Muffled Hearing In One Ear After A Cold
Even though some people have muffled hearing while sick with the common cold, it can also develop after a cold. This can happen when a cold progresses to a sinus infection or a middle ear infection. In this case, drainage or congestion from these secondary infections causes clogged ears.
Common treatment options for muffled hearing include:
Ways To Relieve Ear Pressure
The good news is that most pain and pressure in the ears doesnt last long. Once your upper respiratory infection has run its course, your symptoms should disappear.
However, this process can take as long as a week or more, and thats a long time to put up with ear discomfort. To help speed up the process, the following tips should help reduce nose and throat congestion.
- Over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants
Open Your Mouth And Yawn
Yawning can help you open up the eustachian tube and equalize the air pressure in your ears.
Some people may find this easy because they can yawn whenever they want to. However, it is not easy for others. You can try to make a fake yawn, which will still give you the desired result.
Open your mouth and speak âaaaaa,â you will hear the âpopâ sound in your ears. You can try to make yourself yawn by looking at a person who is yawning. Think about yawning your body will likely do it afterward. Sometimes not breathing enough can also cause you to yawn.
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Can Hydrogen Peroxide Be Used For Unclogging Ears
The use of hydrogen peroxide for unclogging wax buildup in ears is an anecdotal practice lacking any scientific evidence. Hydrogen peroxide, even in diluted forms, can potentially rupture the eardrum.
You may consult your doctor for carbamide peroxide ear drops instead for clearing your ears. Use this prescription medication as indicated. Avoid its usage if you have any infection, injury, or impaired eardrum.
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Common Factors That Lead To Clogged Ear
Your ear canal is like a door of open opportunities to foreign objects and intangible particles that make their way in and cause problems some of which can be painful, too.
A few factors that commonly cause your ears to become clogged up are:
1. Wax buildup
Generally,earwax is protective in nature. But, when it hardens, the ears become clogged and cause pain, ringing, etc. Too much accumulation of earwax is responsible for the ear clogging. There are various earwax drops & removal kit available in the market which you can use to get rid of it.
2. Dirt Particles
External particles, dirt, and insertion of foreign objects like cotton swab cause the ear to clog. The insertion of these objects damage the inner cells of the ear. And you may suffer from hearing related problems.
3. Air pressure
You may experience ear clogging while scuba diving, climbing mountains or on an airplane. You can also call it Ear Barotrauma or Airplane ear. As sometimes Eustachian tube cant equalize the pressure due to change in altitude or pressure. This causes clogging of ears.
4. Sinus problems
A common cold, flu, allergies and various factors responsible for sinus infections block the nasal passage and it leads to Eustachian tube blockage. As a result, you feel as something is clogged in your ear.
5. Ear Infections
Otitis Media, an ear infection occurs when fluid starts to build up in the middle ear and harmful microbes start to grow. This causes the sensation of ears blockage.
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How To Get Rid Of Fluid In The Ear From A Cold
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How To Prevent Clogged Ears
- Avoid cotton swabs or tools to clean your inner ear as it can push the earwax deeper in.
- Avoid candling. It is a procedure that uses a cone-shaped candle to pull out excess earwax. However, it doesnt work, and people are quite likely to burn their hands or ears while doing so.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Keep your nasal passage moist.
- Remove any water or foreign object that may have entered your ears.
- Remove any excess wax every now and then to avoid excess wax buildup.
- Blow your nose to get rid of trapped mucus in the ears as well as chest.
- Wear earplugs while swimming or bathing. This can help reduce the risk of water entering deep into the ear canal.
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Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide
Food grade hydrogen peroxide can help you get rid of a buildup of ear wax quickly and effectively which can help you to unplug your ear. Hydrogen peroxide has an antiseptic effect that can help to prevent skin infections. According to doctors at WebMD, the bubbling action helps to bring up dirt and loosen it.5
Researchers from Harvard Medical School recommend using 3% hydrogen peroxide for ear wax removal.6
If you want to get rid of a congested ear using hydrogen peroxide, this is what you should do:
- Put two drops of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide in your clogged ear. Dont exceed that amount or you could damage your eardrum.
