Plugged Ears

Ears feel as if something has been forcefully stuffed inside them, cannot hear anything clearly, muffled sounds...all these could be the common signs of plugged ears or blocked ears. This is a common ear problem affecting many and it is usually a temporary and minor problem, the common cause being either cold or allergies. But sometimes, if this problem bothers you for a long time, then it is best that you go visit a ear specialist. Want to know why we suffer from this problem and also what are the various remedies? If you read this article further on, you will get the answer to your questions.

Causes

There are several causes, but some of these causes are quite minor and they usually get cured on their own within the next few days. However there are some causes which, if allowed to remain for a long time, can cause damage to the inner ear which, in future might cause hearing impairment. If we can diagnose the cause of the full ears at an early stage, then we can easily start off with the treatment at an early stage. Thus, it is important for us to know what are the various causes so that we can visit the doctor accordingly.

Formation of Earwax
The wax that we sometimes feel in our ears, is naturally secreted by the several glands that are present there. If this wax is allowed to collect within the ear canal, then we suffer from this problem. Earwax removal is essential, since buildup of this wax can often lead to itching, blocking of the ear canal and even minor or severe ear pain.

Presence of Water in the Ear
Sometimes, either while swimming or while taking a shower, water seeps into your ears, thus causing a problem of clogged ears. Water in ear, is also commonly known as Swimmer's ear and it can be solved by tilting your head to the left or right (that depends on the ear the ear that is blocked) and just allow the water to drain out naturally. Sometimes, this cause might lead to temporary hearing loss. If the water still does not drain out, then visit a doctor as the ear might get infected if the water is retained for long.

Ear Infection
Minor ear infections due to cold is another cause. When we suffer from severe cough and cold, the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose, gets blocked due to formation of mucus and this in turn blocks the middle ear. This situation is called effusion and this is a situation which is common among children.

This infection is however a minor one which gets cured once we get rid of the cold. But there are some ear infections that needs to be treated immediately, otherwise the person might suffer from permanent loss of hearing. The fluid, which is present in the middle ear, gets infected and is accompanied by severe earache and also green or yellow discharge from the ear. This infected liquid (if not treated), penetrates through the eardrum, thus causing hearing loss.

Change in Pressure
I am sure you have experienced this problem when you were on a higher altitude or when you were in a plane and it was just about to land or take off. Ear pressure occurs because the pressure on the either side of the eardrum, changes. This change in pressure leads to the blocked ears.

Growths in Ears
Sometimes, a bony growth might take place in the outer ear, which is another cause for clogged ears. The growth in the ear might also take place in the middle ear, which hampers the smooth flow of sound to the inner ear, hence causing hearing loss.

Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease is another cause. In this case, a blocked ear is accompanied by dizziness, weird and muffled sounds in the ear and even hearing loss. This is however no cure for this problem, however, there are some medications available to relieve the blocked ear feeling.

Other Causes
Besides the above causes, there some more causes like allergies in ears, loud noises, listening to loud music, objects jammed into the ears, sinus, etc.

Treatment Options

Now that we have seen the various causes, let us see what are the various remedy. Here are some of the home remedies that you can try out.

• If there is a hard layer of build up of wax in your ears, then you can just dip a cotton ball in olive oil and put it in your ear for sometime in order to soften the wax.
• When you are in a higher altitude and you suffer from this problem, then just keep yawning or swallow and you will be relieved from this problem immediately. If that does not work, then pinch both your nostrils, close your mouth and try blowing air out off your lungs (DO NOT SUFFOCATE YOURSELF). This will balance the pressure and your problem will be solved.
• Need another earwax removal tip? Warm baby oil, if poured into the ear, softens the earwax, thus getting rid of the problem.

These remedies are for minor cases of blocked ears problems. If however, the cause is severe due to some kind of infection or inner growth in the ears, or if the problem remains for more than a couple of days, then it is best that you visit a ear specialist immediately. There are several medications, such as various ear drops, which will help get rid of this problem. So take care!