Blocked Ears

Blocked ears means that there is an imbalance in the pressure of the ear. This imbalance could be due to several reasons. When the ears of a person are blocked, he/she will feel as though there is a can kept on the ear, the person will feel ear pain, there will be partial hearing loss and the person might feel clicks in the ear. All these are the signs and symptoms of ears blocked. Let us discuss the causes and the ways to cure blocked ears.

Wax
Earwax is present in everyone's ear. This wax is a yellowish substance that is secreted within the canals of the ear. This wax is responsible for protecting the ear from dust, insects, water and also helps to keep the ear clean and dry. Unfortunately, earwax is one of the important cause of blocked ears. When you use cotton buds to clean your ears and get rid of the wax, most of the time you end up pushing the wax inside the ear. This wax goes on accumulating in layers and then the ears become blocked. Doctors say that there is no need to clean the wax from the ear as this wax drops off from the ear without us knowing it and cleans the ear by itself. There may be several ear problems that can be a result of accumulated wax.

Cold
Cold is another reason that blocks the ears. This happens because the ear, nose and throat are internally connected. So when you suffer from cold, the ears gets blocked in no time. The mucus gets trapped in a canal that connects the ears and the nasal passage. Normally, this canal is closed but it opens at times to balance the overall pressure. When you suffer from cold, the mucus and the bacteria enter this canal and this leads to severe ear blocks. Pain and impaired hearing are the results of this block.

Sinus Infections
Ears get blocked when you suffer from sinus infections. Sinuses are small openings in the head that allow the air and fluids to pass. When these openings get clogged or swollen due to cold or allergies, you are said to be suffering from sinus infection. There is a lot of inflammation in these sinus due to the cold or allergies and this inflammation results in the closing of the Eustachian tube, which is the canal that connects the ear, nose and throat.

Others
Ear infections may also cause the ears to become blocked. The ear infections can happen due to water entering the ear, a mosquito entering the ear or due to several other reasons. Tinnitus is also one of the several reasons for the ear blocks.

How to Clear Blocked Ears

Steam
One of the oldest methods, inhaling steam will help to unblock the ears. You will need a basin full of hot water and a towel over your head in order to inhale steam. A few drops of eucalyptus oil can be added to the water to provide instant relief. Steam is a good clogged ear remedy. Alternatively, you can apply heated cloth pads over the ear to pop them open.

Breathing
Swallow hard and yawn frequently. This helps the ears to pop open restoring your hearing ability and reducing the pain. Another way to clear the blocked ear is to inhale and then close the nose. Try to exhale through the ears by applying some pressure. Be careful not to apply too much pressure. This is a good technique which will provide immediate ear pain relief and unblock the ears.

Others
Other methods to cure blocked ears include massaging the ear and eye area, using a nasal spray to unclog the nose, which will unblock the ears too. Other than that, there are several home remedies to cure sinus and cold which will also help to unblock the ears. In case there is a lot of earwax accumulation in your ear, put in two drops of warm olive oil and lie down with the blocked ear facing the roof. Olive oil assists in gentle earwax removal. Get up after 5 minutes and all the earwax will fall out of the ear along with the olive oil. You can also use garlic oil for ear infection. This is one of the home remedies too. Ear candling is also one of the ways to clear the wax out of the ears, but let the expert handle it.

Blocked Ears After Flying

Many of you complain about ear problems after flying. Your middle ear is an air pocket which is very susceptible to changes in the air pressure. When you travel by the air plane, there are a number of changes in the air pressure. This is most common when the plane is descending; this happens because the plane moves from high pressure to low pressure and into the earth's atmosphere. These rapid changes in the air pressure cause your ears to block. Swallowing and yawning widely are the two ways to get rid of blocked ears after flying. If these do not work, then pinch your nose shut and inhale through your mouth. Try to exhale through your ears. This should be able to pop them open. Ask for ear plugs when you sit in the plane for ear pressure relief; these might be able to avoid your ears from blocking.

If your ears are blocked and they do not open up in spite of all these earache treatments at home, you should visit your doctor. Also, if your ears are bleeding or there is a discharge coming from them, then it is vital to go to the doctor as the problem could be a bigger one.