- Wait until you hear a fizzing sound .
- Let it fizz for few minutes until it stops.
- Tilt your head to the side, so that the solution and ear wax can drip out.
Do this every time you need to unclog your ears from excess ear wax.
Hydrogen peroxide can also treat ear infections due to its antiseptic properties, and you can read more about in my article on how to use hydrogen peroxide for an ear infection.
For more ideas on how to use hydrogen peroxide read my post about 11 amazing uses for hydrogen peroxide.
Gargling Warm Salt Water
Gargle with a warm salt water is another home remedy to get relief from a congested ear caused by an ear infection. Surprising as it may seem, gargling a saline solution to treat a throat infection can actually help clear your ears.
Dr. Dan Brennan on WebMD says that the salt water helps to soothe a sore throat and actually helps to unblock the Eustachian tubes.2
Here is how to use a salt water gargle to get rid of clogged ears and relieve the symptoms of a sore throat:
- Mix one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water.
- Swish it around your mouth and gargle for 15 to 20 seconds.
- Spit it out.
- Repeat as often as possible until you feel that your ears are no longer clogged.
Gargling with salt and water is also one of the best home remedies for chest congestion and it is also an effective remedy for clearing throat mucus.
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What Is Menieres Disease
This is an inner ear disorder that causes ringing in the ears, a feeling as if youre spinning and hearing loss that becomes progressive and finally permanent. Some medical studies connect Menieres disease with seasonal allergies or food allergies. Allergy immunotherapy may help some patients.
Millions of people suffer from allergies, and allergies can affect the ears. Over-the-counter medications usually can help alleviate the symptoms. Sometimes an allergic reaction can lead to a short-term hearing loss, which clears when the allergies subside. If your ear health is suffering due to allergies or another reason, schedule an appointment with a hearing care provider as soon as possible to get to the bottom of it!
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.
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Surgical Treatment For Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
The primary goal of surgical treatment is to bypass the eustachian tube in order to ventilate the middle ear. Surgery can restore hearing, relieve pressure sensation in the ear and reduce the tendency for middle ear infections.
Types of surgery include:
Myringotomy – We make a tiny incision in the eardrum and suction out any fluid in the middle ear. In adults, the incision often stays open long enough to allow the swelling in the Eustachian tube lining to resolve. After the eardrum heals , fluid in the middle ear fluid may begin to re-accumulate if the Eustachian tube lining has not recovered.
Pressure equalization tubes – During this procedure we will:
Over time, the tube is pushed out as the eardrum heals. A pressure equalization tube usually provides middle ear ventilation for six to 12 months. Often, the eustachian tube will have recovered by this time, and we will not need to replace the tubes. If you have a more chronic condition, however, we can use longer lasting tubes. In adults, the procedure takes about five minutes and can be performed in the office using a topical anesthetic. In children, we will use a light general anesthetic.
Warm Compress Is Not Good If:
- You have an ear infection. This remedy should not be practiced as the conditions might worsen. The symptoms are yellow discharge from the ear
- You have a slight fever because of ear pain or cannot turn your head in the opposite direction from the affected ear. It is mandatory that you consult an ENT expert as soon as possible.
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Why Wont My Ear Drops Go Down
Sometimes the ear canal can get so swollen that ear drops wont go all the way into the canal. In these cases, an ear wick is placed in the canal to facilitate the drops getting to the infection. Occasionally oral steroids might be used if the swelling is severe or if the swelling extends past the ear canal.
How To Get Rid Of Ears Clogged From Sinus
A sinus infection or clogged sinuses can cause clogged ears because your sinuses and ears are connected. When your nasal cavities are inflamed or allergic, they will become swollen and affect the pressure in your ears.
Congested sinuses will cause mild pain in the ear canal, ear blocked, and even temporary hearing loss. To get rid of the ears clogged from the sinus, you need to treat your sinus infection first. Many ways can help get rid of your sinus infection and reduce the pressure in the ear.
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Caring For Pressure Equalization Tubes
It is important to keep water out of your ears when you have pressure equalization tubes. This means:
- Using earplugs or a cotton ball smothered in petroleum jelly while bathing
- Wearing custom earplugs fit to your ear when going swimming
Water that gets into the ear canal can carry bacteria through the tube into the middle ear space and cause an ear infection. This is called a purulent drainage from the ear. We treat this type of ear infection with antibiotic eardrops.
