What should I do if my ear is blocked? What to do if your ear is blocked and hurts. Inner ear injuries

Ear congestion can be a consequence of colds and viral pathologies. Sometimes this condition indicates more serious problems. Depending on the provoking factor, the doctor selects one or another therapy. So, what to do if your ear is blocked?

Provoking factors

There can be quite a few reasons for ear congestion. The main factors include the following:

Clinical picture

When ear congestion occurs, characteristic signs are observed:

Diagnostics

If congestion persists for more than a day, medical attention is required. To assess the patient’s condition, the specialist prescribes the following procedures:

To exclude certain pathologies, the otolaryngologist refers the person to specialized specialists. So, you may need to consult a neurologist or cardiologist.

If you have chronic pathologies of the hearing organ, you should definitely consult a doctor. If there is no high fever and intense pain, you can try to eliminate the problem yourself in 1-2 days.

Drug treatment

Any pathology that is accompanied by pain requires urgent consultation with a specialist. This is especially important if there is damage to the hearing organ. Any inflammation in the immediate vicinity of the brain can cause negative consequences.

The doctor should tell you what helps with congestion. Therapy is selected depending on the provoking factor. If discomfort occurs after an injury, the patient should be referred for further examination. This will help identify damage.

For pain and congestion that are associated with dental damage or inflammation in the trigeminal nerve area, it is very important to eliminate the causes of discomfort. Various techniques can be used to remove wax plugs - it all depends on the severity of the violation.

It is strictly forbidden to try to extract this formation yourself using improvised means. This can lead to the thickening of the plug and its penetration into the deeper structures of the hearing organ. There is also a high risk of damage to the walls of the ear canal and disruption of the integrity of the eardrum.

A soft plug will help remove hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 3%. This substance helps soften the formation. As a result, the liquid comes out easily.

Primary otitis media can be treated by heating and administering special drops. In more complex situations, the use of antibiotics becomes necessary. In this case, it is quite possible to apply warm compresses and use warm scarves.

If severe pain is observed, the otolaryngologist will prescribe painkillers. To improve the patient's condition, boric or camphor alcohol can be instilled into the ear. To decompose the ear, hydrogen peroxide is often used. All these remedies help eliminate the infection.

However, doctors most often use special ear coughs.

• To treat ear infections, you can use carbolic acid-based products - Otipax.
• Medicines that have an anti-inflammatory effect are also often prescribed - sofradex.

When using the listed funds, you need to take into account the specifics and contraindications. Thus, Otipax is prohibited for use in case of perforation of the eardrum.

To speed up the healing process, you can use a nasal spray that has a vasoconstrictor effect. Such drugs are used even in the absence of rhinitis.

If the disease persists for a long time and is accompanied by severe pain, antibiotics must be used. They can only be prescribed by the attending physician, taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient. It is important to consider that some antibacterial agents have an ototoxic effect. These include, in particular, gentamicin. This substance can cause severe hearing impairment, including complete deafness.

Effective folk remedies

When ear congestion occurs, effective folk recipes will come to the rescue:

1. If minor inflammation and congestion occurs, geranium leaves can be used. They need to be slightly kneaded, rolled into a tube and carefully inserted into the ear. The product should be kept until the condition improves.
2. An equally effective method of therapy would be the use of a combination of horseradish and honey. Every day you need to instill 3 drops of horseradish juice into the affected ear. At night, a cotton swab soaked in honey should be inserted into the ear canal. The procedure should be repeated until complete recovery.
3. Onions can also help relieve ear congestion. To do this, 4 tablespoons of vegetable juice should be mixed with 1 spoon of vodka. It is recommended to instill the resulting solution into the ears twice a day. Apply 2 drops of the product at a time.

Possible complications

If the cause of congestion is otitis, a common complication will be damage to the membrane. To prevent hearing problems from occurring, you should immediately begin treatment for otitis media.

