For most people, blocked ears are a temporary condition that will clear up when the pressure in the ears returns to normal. However, if this doesn't happen a visit to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) professional may be helpful.
Your ears will most likely go back to normal after a couple of days if the blockage is caused by air pressure. You might have to wait for your immune system to kick in if your blockage is due to an ear infection (and, if it's the latter, antibiotics can really help). This may take up to a couple of weeks.
Clogged ears can also result from swollen or blocked eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat. This can happen for brief periods during air travel, but also due to allergies, sinus or ear infections, or other respiratory viruses (including COVID-19).
When the eustachian tube is blocked, it prevents the air bubble from moving into the middle ear, eventually creating a vacuum and pulling on the eardrum. This can be uncomfortable and can cause other problems in the ear, such as hearing loss and dizziness.
People can often treat ear congestion with home remedies and OTC medications. However, a person may want to speak with a doctor about their ear congestion if: their symptoms persist despite using at-home or OTC treatments. they develop a fever.
If your ears won't pop you might have fluid in your ears. Thickened fluid blocks the auditory tube and prevents the fluid from draining into the back of the throat. Sometimes this is caused by an ear infection.
Colds, allergies, infected adenoids, or sinusitis, can cause congestion of the nose and eustachian tube. This congestion causes the tube to be blocked. With the tube blocked the fluid in the middle ear cannot drain.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to drain fluid from your middle ear at home. Such home remedies include applying a warm compress, inhaling steam, popping your ears, and a technique known as the Valsalva maneuver. Over-the-counter medicines may also help.
Diagnosing Obstructive Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Over time, negative pressure can build up in the ear, causing pain, ear fullness and muffled hearing. When this occurs, sometimes your doctor can see the ear drum (tympanic membrane) change shape due to this pressure and become concave.
Applying a warm compress
Fold the towel and tilt the head, resting the ear on the compress. Rest there for several minutes, letting the warmth relax the ear and promote drainage. It may also help to use other techniques after the ear is warm, such as yawning or tugging at the ear to promote further drainage.
Using drops may make your hearing or symptoms a little worse at first before getting better. These can help soften the earwax so that it falls out naturally.
Your health care provider can remove excess wax by using a small, curved tool called a curet or by using suction techniques. Your provider can also flush out the wax using a syringe filled with warm water and saline or diluted hydrogen peroxide.
If your ears are full of wax, they can often feel clogged.
“However, if it doesn't come out in a day or two, seek medical attention so a health care provider can remove it safely.” Dr. Gural-Toth says that you should never attempt to remove ear wax using a Q-tip.
An ear blockage is often caused by a build-up of ear wax (cerumen) in the ear canal. While ear wax is a naturally occurring substance, sometimes it can harden making it difficult to remove from the ear. A safe way to unblock your ears from excess ear wax build-up is to use ear drops, such as WAXSOL.
Gently pull your ear in an upwards and outwards direction so that the water gets better access to the ear canal. Hold the nozzle inside the ear (not too deeply) and GENTLY squirt the water from the bulb syringe into the ear. You can gently squirt more bulb syringes into the ear if require.
Your ear congestion may have happened during an ear infection and never went away, or may get worse when eating certain foods, or they may have become plugged at the onset of an autoimmune condition.
Symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction usually go away without treatment. You can do exercises to open up the tubes. This includes swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum. You can help relieve the “full ear” feeling by taking a deep breath, pinching your nostrils closed, and “blowing” with your mouth shut.
Most cases of Eustachian tube dysfunction clear up in a few days with the help of over-the-counter medication and home remedies, but symptoms can last one to two weeks. If you're still having symptoms after two weeks, or they're getting worse, you may need more aggressive treatment.
Close your mouth, hold your nose, and gently blow as if you are blowing your nose. Yawning and chewing gum also may help. You may hear or feel a "pop" when the tubes open to make the pressure equal between the inside and outside of your ears.
Another way is to elevate your head using several pillows, which may help drain the eustachian tubes. To raise the head of the bed, place five or six inch wood blocks under the bed legs at the head of the bed, or purchase a wedge pillow, which can be placed between your box springs and mattress.
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.
Eustachian tube dysfunction symptoms
A buildup of mucus in the middle ear causes symptoms. Symptoms are often mild and limited to a few days following a cold or flu. If symptoms last more than two weeks, recur frequently, or are severe, it's a good idea to schedule an appointment with your doctor.