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What to do if your ear is blocked
Everyone has had such a situation when on an airplane, at altitude, or after a long swim under water, an ear gets laid. In most cases, there is nothing wrong with this, and after some time, hearing is restored. But at the same time, a more serious problem may serve as the reason for such a development of events. What are the causes of ear congestion and how can you help yourself in this situation?
It is important to immediately understand the cause of ear congestion, as this sensation can be a symptom of an inflammatory process.
Reasons for ear congestion
Most people face the problem of ear congestion with a sharp and rapid movement from top to bottom, in an elevator, when landing an airplane, on an attraction. What to do if the ear is blocked in such a situation? It’s okay not to worry in the first place. The ear does not have time to “adjust” to the pressure difference, which is rapidly changing. To return to normal hearing, you need to yawn or swallow widely several times.
What to do if your ear is blocked after swimming underwater? First, wait for the water to drain out of your ear on its own. If after a while the ear is still blocked, jump in place on one leg, depending on which ear is blocked, tilting your head to that side. If it still doesn’t work, try cleaning your ear with a cotton swab, only very gently, as with normal ear cleaning. In these two cases, you do not have any health problems, since the reasons for this are quite understandable and natural. But what to do if your ear is blocked for another reason?
First you need to determine the reason. The ear can become blocked with a cold or runny nose. If this really is the reason, then it is worth curing the cold first. Usually, when the ear heals, the congestion goes away by itself. In this situation, you need to cleanse your nose with saline solution 4-5 times a day to free your sinuses from mucus. After that, ordinary nasal drops should be dripped into the nose.
If a cold isn’t the cause of your ear congestion and you don’t have a fever, you can try applying a compress to your ear. Soak cotton swabs or a piece of gauze in boric alcohol or vodka and put them on your ear, then cover everything with a waterproof film and something woolen.
What to do if your ear is blocked? Visit a doctor!
If this does not help and you do not know what to do, if your ear is blocked, you should seek help from a specialist – an otolaryngologist. He will not only help to restore normal hearing, but also find out what exactly was the cause of the ear congestion. This could be:
an inflammatory process in the ear, as a result of which a sulfuric plug has formed in it, only a doctor can remove it with a special syringe, after the procedure you will need to instill special drops in your ear;
if the congestion in the ear remains after a recent flight, then you most likely have barotrauma, it is most often associated with a cold and you will need the help of a doctor;
what to do if the ear is blocked due to acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections? The fact is that during these diseases, the sensitivity of the auditory nerve can dull and this leads to hearing impairment – hearing loss. With these symptoms, you need to see a doctor urgently.
If, with ear congestion, you also constantly feel dizziness, you have high blood pressure and there are signs of cervical osteochondrosis, then your blood circulation in the internal auditory artery is impaired and you need to urgently consult a doctor.
So, now you know what to do if your ear is blocked. If normal hearing does not return within XNUMX hours, do not delay contact a doctor. Do not rely on “it will pass by itself”, the cause of such a seemingly trifling symptom may be a serious health problem.