Ear plugs cause the following complications:

• inflammatory process associated with infection of the contents;
• hearing impairment caused by the cessation of sound entering the eardrum.

Hearing is completely restored after the plug is removed. The most difficult consequence will be hearing loss or complete hearing loss. This condition can occur under the influence of various factors. The most dangerous of them is considered to be a violation of the internal structure of the ear and damage to the nerve fibers.

Ear congestion is a fairly common condition that causes people a lot of inconvenience. The most common causes of problems are viral and cold pathologies. However, sometimes the provoking factors are more serious disorders. To cope with the disease, it is very important to start therapy in a timely manner.

Every person has experienced stuffy ears and short-term partial hearing loss at least once. This condition is manifested by a change in the sound of one’s own voice, a feeling of heaviness in the head and muffling of environmental sounds. The reason for this phenomenon may be the simple entry of water into the ear cavity during bathing. In this case, the problem can be easily resolved - carefully remove the water with a cotton swab.

But, stuffy ears can also indicate the presence of serious diseases. Doctors classify symptoms into two categories: natural causes and the presence of pathology. It is important to understand why your ear is blocked and what to do in each specific case.

Why ears are blocked: main reasons

Ear congestion can accompany some diseases and will go away once the cause is treated. Often, the reason lies in external factors. Circumstances change and ear congestion goes away on its own.

Let's take a closer look at them.

Symptom for colds and runny nose

Why do my ears sometimes get blocked when I have a cold or runny nose? There is a very close connection between the nose, throat and ears. The Eustachian tube connects the ear cavity to the pharynx; it moves air through it and ensures normal pressure in the tympanic cavity. When you have a cold, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed and swollen, as a result of which the tympanic cavity does not receive the required volume of air. The result is a decrease in pressure in the nasopharynx and middle ear. This is what causes ear congestion. The symptom goes away after the cold is cured.

During pressure surges on an airplane

Why do ears get clogged so often on an airplane? Ear congestion and headaches during takeoff and landing of an airplane are also associated with physiology and the presence of air in the tympanic cavity. It's all about a sudden change in pressure. While on earth, we are under stable and comfortable air pressure. The plane rises upward, and a sharp pressure difference occurs. The result is congestion in the ears. When the plane reaches a certain altitude and flies smoothly, the discomfort goes away. When landing, a sharp change in pressure occurs again, and congestion returns.

You can get rid of unpleasant sensations. They help swallowing movements:

• Suck a lollipop.
• Drink water through a straw.
• Chew gum.
• Exhale rhythmically through your nose with your mouth closed.

If you have a runny nose, be sure to take some drops before your flight. vasoconstrictors. A stuffy nose increases discomfort during airplane takeoff and landing.

You may yawn during takeoff or landing. Do not restrain yourself - this is a protective reflex of the body that allows you to reduce the unpleasant consequences of a sudden change in pressure and relieve ear congestion.

One of the reasons that the ears are blocked may be a jump in blood pressure.

When blood pressure changes

Ear congestion may be one of the symptoms of a sudden change in blood pressure. Very often this sensation occurs during sudden movements, but can manifest itself in a completely calm state. If you suffer from hypertension, severe ear congestion should be a signal that you need to measure your blood pressure and take the necessary measures to normalize it.

Often, ear congestion when blood pressure changes is accompanied by dizziness.

If the problem occurs in the morning

There are often complaints about ear congestion in the morning, but after a while the symptom goes away. The reason why your ears are blocked in the morning should be determined by an ENT specialist. In most cases it's all about sulfur plug, which the doctor will remove in the clinic. During sleep, the cerumen plug changes position and closes the ear canal. Read about candles for ears from traffic jams.

Perhaps ear congestion signals a serious illness. If you notice a recurrence of symptoms, contact a specialist.

In women during pregnancy

What are the reasons for blocked ears during pregnancy?

