal. You can use this technique three times a day for up to seven days.
Sinus Infections And Other Health Effects
Aside from ear pain and dizziness, a sinus infection can also cause temporary hearing loss. Sinus-related hearing loss occurs when the infection spreads to the ears, specifically the middle ear. Hearing can become affected if inflammation puts pressure on the ear drum. This inflammation can cause discharge of fluid and the build-up of fluid in the eardrum, which leads to pain and temporary hearing loss.
When the fluid and pressure are relieved the hearing loss will reverse, and you can go back to hearing how you previously did, prior to the infection. If the fluid does not drain commonly seen in children the continuous pressure can cause the eardrum to burst, which contributes to permanent hearing loss.
Its important to prevent sinus infections as well as treating them right away, so that you dont encounter any complications.
Other health complications that can stem from a sinus infection are headaches and throat problems, such as coughing or a sore throat.
Related: Natural treatments to unclog ears
Don’t Miss: How To Teach Baby Sign Language
Plugged Ears Home Remedy: Natural Cures For Clogged Ears From Cold
Plugged or clogged ears is a condition which is often associated with common cold or upper respiratory tract infection namely sinusitis. Clogging of the ear can be associated with discomfort which is often self limiting and mild to moderate in intensity. However occasionally clogged ear can be associated with severe discomfort and needs to be managed effectively to alleviate pain and discomfort.
What Else Causes Ear Popping
Sometimes your ears may clog and unclog themselves naturally. This usually happens due to changes in the surrounding air pressure. If youre climbing to a high altitude for example, flying on an airplane or driving up a high mountain range your ears may pop as they adjust to the air pressure around you.
If you cant pop or unclog your ears two weeks or longer, or are experiencing pain in the ear, consult your doctor.
Your doctor can rule out any underlying conditions that may be causing this sensation. These may include:
Read Also: Is It Important To Clean Your Ears
Ears Still Blocked After A Cold Try These 5 Things
The average adult experiences 2-3 colds per year, making this particular malady exceptionally common. But just because theyre frequency doesnt mean that colds cant make you miserable. Fevers, runny noses, sneezing, coughingcold symptoms come in a myriad of varieties .
But one cold symptom that doesnt get much attention has to do with your ears. As you become congested, your ears could grow blocked, and that can interfere with your hearing and your comfort. If your ears are blocked because of a cold, there are a few things you can try to help relieve your symptoms. This is, of course, assuming there are no signs of an ear infection.
Be Hesitant Of Home Remedies That Sound Odd
You shouldnt stick a lit candle in your ear which should go without saying. Ear candling is an old technique of inserting a hollow candle in your ear and lighting it which is very unscientific. Theoretically, earwax is drawn into the hollow space inside the candle when the heat of the flame creates a vacuum. This doesnt work and you will probably cause a lot more damage to your ears. Dont forget, if it sounds strange you should ask an expert. Dont risk losing your hearing by just trying things.
When all else fails, you should contact us. Permanent hearing loss or a burst eardrum are the kinds of consequences you could experience from improper earwax removal.
Also Check: Can Tinnitus Be In One Ear Only
Why Are My Ears Blocked When I Have A Cold
You sneezed. You blew your nose. You endured a very scratchy throat. And eventually you were able to recover from the worst cold youve had all year. Now youre back to work and having dinner with friends.
But your ears are still blocked. Which is odd, because no other symptoms remain. Its a disconcerting feeling, and its impacting your ability to hear . What would cause your ears to remain blocked after a cold, you wonder.
A cold virusin scientific jargon referred to as a rhinoviruscan often incite congestion and blockages throughout your nasal passages, sinuses, and ears. The virus, in the process, can sometimes cause, reveal, or exacerbate other conditions that leave your ears full of fluid. And that can leave you feeling like your ears are clogged, stuffy and uncomfortable. But there are some possible solutions.
