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Why is my ear stuffy and what should I do?

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
 
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Not many people know why their ear is blocked and what to do in this situation. Initially, it is worth determining the reason why this phenomenon occurred. Because it does not just appear. Not in all cases can you determine the cause yourself, so this question is left to the otolaryngologist to decide.

Where does it hurt?

What do need to examine?

Who to contact?

What to do if your ear is blocked?

Do you know what to do if your ear is blocked? The first thing you need to do is try to find the cause, and there may be many. Generally speaking, this problem is most likely associated with a malfunction of one of the parts of the hearing organ. But this happens under the influence of certain factors.

The most common causes are acute, purulent or chronic otitis. It is possible that an infection may penetrate through the nasopharynx. Inflammation of the auditory tube is often accompanied by ear congestion. This phenomenon develops against the background of rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Vascular diseases accompanied by high or, conversely, low blood pressure have a negative effect on the hearing organs. Circulatory disorders lead to deterioration of the nutrition of the auditory nerve. Congestion may occur at the initial stage, and if timely treatment is not started, this leads to complete hearing loss. Even improper hygiene of the hearing aid can cause this phenomenon. In general, there are many reasons. But what to do if an unpleasant symptom appears?

The first thing to do is to determine the cause. It is better to leave this question to an experienced doctor. If the ear was blocked due to a cold, then you can use warm water with regular soda. This will disinfect the ear canal and soften the plug. You can also use potassium permanganate. To do this, a weak solution of warm water with this ingredient is drawn into a syringe without a needle and injected into the ear with a sharp movement. A couple of such manipulations and the plug will come out on its own. This is one of the most effective methods.

There is another good option. It is necessary to wash the ear with a few drops of vodka. It is worth noting that this method, although effective, is dangerous. Such manipulation can leave a burn.

If you don't want to pour anything into your ear canal, you can try exercises. The lower jaw is pushed forward and moved forward - down - back - up in a circular motion. It should be noted that the movements should be as large as possible. You should be careful in this matter, because you can easily dislocate your jaw. If a person does the exercises correctly, he will hear characteristic clicks inside the head.

Traditional medicine is good, but it is impossible to start effective treatment without a real reason. Therefore, it is still recommended to visit a clinic. If the ear was blocked due to a sulfur plug, then you can pour 3% hydrogen peroxide into it. Half a pipette is enough. The "mixture" is kept for about 2-3 minutes. After this manipulation, the plug should soften. You should not remove it yourself, it is better to leave this to doctors. Why the ear is blocked and what to do is best decided with a specialist.

What to do if your ear is blocked?

Do you know what to do if your ear is blocked and how to quickly get rid of this problem? It should be noted right away that without the true cause of this phenomenon, it will be difficult to eliminate it. Ear congestion can occur both against the background of ordinary water ingress and a serious inflammatory process. Therefore, it is better to solve this issue with a specialist.

If the cause is determined and it is not particularly serious, then you can try to eliminate it at home. So, during nasal congestion, people use effective drops of their own making, which are based on soda and warm water. A similar solution is used for the ear. It is worth instilling a few drops and covering the ear with a cotton pad so that the water does not flow out. This will eliminate congestion in a matter of minutes.

No soda at hand, but potassium permanganate? A warm solution of this "ingredient" and water will soften the sulfur plug and remove it. It is enough to make 2-3 injections with a syringe (without a needle) and the problem will be solved.

If you can't remove the earwax plug yourself, you can try to soften it and perform the main extraction manipulation at the clinic. To do this, you need to put a few drops of warm vodka in your ear. This method is not safe!

Finally, you can try exercises. You can move your lower jaw or just open and open your mouth wide. In general, there are many ways to eliminate the problem. But if it was caused by a serious inflammatory process, then you clearly cannot do without medication. Why is my ear blocked and what to do, a frequently asked question.

What to do if you have a runny nose and blocked ears?

What to do with a runny nose and blocked ears and how to deal with these problems? A runny nose is a disease that occurs in a person more than once in his life. But if it "came" on its own. So, this problem also causes blocked ears.

Why does this happen? The thing is that the nose, ears and throat are a single system. That is why the doctor who deals with the problems of these "parts" is an ENT specialist. If one of these systems fails, problems are observed in the others. When you have a runny nose, the Eustachian tube swells, the pressure in the middle ear chamber destabilizes, and the membrane-drum is drawn inward, blocking the ear and impairing hearing. If you do not start eliminating the problem, then everything can lead to a more serious problem - Eustachitis. This is already a chronic disease. That is why you need to start fighting it right away.