• Ear congestion is also observed during pregnancy. Most often, women complain of stuffiness in the right ear. Reason – hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother. The symptom can appear at any stage of pregnancy. As a rule, everything goes away with the birth of the baby.
• An indirect reason could be low hemoglobin level. Also, changes in blood pressure may occur. Contact the gynecologist who is observing you and find out the cause of the symptom.

Congestion with dizziness

Ear congestion may be accompanied by dizziness and sometimes darkening of the eyes. Typically, these symptoms are associated with a sharp change in blood pressure. There may be several reasons for stuffy ears and dizziness:

• Stressful situations.
• Poisoning of the body. You don't have to eat poisoned or stale food. Regular consumption of unhealthy foods leads to an imbalance of substances necessary for the body, blockage of blood vessels and a huge number of diseases.
• Wrong diet. A sharp change in body weight and a lack of vitamins can also provoke surges in blood pressure, which are expressed by stuffy ears and dizziness.
• Some people experience ear congestion, dizziness, and nausea in extreme heat. The reason again lies in a sharp change in atmospheric pressure.

If ear congestion occurs frequently, the symptom may be a signal of the presence of diseases of the internal organs.

Why, for what reason do some people have blocked ears often or periodically?

Reasons for the frequent occurrence of symptoms

What is the reason why ears are constantly and often blocked? If the symptom becomes persistent, be sure to visit an otolaryngologist. Sometimes, an examination by a specialist is enough. To identify the disease, it may be necessary to undergo special tests, including tests, audiogram and tympanometry.

Ear congestion can be a symptom of several diseases:

• Allergic reaction for long-term use of pharmacological agents.
• Impaired mobility and functionality temporomandibular joint. According to statistics, this disease is the cause of 50% of calls with ear congestion.
• Inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media). Often accompanied by high fever and headaches.
• Syringitis.
• Deviated nasal septum. This problem can be eliminated surgically.
• Meniere's syndrome– a little-studied disease that occurs as a result of changes in metabolism in the tissue of the inner ear.
• Neuroma- tumor of the auditory nerve.
• A brain tumor.
• Otosclerosis.

For successful treatment of these diseases, it is extremely important to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow the recommendations of a specialist. That is why, despite the seeming frivolity of ear congestion as a symptom, it should not be taken lightly.

Unilateral and bilateral congestion of the ear canal

Let's look at the reasons why only the right or left ear is clogged. Unilateral congestion is observed in the following cases:

• One ear may be blocked due to contact with the ear cavity foreign object. Cases when insects crawl into the ear during hikes or overnight stays at the dacha are not uncommon.
• Water ingress, wax plug and most of the above reasons are also manifested by congestion in one ear.

When the problem manifests itself on both sides:

• With a sharp change in arterial and atmospheric pressure a person feels stuffy in both ears.
• But the phenomenon may be a symptom acute bilateral otitis. This disease often occurs in children under three years of age; often, bilateral otitis media can cause speech impairment. With purulent otitis media, ear congestion is accompanied by hearing loss.

Review of Treatment Methods

When the ear is blocked, depending on the cause of the phenomenon, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment. Folk remedies will help cope with simple inflammatory processes. The doctor's help depends on the severity of the situation:

• Sulfur plugs are removed using a washing procedure.
• Inflammation of the middle ear and eustachian tube It is treated by instillation of vasoconstrictor drops and physiotherapeutic procedures. Find out how it manifests itself. In difficult cases, antibacterial agents, blowing of the Eustachian tube and administration of hormonal drugs using a catheter are indicated.
• At serious pathologies Surgery with further drug therapy is prescribed.
• If ear congestion occurs as a result of allergies, the doctor determines the allergen and prescribes antiallergic drugs.

Watch the following video from the program “About the Most Important Thing” about ear congestion.

Ear congestion may not seem like a serious problem. In most cases, discomfort goes away after simple procedures. If unpleasant sensations recur regularly, be sure to consult a doctor. Self-diagnosis or improper treatment can lead to complications and hearing loss.

