Stuffed ear: what to do and why it happens

Situations when stuffed up ears are much more common than it might seem. This is due to the fact that this condition has a lot of reasons, which, accordingly, increases the likelihood for each person to personally "get to know" with stuffy ears. But & nbsp; if you know where the threat may lie in wait, you can easily prevent these unpleasant sensations. And information about how you can help yourself in such a situation, will help to avoid complications.

So, if your ear is stuffed up — what to do and where to look for help?

• Stuffy ear: 5 most common causes of this condition
• Stuffed up ear: what to do and when to see doctor

Stuffy ear: 5 most common causes of this condition

Otolaryngologists, who regularly see patients with a complaint of ear congestion, assure: the main problem lies in the improper care of the ears.

The most common reason — cleaning the ear canal with the help of cotton swabs. In this case, only ⅕ of the sulfur that is outside is extracted. And & nbsp; the bulk of the "packed" and pushed inside. This relatively quickly leads to the formation of a wax plug, which creates the effect of a stuffy ear.

Read also: How to get rid of wax plug in ears

But there are other causes of stuffy ears, not always associated with otolaryngological diseases or conditions:

• Blood pressure disorders. With hypo- or hypertension, a person is more prone to meteorological dependence. In & nbsp; in this case, with a decrease or increase in atmospheric pressure, the ears are blocked due to a mismatch of the "internal" and "external" compression. It can also occur during air travel, during aircraft takeoff and landing.

• Water intrusion into the ear canal.While showering, diving in a pool or open water, water can get into the ear, which forms an air bubble between the eardrum and the film of  water.

• Upper respiratory diseases. Even a common cold can cause stuffy ears. The reason lies in the anatomical features of the middle ear. The passage of the Eustachian tube (a kind of channel between the ear and the nasopharynx) can be blocked by swelling in the nasopharynx, which is characteristic of SARS. In this case, one of the functions of the Eustachian tube is violated: pressure regulation in the middle ear cavity. As a result, a person feels a strong stuffy ear.

• Diseases of the auditory nerve. A blocked ear may mask a decrease in hearing acuity. This condition, caused by dysfunction of the auditory nerve, is often described as "wool in the ears", but upon examination it turns out that the problem is neurological in nature.

These causes are the most common, but this does make them less dangerous. Even cerumen can threaten hearing, increasing the risk of eardrum perforation and middle ear infections. Therefore, you need to know how to help yourself in such situations.

Read also: Otitis externa: modern approaches and principles of treatment of the disease

Stuffed up ear: what to do and when to contact doctor

If you have a stuffy ear, but there are no other signs of health problems (fever, headache, nausea or other symptoms), you can take a wait-and-see attitude for the next day.

You can alleviate the condition in the following ways:

• If the ear congestion occurred on the background of the flu or SARS, and you stuffy nose — Use vasoconstrictor nasal drops or spray (unless you are contraindicated). By eliminating the swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, such drugs restore the patency of the Eustachian tube, which will get rid of congestion in the ears.

• Sucking on a lollipop, chewing gum, or just occasionally swallowing will help get rid of    ear wool” if it is caused by an imbalance of atmospheric and blood pressure.

• If the above methods didn work — Try to equalize the pressure in the middle ear mechanically. To do this, take a deep breath with your mouth wide open. Then close your mouth and squeeze your nostrils with your fingers so that air can hardly pass through them. And with exhale with effort.

Never try to remove congestion in the ear using cotton swabs or other items. The likelihood that this will help — extremely low. But the consequences of such rash actions can remain for life 

It is important to remember that ear congestion that lasts more than a day, occurs without any reason or is accompanied by other symptoms, requires a visit to a doctor as soon as possible. This will allow you to begin treatment without delay and prevent possible complications.

Read also: What to do if your ear is blocked with a cold and sudden pressure drops

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