The first thing you should do is see an otolaryngologist. Only he can assess the scale of the problem and prescribe effective treatment. You can try to combat the problem at home.

So, you should rinse your nostrils and put vasoconstrictor drops in them. This manipulation will free the nasal passages and thus relieve ear congestion.

The second method involves a very interesting solution to the problem. It is necessary to inflate the balloons. It is important to do this slowly, and preferably through a straw. Usually, repeating this exercise leads to the elimination of the unpleasant symptom.

The third option. You should pinch your nose and try to forcefully exhale air from it. When you hear a pop, it will be clear that the pressure in the middle ear has returned to normal. Now the person hears well and the problem is solved.

You can try to prepare a solution of potassium permanganate or soda, mix these ingredients separately and wash your ears with them. The problem will go away. But still, in order not to think for a long time and not to guess why your ear is blocked and what to do, you should just contact an otolaryngologist.

What to do if your ear is blocked due to a cold?

What to do if your ear is blocked due to a cold and how to overcome this unpleasant symptom? A cold has many symptoms that together only worsen a person's condition. One of the most unpleasant signs is a blocked ear.

In case of a cold, you should immediately seek help and start quality treatment. But you can also eliminate the problem at home. Saline and soda solutions have proven themselves well. The main ingredients are dissolved in warm water and the resulting mixture is used to wash not only the nasal passages, but also the ears. A massage will not be superfluous. It is enough to simply push out the lower jaw and start making circular movements with it.

If the problem is serious, then it is worth resorting to medication. Naturally, relieving ear congestion will help relieve breathing. Therefore, first of all, you will have to fight a runny nose. For this, Noxprey, Oxymetazoline, Physiomer, Naphazoline and Grippferon drops are suitable. It is enough to drop 1-2 drops in each nostril 2-3 times a day and in 5-7 days the nasal congestion will be gone, along with this negative symptom, and others will go away. Why the ear is blocked and what to do about it, you should find out from an otolaryngologist.

What to do if your ear is blocked with water?

What to do if your ear is blocked by water and is it dangerous? In fact, almost every second person who likes to splash in the water has encountered this problem. And sometimes it is not necessary to visit the pool to get such an unpleasant phenomenon. Water can get into the ear canals even during ordinary swimming.

Usually the problem can be solved on its own. It is enough to simply open your mouth wide or jump on one leg. It is not for nothing that many people do this, even in commercials and movies. But this is probably the most harmless scenario. Things can turn out not so simple. In some cases, the feeling of congestion does not go away, but on the contrary, intensifies. Here you need to act quickly and with the help of a specialist. If you do not eliminate the problem in time, inflammation of the middle ear can develop.

To prevent this symptom from happening to a person, you need to resort to prevention. When bathing, you should protect your ears from getting wet. A special rubber cap will help with this. Ordinary earplugs or cotton wool, which will be pre-soaked in Vaseline or cream, will also do. In this case, you will not have to look for an answer to the question of why your ear is blocked and what to do.

What to do if your ears are blocked due to otitis?

What to do if your ears are blocked due to otitis, is it possible to eliminate this problem? This disease is an inflammatory process that could arise both independently and under the influence of certain factors.

The treatment line will depend entirely on the nature of the disease itself. But despite this, there are a number of standard measures that are widely used. First of all, it is necessary to mention vasoconstrictor nasal drops. These drugs can reduce swelling not only in the nasal cavity, but also in the nasopharynx and Eustachian tubes, which significantly alleviates the condition. This can be Naphthyzinum, Galazolin, Oxymetazoline, Nazivin and others.

Special antiseptic solutions, such as Boric acid, will not be superfluous. They must be instilled into the ear canal. Hormonal and non-hormonal ear drops such as Sofradex, Otinum and Garazon have an excellent effect. If pain is observed, analgesic drugs are used. Such as Paracetamol, Analgin, Aspirin, etc.

In addition to medications, it is worth warming the ear. For this, you can use either a regular heating pad or a homemade compress. This can be cotton wool under polyethylene, which is fixed to the sore area with a scarf or hat. It is still best to visit a doctor, because the nature of the development and occurrence of this disease can be infectious, fungal, etc. Therefore, you need to find out from a specialist why your ear is blocked and what to do in this case.

What to do if your ear is very blocked?

What to do if your ear is very blocked and is it dangerous? There are situations when blockage appears spontaneously. This is a very unpleasant phenomenon that you want to get rid of as quickly as possible. It can occur against the background of various diseases and associated causes. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is worth finding out why everything happened this way.

To begin with, it is worth doing ordinary exercises. Circular movements of the jaw should help. You can simply open and close your mouth sharply. If you close your nose with your hand and start exhaling air through it, there is a chance to get rid of the problem soon. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it.

If severe congestion has appeared against the background of a cold, then you cannot do without medication. Basically, otolaryngologists prescribe special drops, like Orlavax, Sofradex and others. If you do not want to use such drugs, you can make them yourself. The good old saline solution will help relieve not only ear congestion, but also nasal congestion. If there is no improvement, you need to contact a specialist. In this case, why the ear is blocked and what to do, he will determine based on the examination and complaints of the patient.

What to do if your right ear is blocked?

What to do if the right ear is blocked and how to deal with this problem? In fact, it does not really matter which ear has stopped hearing well. The problem may be either in the usual blockage caused by the same water, or in a serious illness.

You can try to fix the problem yourself. Naturally, you should definitely visit a doctor. So, harmless and simple exercises come to the rescue. You need to pinch your nose with your hand and try to exhale through it. Such manipulation should "punch" the ears and normalize the pressure of the middle ear. You can try to massage the lower jaw. To do this, it is pushed forward, and then the following movements are performed forward - down - back - up.

If the exercises do not give any result, it is worth resorting to the help of a salt or soda solution. It can be dripped into both the nose and ears. When the problem does not go away at all, it is worth using medications. Both nasal and ear drops will do. This can be Noxprey, Nazivin, Oxymetazoline (if the problem arose against the background of a runny nose) and Orlavax, Sofradex. But it is still better for a doctor to determine the reason "why the ear is blocked and what to do".

What to do if your left ear is blocked?

What to do if the left ear is blocked, and who to turn to for help? An experienced otolaryngologist solves such questions, he conducts an examination and, based on it, as well as the patient's complaints, selects an effective treatment.

Naturally, you shouldn't try to solve the problem on your own. After all, it can be caused by a serious inflammatory process. Therefore, it is better to go to the clinic right away. But if this is not possible, and the problem has tormented you, it is worth trying some folk remedies. Nothing helps relieve nasal and ear congestion as well as a saline or soda solution. It is enough to put a few drops in the nose and ears, and the result will not take long to come.

You can try to cope with the problem with potassium permanganate. It is also dissolved in warm water and injected into the ear with a syringe (without a needle). The manipulation should be repeated 2-3 times. If this does not help, you can resort to exercises. The nose is pinched with fingers and exhaled through it. This should help. If there is no relief, a doctor should tell you why the ear is blocked and what to do in this case.

What to do if your ear is blocked with wax?

What to do if your ear is blocked with wax and is it possible to get rid of it yourself? Such a procedure can only be done in a clinic. A person can soften the plug on their own, but not remove it. Naturally, there are several ways to get rid of this problem.

It is necessary to drip about half a pipette of 3% hydrogen peroxide or warm water with soda into the ear. Then the passage is closed with cotton wool for 2-3 minutes. During this period, the plug should soften. You can use warm water with potassium permanganate. The principle of action is similar. However, in this case it is possible to remove the plug yourself, it usually comes out after 2-3 repetitions.

Some people try to eliminate the problem with warm vodka, but this procedure can both help and harm. Therefore, it is better to postpone it for an emergency. In general, the attending physician will tell you why your ear is blocked and what to do. Moreover, he will quickly and successfully remove the earwax.

What to do if your ears are constantly blocked?

What to do if your ears are constantly blocked and what could be the reason? Usually, this happens due to illness or physiological reasons. If this is not related to swimming, pressure drops and other harmless options, you should look for the problem much deeper.

If all this happens against the background of a cold, then it is enough to simply rinse the nose with a special solution of soda and warm water. Usually this helps to get rid of unpleasant symptoms. If the cold is behind, but the problems still remain, then most likely we are talking about complications. In this case, you will have to resort to the use of medications.

People who suffer from pressure changes also experience congestion. This is a fairly common phenomenon. Moreover, the problem may be hidden in the pressure of the middle ear itself.

Congestion can also occur as a result of improper ear hygiene. Earwax plugs are the most common problem. You can try to eliminate it yourself. To do this, 3% hydrogen peroxide is dripped into the ear. This usually softens the plug and it comes out on its own. Potassium permanganate is also suitable for this manipulation. A weak solution of it is drawn into a syringe without a needle and injected into the ear canal with sharp pressure. Just two or three repetitions and the problem will go away. Of course, it is advisable to eliminate the problem together with a doctor. After all, the answer to the question “why is my ear blocked and what to do” is not always harmless.