The feeling of comfort in everyday life directly depends on our perception of the world around us through our senses. If any analyzer starts to work incorrectly, then there is an urgent need to correct what is happening. What to do, for example, if your ear is blocked? Vasily Evgenievich Pokrovsky, a therapist, pulmonologist, and somnologist at the Yusupov Hospital, told the editors about this.

First of all, you need to remember that congestion in the ear, accompanied by pain, is a reason to see a doctor. The ear, however, may be blocked, but not hurt. There are plenty of reasons for this condition. Among them: changes in atmospheric pressure, ingress of water, ingress of a foreign body, and the formation of sulfur plugs.

On an airplane or elevator

Changes in atmospheric pressure, which can occur with a rapid change in the height of the body's position in space, for example, in an airplane or elevator, you can try the following:

- suck candy;

- to yawn;

- swallow saliva

- push the lower jaw forward and/or make circular movements with it (this must be done without excessive persistence in order to avoid dislocation of the lower jaw).

Water got into my ear

Ear congestion is often associated with water getting inside it. Try in this case:

- use a cotton pad to absorb excess water without trying to push it deeper into the ear canal;

- jump on one leg, tilting your head to the side (if your left ear is clogged - on your right leg, if your right ear is clogged - on your left leg).

A wax plug has formed or a foreign body has entered the ear

Earwax is secreted by glands and its formation is a physiological norm. If for some reason the amount of sulfur and its density increase, then a sulfur plug forms, clogging the ear canal.

There are times when, when trying to clean the ear canal, or while playing (more often this happens to children), foreign objects remain in the ear canal. This could be: cotton wool, cotton pad particles, pieces of paper, sticks, plant seeds, plasticine, toys, for example, small Lego parts. Older people may also have hearing aid parts.

In case of impairment of hearing acuity due to the formation of cerumen and foreign body entry, you must consult a doctor. Delay in this situation is very dangerous - a foreign body can cause the development of a bacterial inflammatory process or damage the internal parts of the hearing organ.

Unfortunately, people do not always turn to specialists when trying to cope with the problem on their own. They often use methods, methods and approaches to eliminate congestion, which can aggravate the situation up to complete hearing loss.

Independent use of both medications and other substances - oils, soda, peroxide - without consulting a doctor is strictly unacceptable. Herbs, flowers, various decoctions, infusions and extracts are not recommended. There is no need to use cotton swabs, since the risk of injury to the eardrum when using them is extremely high.

An otolaryngologist probably hears every day from his patients the question: “I have blocked ear, what to do?. The doctor examines the patient, listens to complaints, prescribes research methods and treatment. However, it also happens that with blocked ears it is not always possible to get an appointment at a hospital in the ENT office and a person tries to treat himself at home on one's own. Today we will talk about what to do at home if your ear is blocked and the reasons for this phenomenon. It is important to actually know why your ears are blocked. Because the choice and outcome of treatment for ear congestion will depend on this.

I strongly recommend that you contact a specialist for effective and adequate treatment, because the information provided here is given as informational education on this problem, but not as a guide to self-medication. Let it be known to everyone that inflammatory diseases of the middle ear can become complicated and pose a threat not only to the health, but also to the life of the sick person.

Why ears are blocked - reasons

The reasons why the ear may become blocked are divided into:

1. direct causes – directly related to ear problems (disease);
2. indirect causes, when the ear is blocked, but it does not hurt (condition).

