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Cure for a Plugged Up Ear

Do you feel like you need to relieve pressure in your ear but can't? You could either have earwax buildup (the plugged up feeling came on gradually, with itching or a feeling of fullness in the ear canal), sinus stuffiness (brought on by a recent cold or flu), pressure that never got released (you experienced a change in altitude) or an ear infection (you feel pain, itching and fullness in the ear canal). If you are not certain of the cause of your plugged up ear, you should seek medical advice.

  1. Wax

    • Feeling plugged up from wax buildup is easy to remedy at home by flushing out the ear canal. A solution is squirted into the ear via a bulb syringe while holding the ear over a bowl or sink. This flushing is repeated until the ear is clean. You can see the debris or wax that has come out in the bowl or sink while flushing. The simplest solution to use is warm water with a teaspoon of baking soda, or you can buy ear wash solutions from your local pharmacy.

    Sinus

    • Feeling plugged up from sinus pressure requires cleansing through the sinus. This type of plugged ear is caused by pressure or sinus drainage in the middle ear and can only be accessed through the nostrils. The best solution for this is using a saline nasal spray or neti pot. This will clean out the sinus and middle ear, thus relieving pressure.

    Elevation

    • Feeling plugged up from changes in elevation requires attempting to get the eustachian tube in the middle ear to open up and release the pressure. The eustachian tube will usually open with jaw movement like chewing or yawning and swallowing. Try to open and close your jaw slowly and as wide as possible. Chew gum or eat something. Have a drink. If you keep at it, typically the pressure will slowly release. Eustachian tube dysfunction, although not common, can develop; if this type of plugged up feeling lasts for days, you should seek medical advice.

    Infection

    • Feeling plugged up from an ear infection is normal and should go away when the infection clears up. After an infection, you can retain that plugged feeling because of debris left in the canal from the dried up infection. This debris can be flushed, vacuumed or picked out once you get medical confirmation that the infection has cleared up.

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