The other risk of either a myringotomy or a pressure equalization tube is that the incision may not heal. This may eventually require surgery to patch the hole.
Cholesteatoma: Causes Symptoms And Diagnosis
Overview
A cholesteatoma is an abnormal, noncancerous skin growth that can develop in the middle section of your ear, behind the eardrum. It may be a birth defect, but its most commonly caused by repeated middle ear infections.
A cholesteatoma often develops as a cyst, or sac, that sheds layers of old skin. As these dead skin cells accumulate, the growth can increase in size and destroy the delicate bones of the middle ear. This may affect hearing, balance, and the function of facial muscles.
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Will Allergy Medicine Help
Over-the-counter allergy medications can help take care of multiple symptoms, including any allergic reactions in the ear. Antihistamines and decongestants can reduce the feeling of fullness in the ear.
Other treatments that may help with allergic reactions in the ear include a warm compress, such as a washcloth placed on the ear or prescription eardrops. Pain medication also may help an earache.
If you have an infection, your health care provider can prescribe an antibiotic.
If pressure in the ear doesnt go away or becomes painful, its important to see a hearing care provider right away.
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When To See A Doctor For Clogged Ears
If the above remedies and tips fail to unblock your ears, consult your doctor immediately. Check if your condition is accompanied by the below symptoms:
- Fever
- Pain in the ear, head, or face
- Swelling in the ear, head, or face
- Symptoms that last for a week or keep recurring
These tips can help prevent clogged ears to a great extent. But if you are at a higher altitude or running a cold/fever, your ears tend to get blocked. Excess wax build-up in the ears is also a common occurrence. Give the remedies discussed here a shot during such instances and see what works best for you. In case the problem persists, consult a doctor immediately.
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Why Is Sinus Pressure In The Ears So Painful
When experiencing pain and pressure in the ears caused by sinus congestion, there are many questions that may cross your mind. How do I make it go away? The cause of the pain in your ears is usually due to sinus pressure. This is because sinus congestion and stuffiness can affect the pressure in your ears. The pressure in your sinuses affects more than just your nose. It can also cause pain in your ears, dizziness, and the feeling that your ears feel stuffed up or clogged. The good news is, there are several remedies to bring you relief.
Seek Help For Clogged Ears
Although weve covered four of the most common reasons you ears may feel clogged, its always wise to seek the advice of a hearing healthcare professional whenever you are having trouble hearing. Unclogging your ears at home using home remedies such as ear candling or a cotton swab is never a good idea.
Heres a tip: Find a doctor, hearing specialist or audiologist near you and have your hearing evaluated before trouble starts. The baseline information the initial test provides will be a good benchmark for your medical team to use in an emergency situation and to monitor your hearing health.
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You Can Try Putting Hydrogen Peroxide Drops Into Your Ear
Hydrogen peroxide can be applied to break up earwax clogs, but it must be put in your ear correctly. Mixing the peroxide with luke warm water and using a pipette to carefully put it in your ear is the specialists recommendation. Your ear should be tilted upward as you put the drops into your ear and you should keep it that way for several seconds to allow the hydrogen peroxide to break down the earwax clog. You might have to do this several times a day for a couple of days, but eventually, the clog should clear up.
What To Do When Your Ears Won’t Pop
Your body naturally maintains a normal balance of air pressure on both sides of your eardrum. When the pressure changes between the middle ear and the outside, you will feel like your ears are plugged. Depending on the amount of pressure change, you may even experience pain associated with the changes.
Typically, as pressure starts to build up, you can equalize the pressure in your ears by swallowing. However, as you ascend or descend rapidly by flying, diving, or driving up and down a steep mountain, the air in your middle ear space can sometimes have trouble adjusting to the pressure.
Under normal circumstances, as your middle ear adjusts to the ambient pressure , you should have the sensation of your ears popping. This popping or clicking sensation occurs as air moves from the upper part of your throat and nose through your eustachian tube into your middle ear.
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