The last reasons are the most common, let's look at them first:

• Water gets into the ear canal - one of the most common causes of ear congestion, especially in the summer, when everyone likes to swim in the river or in the sea.
• Sudden changes in atmospheric pressure. They can be observed when flying on an airplane, after taking off and landing, going up or down an escalator in the subway, or traveling along mountain roads.
• The formation of a cerumen plug that blocks the ear canal.
• Heart problems. A sharp increase in blood pressure leads to spasms in the blood vessels. In this case, you may experience tinnitus, congestion, headaches and dizziness.
• Entry of a foreign body. The insect climbs or flies into the ear canal. It happens that pieces of cotton wool and pieces of wax plug remain in the ear after cleaning.
• A side effect from taking any medicine.
• Ear congestion often occurs with a runny nose. After all, the nasopharynx and ears are connected to each other by the Eustachian tube. Mucus in the nasal passages interferes with the normal flow of air into the middle ear, obstruction of the tubes occurs, which causes congestion.
• Similar consequences are observed with a deviated nasal septum.
• Ear congestion can be caused by pregnancy. This is a period in a woman's life when many changes occur in her body that can cause swelling in the ear canals.

If a person feels that his ear is blocked and hurts, then there is an infection. The bacteria that causes it can penetrate into the middle ear area from the nasopharynx during colds and runny nose along with mucus. This occurs during improper blowing of the nose, when, under the influence of pressure, mucus particles are thrown inside the Eustachian tube. Similar phenomena cause diseases such as:

• tubootitis,
• eustachitis,
• otitis.

The main symptoms depend on the cause

Manifestations of ear congestion differ depending on the cause that causes them. If this is due to the ingestion of foreign objects, bodies, the influence of the external environment, or a consequence of other diseases, then the patient will feel a noise in the ear, the presence of something extra, foreign there. Hearing deteriorates, headaches and dizziness may appear.

If the cause is an infectious disease inside the middle ear, then along with the above, when swallowing, symptoms will appear. unpleasant sensations, tingling, even lumbago with sharp pain in the ear. From there it can stand out pus.

What to do at home - treatment methods

What can you do at home for stuffy ears? Everything will depend on why the ear is blocked.

Water in the ear

If the reason is water ingress, then you must get rid of it. Because fluid remaining in the ear canal for a long time can cause infection and inflammation.

Some people think that this can be done with a cotton swab... Don't do this!

1. It’s better to cover the sore ear with your palm, tilt your head to the side on the stuffy ear and do a few jumps, like jumping rope, while supporting your head so as not to damage the cervical spine.
2. Or pinch your nose and mouth and try to exhale.

Pressure drop

Usually the ears become clogged during takeoff, during an airplane flight, and during landing.

In case of pressure changes, taking deep breaths with an open mouth helps a lot, while swallowing saliva several times in a row or trying to yawn. The effect will not take long to appear.

To avoid such a problem, when there is a sudden change in altitude, you need to open your mouth slightly, this will help not create unnecessary pressure on the pipes that connect the nasopharynx and ears.

Sulfur plug

Accumulated old dry earwax must be removed.

The plug consists of secretions from the sebaceous glands inside the ear, particles of the epidermis and sulfur. With the help of natural processes that occur in every person, the remnants of everything accumulated are removed during the next cleaning of the ears. But it also happens that under the influence of mechanical factors or moisture, the sulfur plug begins to swell strongly and quickly.

By the way, it swells well when you pour water into your ears when diving or simply swimming with your head under the water!

The sulfur plug begins to absorb moisture and becomes looser and larger. It clutters the ear canal, and the person begins to hear poorly. Depending on the neglect of this condition, the cork can be of different colors (from light yellow to black) and consistency (from soft to rocky).

The main problem is that a person may not be aware of the threat, because he can hear normally as long as there is at least a small gap between the plug and the ear canal for the penetration of sound waves.

How to remove wax plug at home

The following methods will help in removing calcified sulfur...

Hydrogen peroxide 3%

It is poured into the ear canal under pressure. This can be done using a syringe without a needle inside the ear. This procedure is quite difficult to carry out on your own.

• Hydrogen peroxide softens accumulated sulfur masses.
• The syringe should not be inserted too deeply so as not to damage anything.
• For better penetration of liquid into the ear canal, it is better to pull the outer ear slightly upward.