Apply A Warm Compress
Applying a warm compress on the clogged ear may help dissolve the impacted earwax so that it becomes more mobile and easier to drain out of the ear cavity. This kind of heat therapy is especially recommended when the blockage in your ear occurs due to a common cold infection or sinus congestion.
You can use a washcloth drenched in warm water for this purpose, but only after wringing the excess water out. Alternatively, you can use a hot water bottle to make a warm compress and apply it to the affected ear for 510 minutes.
Don’t Miss: Does Water In Ear Cause Vertigo
Clogged Ears From Cold
Clogging of the ears is associated with cold or sinusitis. This is due to the blockage of the Eustachian tube which connects the nasal passages to the inner ear.
Due to common cold or sinusitis, the Eustachian tube fails to balance the air pressures on either sides which in turn results in clogging or blocking of the ear. The failure to balance air pressure on either side of the tube may result in retraction and pulling of the ear drum which may be associated with muffled sound. The condition can be often very distressing and associated with severe pain.
In addition to clogging of ears due to cold, the other common cause of clogging is air travel or scuba diving, both of which are associated with change in air pressures, which result in clogging of the ears.
Though relatively uncommon, clogging of the ear can also be associated with reduced auditory capacities and can interfere with the ability of an individual to hear clearly.
Try Drops Of Hydrogen Peroxide In Your Ear
Hydrogen peroxide, if correctly employed, can break up earwax. Mixing the peroxide with luke warm water and using a dropper to gradually put it in your ear is the experts suggestion. Your ear should be tilted upward as you place the drops into your ear and you should keep it that way for a few seconds to allow the hydrogen peroxide to dissolve the earwax blockage. You could have to do this a few times a day for a couple of days, but eventually, the blockage should clear up.
Read Also: How Did Beethoven Hearing Loss Affect His Music
What Causes A Clogged Ear
Clogged ears can disrupt the balance, affect hearing, and also cause pain and discomfort. Both internal and external factors can trigger the condition. They include:
- Barotrauma It occurs when your ears cant adapt to the changing pressure on an airplane .
- Ear Infection It is a result of fluid build-up in the ears that may cause virus or bacteria to multiply . A cold or flu often triggers an ear infection.
- Earwax Impaction It occurs due to an excessive production of earwax, which causes a build-up of wax in the ear canal .
- Presence of a foreign object like cotton inside the ear
- Swimmers Ear This condition results from water being trapped in the ear .
- Smoking
Some of the lesser common causes of ear congestion are migraines and spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leakage.
Take A Nasal Decongestant
Sometimes staying hydrated isnt enough . When your stuffiness is persistent, it might be useful to consider taking an over-the-counter nasal decongestant.;
Such decongestants can help fluids drainand, as a result, help keep your eustachian tubes and ears clear. However, most such decongestants come with cautions against taking them for more than three days in a row .
You may also want to stay away from decongestants if your nose is already quite runny.
Also Check: What To Put On Infected Ear Piercing
Symptoms That Are Likely To Show Up
When your ears get clogged, you tend to show certain symptoms that affect you in one way or the other. Some of these common symptoms include:
- Popping sound in your ear
- Buzzing, ringing, wheezing and thumping in the ear
- Pain in the outer and inner ear
- The high temperature in the ear
- Reduced hearing capability
- Fever
If you are experiencing the signs and symptoms that are mentioned above, you must seek treatment immediately from a professional doctor who specializes in ENT .
However, there are also some simple methods which you can follow in order to effectively treat the problems that you experience in your ears.
How To Get Rid Of Clogged Ears Warm Cloth
This is an effective tip on how to get rid of clogged ears from flying, cold, and allergies that you should consider using as soon as possible.
How to use:
You iron a cloth or place it in the sunlight so that it becomes warm.
Now, you place this warm cloth underneath your affected ear.
Alternatively, you heat some water and then dip a cloth in it.
Now, you squeeze the excess water and then place the cloth on your affected ear for about 5 minutes.
