How To Clear Clogged Ears?

You know that feeling when your ear just feels… blocked? Like it’s plugged up with cotton? Along with being irritating, it also makes you feel quite uncomfortable and frustrated. You know the fullness, the pressure, the muffled hearing, whether it’s during a flight, after swimming or for no apparent reason.

So, what’s causing it, and more importantly, how would you get rid of this uncomfortable sensation so that you can find relief? 

In this article, we will explore the common causes of ear blockage or clogged ears and guide you as to when you should seek medical help or consult a doctor and suggest safe treatment options.

The Causes for Clogged Ears

From building up of simple wax to several different conditions and medical issues can lead to a blocked or clogged ears, and this would need your immediate attention. Let’s explore the causes for clogged ears –

• Earwax Buildup

Sometimes, your ear makes too much wax. This wax can get hard and block your ear, so you might have a problem with hearing as this hard wax makes it hard to hear and your ear feels full.

To fix it, doctors use a special procedure to clean out this hard wax safely which is usually done with a gentle suction device or irrigation to extract the blockage. They don’t use cotton swabs as it can push the wax deeper and cause damage, instead they use suction or water which would not hurt the ears.

So, it’s safe to go and consult a doctor if you’re having any pain or hearing issues because they know how to take care of this blockage accurately.

• Fluid in the Ear

The sloshing, muffled feeling in your ear after being in water? That’s probably fluid trapped inside. Sometimes it’s due to the water that gets in there during  swimming or taking a bath while at other times, it might be fluid from an ear infection that creates this sensation of fullness or discomfort which is referred to as – swimmer’s ear.

Signs to pay attention to:

• You feel a constant wet or moving sensation in your ear.
• Sounds being dull or hard to hear.
• You have any pain or itching in your ear.

Gently tilting your head to the side or using ear drops can help you in such a situation but don’t try to stick anything in your ear to get the water out. If it’s just water this might help, however, if this fluid doesn’t go away and starts worsening, see a doctor so that you can ensure that it’s not an infection.

• Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Do you know that there’s a tube that connects your ear to your throat? This tube can sometimes be blocked from cold or allergies and this makes your ear feel full and in turn makes you feel a little dizzy?

This can be due to Eustachian tube dysfunction, this tube is very small, and through this, sound travels, which when gets blocked, you hear a muffled sound. However, this usually goes away and you can try things like chewing a gum or pinching your nose while gently blowing it.

If your condition doesn’t improve in a few days, or if you’re experiencing severe pain, see a doctor. Home remedies aren’t always safe. The symptoms here are tinnitus and mild vertigo. And, don’t use ear candles because they’re dangerous and ineffective.

Do’s and Don’t:

Microsuction – The Remedy for Clogged Ears

Microsuction is generally a comfortable procedure. It’s suitable for almost everyone, including those with previous ear problems. The procedure is also relatively quiet, unlike the loud noise as in the case of ear syringing. In microsuction, the doctor has good visibility of the ear canal, so they can remove all of the ear wax.

You’ll leave the clinic with cleaner ears and improved hearing. The procedure is designed for speed and efficiency so that the patient can have a greater sense of control and comfort, as there is less pressure involved and therefore less sensation.

The clear view in this procedure allows for the removal of not just earwax, but also other debris or foreign objects.

What happens during ear microsuction:

• Doctor looks in your ear.

• Doctor uses a small tube.

• Tube goes in your ear.

• Machine sucks out wax.

• Doctor looks again.

• Tube comes out, you’re done.

And when to see a Doctor for Clogged Ears?

Are you experiencing plugged up or clogged ears for many days, plus pain or hearing problems?  These things together mean something might be wrong. A doctor can check your ear and help you get better quickly.

A doctor can quickly suggest microsuction if it’s due to wax buildup, lots of people just search “ear suction near me” to find a local clinic that can help them. Don’t wait around feeling uncomfortable, instead, get it checked and cleared so that you can get back to hearing clearly.