The peroxide will fizz and come out along with particles of sulfur plug. You need to wait until all the solution has flowed out, and it is better to turn your head to the side so that the liquid can completely come out. Remains of sulfur and peroxide are removed with a cotton swab. After rinsing, you can warm the ear with an incandescent lamp to completely dry it. This is done twice a week.

Baking soda

A weak soda solution dropped into the ear can also help. 1 teaspoon per glass of warm water.

After using it, 3% hydrogen peroxide is dripped inside and the plug is washed out with a syringe with water at room temperature. Finally, boric alcohol is instilled into the ear for disinfection and warming. The procedure takes 3 days.

Olive oil or glycerin

Heated olive oil or glycerin will also help soften and remove the sulfur plug. It is enough to drop two or three drops into the ear, wait five minutes and remove the plug with a cotton swab.

This must be done carefully so as not to drive the remains of the cork even deeper.

Sunflower oil

Regular sunflower oil will also work. It is placed in the ear and waited for about 10 minutes, turning over on the opposite side so that it does not leak out. After this, use a syringe to wash out the softened cork with chamomile solution.

Onion juice and alcohol

If the ear wax is very hard, then you should pay attention to onion juice. It is mixed with alcohol in a ratio of 4:1, respectively. 2 drops of solution are dripped into the ear 2 times a day. Pure cabbage juice in the same volume will be no less effective ( note from the site author - do not use this method - onion juice, you can burn your eardrum and ear canal!). Cabbage juice - yes.

Almond oil

If congestion is accompanied noise in the head, and sometimes even ear pain, it is better to use almond oil. It is dripped from 3 to 5 drops, after which the ears are plugged with cotton wool.

Reduced blood pressure in hypertension

When your ear is blocked due to increased blood pressure, then treatment should be aimed at eliminating heart problems. Depending on the severity of a person’s condition, as well as whether he knows his diagnosis, you can take certain blood pressure-lowering medications at home or go to the hospital to avoid serious consequences.

How to remove a foreign body at home

The foreign body is removed using blunt-tipped tweezers. But you need to be extremely careful not to push it further.

The victim is placed on his side so that he does not move. Turn the head so that the foreign body is clearly visible; it is better to illuminate it with a flashlight. After this, you should proceed to deletion. When everything is done, you need to make sure that there is nothing left in the ear ( note from the site author - let an ENT doctor do this procedure).

When hit insects you need to rinse the ear canal with water. To prevent it from creeping further into the ear canal, you need to kill it. To do this, add any antiseptic to the water, for example, baby soap. The person is placed on the floor so that the ear in which the foreign object is located is closer to the floor. Then, using a syringe without a needle, water is sprayed inside (making sure that it is neither hot nor cold, so as not to cause further harm).

Side effects of drugs

If your ears are blocked due to a side effect from taking a medication, then you should stop using it and contact the doctor who prescribed it so that he can prescribe something else. After all, it is difficult to judge what consequences undergoing a full course of treatment with the wrong medicine may have.

Colds and runny nose

When your ears become blocked due to a cold or runny nose, you need to quickly eliminate the problem so as not to lead to the formation of a purulent infection.

To begin with, clear the nasal sinuses of mucus - blow your nose well. But the main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to cause even more phlegm to enter the Eustachian tubes.

After this, they begin to remove mucus from them by performing the following exercises:

• push the lower jaw forward as much as possible,
• make circular movements with it (forward, down, towards you, up).

The procedure must be performed very carefully so as not to dislocate the jaw. In this case, the person will feel gurgling in the ears - this accumulated fluid returns from the ear canal to the nasal passages, from which it can be carefully blown out.