You rub the affected ear with the palm. Place your palm on your clogged ear tightly.
Then, you push it out until you notice that your affected ear is unclogged.
Don’t Miss: What Helps Relieve Ear Infection Pain
Why Ear Pressure Happens When Youre Sick
Its common for your ears to feel stuffy when you have an illness or infection that impacts the general vicinity of your head, Bradford A. Woodworth, M.D., a professor in the department of otolaryngology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, tells SELF. Because our ears, nose, and throat are all closely connected, a problem in one area often leads to another, Dr. Woodworth says.
Much of the function of this ear-nose-throat network hinges on tiny canals called the Eustachian tubes. Each ear has one of these narrow passageways to connect the middle ear to the back of the nasal passages and upper throat, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. These tubes open and close regularly to adjust the air pressure in your middle ear, remove natural fluids from your middle ear, and circulate new air inside your ear, according to the Mayo Clinic.
When youre battling something like an upper respiratory infection or allergy, your Eustachian tube openings can become partially blocked due to tissue inflammation and mucus secretions, Dr. Woodworth says, and this inflammation can potentially interfere with the normal functioning of these tubes, possibly leading to a pressure imbalance. This may cause a sensation of stuffiness.
Causes Of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
The commonest cause is a blocked nose, because swelling closes the entrance to the eustachian tube. A;cold;is the usual reason for this but it can also happen with;allergies.
Glue ear;and large adenoids can also be a cause, especially in children.
Smoking;can affect the way your eustachian tube works.
Air travel and scuba diving when you have a cold can make eustachian tube dysfunction worse.
Read Also: How To Clean Wax Out Of My Baby’s Ears
Care Advice For Ear Congestion
How To Get Rid Of Clogged Ears Warm Water
The best tips on how to get rid of clogged ears from cold, flying, and allergies must include warm water. Flushing with warm water is one of the best ways that will help you open up a clogged ear. How to do:
You fill an ear syringe with a glass of lukewarm water
Then, you tilt the head to your side as much as possible and then pull the ear lobe down in order to open up your ear canal.
You insert the syringes tip into your ear opening. Then, you slightly point the syringe up and sideways, squeezing the syringes bulb to force the water into the ear canal. The force of the water will be able to dislodge the wax.
You wait for 0 minutes and then turn the head to the other side. The earwax and water will be removed easily.
Don’t Miss: What Decibel Will Cause Hearing Loss
Cold Protection For Your Ears
Every cold is going to be slightly different. So theres a lot of listening to your body involved in the process of unblocking your ears. The approach you take will likely depend on whats blocking your ears in the first place.
But its important to look at the system holistically. Your ears, sinuses, nose, and throat are all connected. A cold thats particularly rough on your sinuses, for example, will likely have an impact on your ears, too. When in doubt, seek out professional medical advice and go see your specialist!
And if your ears are blocked by a cold, try one of the five solutions listed above. Your nose might keep running, but at least your ears will feel relieved.
Make Rubbing Alcohol & Vinegar Ear Drops
Heres how: Combine equal amounts of alcohol and vinegar in a very small bowl or bottle. Put 2 or 3 drops of the alcohol/vinegar mixture into your clogged ear.
Try placing a bit of rubbing alcohol in the ear using an eyedropper. Allow the alcohol to remain in the ear for a minute or so and then tilt your head to drain it out. The alcohol can dissolve solids that may have collected in the canal and may also help disinfect inflamed portions of your ear. Alcohol can also allow fluids to more readily evaporate and can help to break surface tension by blending with whatever fluids you may have up there.
You May Like: How To Say Happy In Sign Language
Can Rubbing Alcohol Help Unclog Ears
Rubbing alcohol is generally used to dry up the ears since retained water can cause infections such as swimmers ears.
While rubbing alcohol with vinegar has been anecdotally used for treating clogged ears, there have been only preliminary studies regarding it.
