Get Rid of Clogged Ears
Have you ever had that symptom when you always hear muffled sounds and you feel like you are always underwater? It is like you hear sloshing sounds in the ear and that you want to poke it to unblock whatever is lodged deep down there. When something is blocking your ears, you want to immediately unclog it. You may mistake it for earwax, but then it’s not. Here are the general symptoms of clogged ear:
- There is pressure in the ear.
- A feeling that something is stuck in the ear and it is blocking your hearing.
- Popping or crackling sounds when the jaw is moved, the head is tilted, or when lying down.
- A feeling of having fluids sloshing inside the ear.
- There is pain around the ear area that may go down into the neck.
Causes of Clogged Ears
There are several causes of having a clogged ear. Here are some of them:
- Diving
- Sore throat or throat infection
- Tonsillitis
- Common colds
- Viral infection
- Sinus infection
- Bacterial infection
- Ear infection or otitis media
- Air pressure changes
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Boil in outer ear canal
- Ruptured, perforated eardrum
- Rapid descent from high altitudes
- Severely impacted ear wax blockage
- Swimmer’s ear where water is trapped in the ear canal
How ears get clogged can be blamed on a few possible things:
- Clogged ears can be caused by an excessive build-up of earwax.
- Your ears can get clogged due to sinus problems and by blowing your nose too much.
- A clogged ear can mean fluid is trapped in your ear.
- Your ear sometimes gets clogged due to a sudden change in pressure like when you are in an ascending or descending in an airplane.
How to Unclog Ears
Having clogged ears can be irritating. It is like your ears are stuck inside a cave and everything else is blocked from getting in and out. You would not want having clogged ears all the time, and you would wish to get rid of it as soon as possible.
- For clogged ears caused by airplane descents or sudden air pressure change, chewing a gum may help in balancing the pressure inside the ears.
- A heating pad or a blow dryer may help to allow the ears to dry up the water in the ear canals.
- Putting a moist heating pad in the area of the outer ear helps in unblocking ears.
- Swallow repetitively.
- Yawn frequently as it helps remove the pressure that is blocked in the ears.
- Allow hot steam to surround you for five to ten minutes. The steam is believed to relieve clogged ears.
- Put a drop or two of earwax softeners into the ear canal.
- Try to chew a gum to release pressure from a clogged ear. This is useful when you are flying. Try to bring a pack of chewing gum with you when you know that you have to get on an airplane.
- Yawning actually helps to clear a clogged ear. Try forcing yourself to yawn to clear your ears of some of the pressure that causes it to feel clogged.
- One of the most used remedies for a clogged ear that is caused by earwax problems is hydrogen peroxide dropped into the clogged ear using a dropper. Usually, the best time for you to do this is after you take a hot shower. The steam from the bathroom loosens up the wax, making it easier to remove with the help of hydrogen peroxide.
- When you have a cold or sinus problem, try not to blow your nose too hard. This can help prevent clogged ears that are caused by excessive or hard nose blowing.
- Clean your ears regularly to avoid the build-up of wax in your ears that may cause clogged ears if left alone to accumulate.
- When swimming, try to use swimming earplugs. These are used to help keep water out of your ears and to help a person avoid clogged ears due to fluid in the ears from swimming.