What to do if your ear is blocked and drafty?

What to do if your ear is blown and blocked and how to eliminate all this on your own? Perhaps this is the most dangerous problem that can arise with the organs of hearing. The fact is that as a result of such exposure, inflammation of the middle ear can occur. In this case, treatment is carried out exclusively with medications, under the supervision of a doctor.

You can try to fight the problem yourself. Here you need to warm up the ear in every possible way. Both a regular heating pad and a dry compress will do. It is easy to make it yourself. Just take cotton wool and put it in polyethylene. The resulting "lump" is applied to the ear and fixed with a scarf or hat.

Saline and soda solutions are unlikely to help in this case. You will have to rely solely on medications such as Amoxicillin and Acetaminophen. In general, this is a serious problem. This phenomenon occurs especially often in children, so it must be eliminated qualitatively and under the guidance of a specialist. Only an otolaryngologist can tell why the ear is blocked and what to do in this case.

What to do if your ear is blocked by wax?

Surely, at least once you were interested in the question of what to do if your ear is blocked by a plug? This phenomenon occurs quite often, especially in children. There is nothing terrible about it, the main thing is to try to eliminate the problem.

The first thing you need to do is take 3% hydrogen peroxide and put a few drops in your ear. This will soften the plug, but will not remove it. More precisely, you won’t be able to do it yourself; you need the help of a specialist.

Potassium permanganate can completely eliminate such congestion. But in this case, you need to act quickly and sharply. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is drawn into a syringe without a needle, then all this is injected into the ear canal with sharp pressure. The manipulation is carried out 2-3 times. This will allow the plug to come out completely.

In most cases, the plug is removed in the ENT office. The procedure is quick and virtually painless. Therefore, in many cases, it is more advisable to visit a doctor than to try to eliminate the problem yourself. After all, why the ear is blocked and what to do, the specialist himself cannot always determine during a visual examination.

What to do if both ears are blocked?

What to do if both ears are blocked or universal ways to eliminate this problem. It is worth noting that treatment is carried out only after determining the reason why everything turned out this way. After all, congestion can be caused by disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and in this case, a complete diagnosis is needed.

An otolaryngologist, having studied the anamnesis and carried out special diagnostic procedures (for the mobility of the eardrum, its integrity, the condition of the tissues of the middle and inner ear, a hearing test), determines whether a consultation with other specialized specialists is required - a cardiologist, neurologist, etc. Only after this is high-quality treatment prescribed.

Usually, drainage of the middle ear cavity and removal of small obstructions are prescribed. These include sulfur plugs, water and purulent formations. After which, rinsing with antiseptic liquids and antibacterial solutions is carried out. These include Penicillin, Amoxiclav, Cefazolin, Clarithromycin and others. In many cases, corticosteroids and / or vasoconstrictors are widely used. They help eliminate swelling of the auditory tube and facilitate the removal of fluid or pus. Taking symptomatic drugs is not excluded: antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. These include Ibuprofen, Paracetamol and Ketorolac.

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment have also become widespread. As a rule, this is UHF therapy on the nasal area, UFO on the submandibular zone, electrophoresis and pneumomassage. All this will perfectly eliminate the unpleasant symptom and will allow you to answer the question of why the ear is blocked and what to do.

What to do if your ear suddenly becomes blocked?

What to do if your ear suddenly gets blocked and what could it be? In fact, there can be many reasons. Starting from the most harmless and ending with serious inflammatory processes. But if the problem arose suddenly and the person does not observe any deviations in his health, then it is quite possible that there is nothing terrible about it.

The cause of this phenomenon may be a pressure drop, water ingress, and many other things. It is quite possible that a sulfur plug has formed in the ear. You should not guess for a long time about this issue, you should quickly eliminate the problem. If it is a plug, then a solution of potassium permanganate will do. Using a syringe without a needle, it is sharply injected into the ear canal. A couple of such manipulations and the plug will come out. If the problem does not go away, you need to see a doctor. Beforehand, it is allowed to soften the plug yourself at home. Just a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide is enough.

You can try to rinse the ear with a saline or soda solution. Exercises can also help. You need to pinch your nose with your fingers and try to exhale, this should "break through" the ears. You can move your jaw or open your mouth sharply. If this does not help, then the ENT should decide why the nose is blocked and what to do.

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