Therefore, it is best to avoid this remedy to prevent complications. Consult your doctor and get a proper diagnosis. You may use OTC products that contain alcohol on your doctors suggestion.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties . These activities of tea tree oil can help reduce inflammation inside the ear and fight the infectious microbes that could be clogging your ear.
You Will Need
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
You can do this 1-2 times daily.
Don’t Miss: Is Tinnitus A Sign Of Hearing Loss
Take A Hot Steamy Shower
Heres how: After your shower, remain in the steamy bathroom for at least 10 minutes. The steam helps unclog your ears.
Inhaling steam is one of the simplest ways to get rid of clogged ears resulting from a cold. The steam will help thin and loosen the mucus, which in turn will give you relief from clogged ears. Steam can also help loosen earwax causing clogging. Pour hot steaming water in a large bowl. Add a few drops of tea tree oil or lavender essential oil to it. cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam slowly until the clogged ear opens up.
How To Get Rid Of Clogged Ears From Flying Cold And Allergies Warm Compress
It is one of the best home remedies for clogged ears caused by colds or sinus congestion. In fact, the heat from the warm compress will help you effectively in loosening congestion, unclogging the ear and easing the pain.
How to do:
At first, you soak a cloth in lukewarm water, squeezing the excess water.
Then, you place the cloth over your affected ear for 5-10 minutes. This will help you promote fluid drainage and relieve the pain.
Alternatively, you can cover a hot-water bottle with a thin towel.
Then, you apply this towel to your clogged ear for 5-10 minutes in order to reduce the pressure and open your clogged ear again.;
Discover: 40;Best Natural Tips On How To Get Rid Of;Acne
Also Check: Can Ear Wax Plug Your Ear
Sticking Something Into Your Ear Is Never The Right Way To Clean It
Seriously, this is worth restating: dont use a cotton swab to try to clean your ear, because you will only make things worse. Cotton swabs can cause complete blockage by pushing the earwax into the eardrum. As a matter of fact, anything that gets inserted in your ears can easily lead to an earwax blockage, and that includes hearing aids and earplugs. To lessen earwax accumulation, you should only use cotton swabs on the outer ear.
How To Relieve Ear Pressure
Pain and pressure in the ears are temporary; once your illness has run its course, these symptoms should clear up.
But this can take a week or longeran eternity for those who are under the weather in Charleston.
There are steps you can take to relieve discomfort from pain and pressure in the ears.
The trick is to reduce congestion in the nose and throat so your Eustachian tube will stay open and do its job. Try the following:
Don’t Miss: How To Connect Phonak Hearing Aids To Iphone
The Deal With Ear Wax Aka Cerumen
If your ears seem waxier than most, take heart: Ear wax,also known as cerumen, is not only normal, its necessary.
People think that ear wax is dirty and needs to be cleaned, but ear wax has both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, notes Dr. Nguyen-Huynh.
It also protects ears from things that could hurt the eardrum, such as dust, hair or small insects.
But like most things in life,its all about balance too much wax can block your ears and cause temporaryhearing loss or infections. A small number of people will need cleaning ifthey produce too much wax that jams up the ear, especially if they have asmaller-than-average ear canal, Dr. Nguyen-Huynh explains.
Other factors that can affectyour amount of ear wax include:
- Wearing hearing aids or deep earplugs.
How To Manage Ear Clogging Due To Ear Pressure While Traveling By Plane
The feeling of pressure buildup in the ear during air traveling is known as barotrauma. You can use oral or nasal decongestants to help prevent this.
These medications help by shrinking the mucous membrane of the Eustachian tube. Alternatively, you can also try the Valsalva, Frenzel, or Toynbee maneuver.
Read Also: What Type Of Hearing Loss Does This Simulate
Two Ear Wax Removal Remedies To Avoid
All ear wax removal hacks are notcreated equal. Dr. Nguyen-Huynh recommends steering clear of: