Popping your ears can help open the eustachian tube, allowing fluid to drain. The simplest way to pop your ears is to yawn, chew, or swallow. You may also want to try popping your ears using something called the Valsalva maneuver: Take a deep breath and hold it.
Most children will have slight short-term hearing loss during and right after an ear infection. This is due to fluid in the ear. Fluid can stay behind the eardrum for weeks or even months after the infection has cleared.
Postnasal drip can also cause ear or throat discomfort. Your nose is connected to your ears and throat via an open structure called the pharynx, a cone-shaped passageway in the back of the head. Therefore, excess mucus that exits from the back of your nose can flow into your ears and throat from the pharynx.
Using your index fingers, start gently massaging on the side of your head near your ears in an up and down motion. Slowly work your way down to the earlobes. Repeat one to two times.
In most cases, the fluid clears up within a few months without treatment. You may need more tests if the fluid does not clear up after 3 months. For adults, decongestants that you take by mouth or spray into your nose may be helpful.
Pseudoephedrine is used to relieve nasal or sinus congestion caused by the common cold, sinusitis, and hay fever and other respiratory allergies. It is also used to relieve ear congestion caused by ear inflammation or infection.
Most fluid goes away on its own in weeks or months, especially if it was caused by a cold or an ear infection. OME is of more concern if it lasts more than 3 months or when your child has other problems that could be made worse by persistent ear fluid (e.g., delays in speech, language, learning, or development).
This may give you the idea that you need antibiotics, but most clear up without them. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses and aren't recommended within the first week of developing a cold. About 70% of sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.
If your ears are plugged, try swallowing, yawning or chewing sugar-free gum to open your eustachian tubes. If this doesn't work, take a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. If you hear a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.
Chronic ear infection is fluid, swelling, or an infection behind the eardrum that does not go away or keeps coming back. It causes long-term or permanent damage to the ear. It often involves a hole in the eardrum that does not heal.
Theoretically, antihistamines may reduce the congestion of mucous membranes and decrease obstruction of tubes lined by mucous membrane, such as the Eustachian tube. An open Eustachian tube would allow the middle ear pressure to equalize to ambient air pressure. It may also allow drainage of fluid from the middle ear.
Otitis media, more commonly referred to as a middle ear infection, is a buildup of fluid behind the eardrum that can, and often does, harbor bacteria or virus. An ear infection can cause ear pressure, fluid drainage, fever and sometimes temporary hearing loss.
Chronic ear infection is fluid, swelling, or an infection behind the eardrum that does not go away or keeps coming back. It causes long-term or permanent damage to the ear. It often involves a hole in the eardrum that does not heal.
Pseudoephedrine is used to relieve nasal or sinus congestion caused by the common cold, sinusitis, and hay fever and other respiratory allergies. It is also used to relieve ear congestion caused by ear inflammation or infection.
Managing pain
Your doctor will advise you on treatments to lessen pain from an ear infection. These may include the following: Pain medication. Your doctor may advise the use of over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) to relieve pain.
Pseudoephedrine starts to work in 15 to 30 minutes, but you should feel a lot better after 30 to 60 minutes. Are there any long-term side effects? Decongestants should only be used for a short time, usually less than 7 days.
There may be discomfort, pus-like ear discharge or a sensation of subdued hearing. Fluid accumulation can also cause ear or throat pain. But in the case of a sinus infection, there is a feeling of fullness and pressure in the ears.