Deterioration of hearing, tinnitus, i.e. the nagging feeling of a blocked ear. If it lasts too long, there is no need to delay and it is best to visit a specialist as soon as possible. The causes of this ailment, which is always accompanied by great discomfort, can be really many: inflammation, serious infections or an earwax plug. Here is a list of the most common “culprits” of a clogged ear!
- Otitis – is a complication after an untreated infection of the upper respiratory tract, very common, especially among children up to 5 years of age (mainly in boys). Sometimes the symptom is just the feeling of a clogged ear.
- Upper respiratory tract infections – which is the most common cause of this ailment. During infections during which there is a runny nose, swelling of the nasal mucosa occurs. Often, the swelling is not only local, but also involves the eustachian tube. It is the connection between the middle ear and the throat. Its function is to equalize the pressure on both sides of the eardrum, and during infection, the swelling of this tube can become the cause of blockage of the ear canals. The accompanying symptom, in addition to the feeling of congestion, is also noise in the ears, and sometimes even pain.
- Plane flight – that is, clogging caused by a sudden change in pressure. When too much air enters the ear, it puts pressure on the Eustachian tube. Then, air cannot get out of the ear, which often makes you feel tinnitus and sometimes even a headache. Preventing this ailment is quite easy – just sit up straight and chew gum or suck on a candy.
- Eustachian tube inflammation – This is a bit more serious. When we are dealing with a serious infection, the symptom is often the feeling of a blocked ear. Untreated diseases of the throat, nose and sinuses can spread to the Eustachian tube and cause inflammation.
- Wax plug – another very common cause, and at the same time easy to remove. Earwax is produced in our ear canal, which in some people naturally removes from the ears and does not cause any problems. Its function is to clean, moisturize and protect the entire ear canal against bacteria. Unfortunately, it happens that earwax is produced in excessive amounts, mainly due to staying in polluted places. If such an ailment is caused by your profession, it is a good idea to wear special earplugs or headphones in the workplace.
How to get rid of the feeling of clogged ear? Hygiene and treatment methods
It is best to go to a specialist, especially if there is also tinnitus in the ear, pain, ear itching, fever, worsened mood. However, when it is not so serious and we are dealing with an infection, the first step is to reduce the swelling of the nasal mucosa by using drops and nasal sprays. If we undertake treatment on our own, do not use them for more than 5 days. Inhalations, i.e. bending over and breathing over a bowl of hot water and the addition of essential oils, also help.
Removal of plugs, i.e. earwax accumulated in the ear, should be performed by a doctor. He will do this by rinsing the ear with water at a temperature of about 37 degrees (you must not try to do it yourself, it will only make things worse, and the doctor will do it in a completely safe and effective way). He may also recommend ear drops or sprays. The use of cotton buds as a method of cleaning the ears is not recommended as they push the earwax further out and can damage the ear.