Deviated nasal septum

When the nasal septum is deviated, the ears will periodically become blocked, and it is difficult to do anything about it. You can perform the same set of exercises that are designed to eliminate mucus from the ear canals. After all, it helps reduce excess pressure in the ears, which occurs when there is poor air flow through the nose. In order to get congestion as little as possible, you need to breathe all the time not only through your nose, but also through your mouth, opening it slightly.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is better not to resort to self-medication, but to consult an otolaryngologist who will tell you how to safely get rid of unpleasant sensations without harm to the expectant mother and child.

What to do if your ear is blocked due to otitis, tubo-otitis

If an infection gets into the ear, it becomes inflamed, constant pain is felt, you need to fight, first of all, with pathogenic microflora. For this purpose, you should not select medications yourself. After all, there are several types of infectious agents, both among bacteria and among fungi.

Moreover, antibiotics are mainly prescribed against bacterial otitis, but for fungal diseases they only aggravate the healing process. In the first case, it is better to warm the ear, and in the second, heat and humidity, which increases due to purulent accumulations, will create an ideal environment for the proliferation of fungi. Moreover, sometimes not only local treatment is required, but also taking medications to stimulate the immune system, eliminate hormonal imbalances or metabolic problems, which can cause the easy spread of pathogens in the ear.

Therefore, in such a situation, it is better to consult a doctor so as not to harm yourself further.

The only thing that can be done for purulent inflammation is to rinse the ear, preferably with hydrogen peroxide, chamomile solution or other antiseptics that will prevent further infection.

This is worth doing if you cannot urgently go to the hospital. But after washing, you need to dry the auricle well using a bandage swab. It is better not to use cotton swabs here, as they can damage the mucous membrane and contribute to the spread of infection into deep tissues.

You should also consult a doctor in other cases, if after 2-3 days of independent treatment procedures the congestion does not go away or, on the contrary, the condition worsens. The doctor will be able to identify the exact cause of the blocked ear, prescribe a set of procedures to eliminate it and tell you how to treat the disease.

Video

How to treat a stuffy ear - folk remedies

On the video channel "Home Doctor".

What to do if your ear is clogged and your ear can’t hear?

On the video channel “Garden at all latitudes”.

A remedy for removing wax in the ear when hearing is impaired. I cleaned wax from my ear with a cotton swab and clogged my ear canal with wax. I couldn’t hear in my right ear and everything was whistling in my head. A solution of water and boric acid restored my hearing in two days. I checked it on myself personally.

Why do ears get stuffy on an airplane? What to do?

If you often fly on an airplane, then you probably often encounter a situation where your ears suddenly become blocked. Most often, there is no pain, but there is little pleasure in this either. We present to your attention several videos that explain why our ears get blocked and how to deal with it.

Three simple ways to get rid of ear congestion

If your ear is blocked, it is extremely unpleasant and sometimes interferes with your normal life. But if your ears often clog, and other alarming symptoms are observed, then this may indicate serious problems. What to do in this case? It is important to take action as early as possible.

What happens when your ears are clogged?

The structure of the ear is quite complex. Thus, the Eustachian (auditory) tube is a canal that is connected to the nasopharynx and the middle ear and is designed to equalize the pressure in the middle ear. But if for some reason the Eustachian tube closes, then the pressure in the middle ear does not have the opportunity to adapt to changes in environmental pressure. Because of this, the eardrum seems to bend inward, which leads to the blockage of the ears.

Why is this happening?

The reasons for blocked ears can be very diverse. Let's list some of them:

These are the causes of the symptom in question.

Diagnostics

If your ear is blocked, what should you do? First of all, you should contact a specialist, namely an otolaryngologist. In some cases, a simple examination will be enough, but to determine the causes of congestion, some diagnostic procedures may be prescribed. For example, radiography will allow you to identify inflammation in the nasopharynx or eustachian tube. In addition, tympanometry and audiogram are sometimes helpful.

How to fix the problem?

So, if your ear is blocked, what should you do? Measures will depend on the specific cause of congestion. The following actions are possible:

And remember that if you do nothing about congestion and do not consult a doctor, unwanted and sometimes extremely serious complications may arise.