How To Clear A Clogged Ear Due To Sinus Congestion

Gargling Warm Salt Water

Gargle with a warm salt water is another home remedy to get relief from a congested ear caused by an ear infection. Surprising as it may seem, gargling a saline solution to treat a throat infection can actually help clear your ears.

Dr. Dan Brennan on WebMD says that the salt water helps to soothe a sore throat and actually helps to unblock the Eustachian tubes.2

Here is how to use a salt water gargle to get rid of clogged ears and relieve the symptoms of a sore throat:

• Mix one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water.
• Swish it around your mouth and gargle for 15 to 20 seconds.
• Spit it out.
• Repeat as often as possible until you feel that your ears are no longer clogged.

Gargling with salt and water is also one of the best home remedies for chest congestion and it is also an effective remedy for clearing throat mucus.

Are Some People More Prone To Ear Congestion Than Others

If you think youre more prone to ear congestion than other people, you might be right. Some peoples Eustachian tubes are naturally shaped in a way that makes them more prone to congestion and clogged ears from a cold.

Your Eustachian tubes could also be narrower or more horizontal than average , which makes it much easier for fluid to collect. You could also have a greater amount of mucus at the opening of your Eustachian tubes which facilitates greater swelling when you come down with something.

Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide

Food grade hydrogen peroxide can help you get rid of a buildup of ear wax quickly and effectively which can help you to unplug your ear. Hydrogen peroxide has an antiseptic effect that can help to prevent skin infections. According to doctors at WebMD, the bubbling action helps to bring up dirt and loosen it.5

Researchers from Harvard Medical School recommend using 3% hydrogen peroxide for ear wax removal.6

If you want to get rid of a congested ear using hydrogen peroxide, this is what you should do:

• Put two drops of 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide in your clogged ear. Dont exceed that amount or you could damage your eardrum.
• Wait until you hear a fizzing sound .
• Let it fizz for few minutes until it stops.
• Tilt your head to the side, so that the solution and ear wax can drip out.

Do this every time you need to unclog your ears from excess ear wax.

Hydrogen peroxide can also treat ear infections due to its antiseptic properties, and you can read more about in my article on how to use hydrogen peroxide for an ear infection.

For more ideas on how to use hydrogen peroxide read my post about 11 amazing uses for hydrogen peroxide.

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Lie Down On Your Side

If your ear is clogged with water, put a pillow under your head and lie down on one side. Now change your side and lie down with your affected ear resting on the pillow. Stay for half an hour in this position, so that the deposited water may drain out on its own.

Warm Compress Is Not Good If:

• You have an ear infection. This remedy should not be practiced as the conditions might worsen. The symptoms are yellow discharge from the ear
• You have a slight fever because of ear pain or cannot turn your head in the opposite direction from the affected ear. It is mandatory that you consult an ENT expert as soon as possible.

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Use Warm Olive Oil To Soften Earwax

Olive oil may help water down the consolidated earwax and make it easier to expel. It is a mild fluid that is unlikely to trigger any adverse side effects or irritate the delicate lining of your inner ear.

You can also use mineral oil for this purpose.

Note: Do not use this method if you have a perforated eardrum. Also, make sure that the oil is comfortably warm and not so hot that it ends up burning the delicate inner lining of your ear.

Clogged Ear: The Sinus

A sinus infection primarily affects your nose, but symptoms can extend to the ears as well. The sinus-ear connection stems from the fact that your sinuses and ears are connected therefore, clogged and congested sinuses also affect the ears.

There are many ways you can help improve your sinus infection and obtain relief in your ears. Below are some tips that can help decongest your sinuses.

• Use a nasal saline or apply a warm moist washcloth to your nose to add moisture. Humidifiers are also useful to help add moisture to the air and not dry out your nose.
• Over-the-counter pain medications can help relieve ear pain.
• Over-the-counter decongestants can help clear out sinus cavities.
• Avoid extreme temperatures hot or cold weather can worsen sinuses.
• Keep your head up putting it down applies added pressure.

Sinus-related ear problems can also lead to dizziness. If you experience dizziness due to sinuses, you may want to avoid fast movements as it can increase dizziness. Its also important to drink plenty of water to thin mucus and avoid caffeine, salt, alcohol and tobacco, which alter blood flow and can worsen dizziness.

Related: Sinusitis Vertigo and Dizziness, A Complication of Sinus Infection

Also Check: How To Get Tested For Sinus Infection

When To See A Doctor

Usually, ear problems related to a sinus issue arenât severe and donât last long. Most of the time, they go away on their own. See your doctor if:

• You have a fever.
• You have head, face, or ear pain, or swelling that doesnât get better with non-prescription medication.
• Your symptoms last for more than a week or keep coming back.

Show Sources

American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery: âSinusitis â âDizziness and Motion Sickness â and âSinus Pain: Can Over-the-Counter Medications Help?â

Divers Alert Network: âEars and Sinuses — Instructions for Equalizing Ears and Sinuses.â

Harvard Medical School, Womenâs Health Watch: âWhat to Do About Sinusitis.â

Tampa Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates: âSinusitis.â

Lindsey, H. ENT Today, July 2009.

Some Actions You Can Avoid:

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Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome

Shortly called SCDS, the syndrome develops from a small hole in a bone of the inner ear covering the superior semicircular canal . This canal is just one of the three that can sense head movement, balance, and acceleration. Vertigo and dizziness are the symptoms to pay attention to. SCDS usually occurs in people in their 30s and 40s.

Opt To Sleep On The Side Of Your Healthy Ear As This Can Help Elevate The Infected Ear Further And Increase Drainage

How to sleep with clogged ear infection. This causes blockage of the eustachian tubes, so fluid and pressure build up in the middle part of the ear. Sounds waves vibrate the ear drum, which connects via a sophisticated lever and piston amplifier system that transmits sound waves to the inner ear. Your child is unlikely to have an ear infection if:

Causes of blocked ear while sleeping: Any problem in your nose or throat may be responsible for abnormality in the outside pressure and pressure of middle ear. The resq wedge allows a baby with gerd, sleep.

Sleep on a recliner or with an extra pillow so your head is comfortably propped up. Use a pain reliever throughout the day and before bedtime to ease discomfort. Keep your ear as dry as possible for 7 to 10 days.

A sinus infection is commonly related to clogged ears as swelling and discharge from the sinuses interact with the eustachian tubes at the back of the nose. Otitis externa and otitis media . Care should be taken when using remedies to unclog congested ears.

For those of us who have spent many a sleepless night tossing and turning, the best way to get some sleep with an ear infection is found to be in an upright or elevated position. In this case may not be able to pop your ears, you may hear a crackling noise or feel a fluid sensation in the ears, and changes in altitude (e.g. The ear drum is a thin membrane that separates the middle ear cavity from the outer ear canal.

Pin On Ear Wax

Pin On Health

Pin On Ear Care

Also Check: Why Am I Getting Sinus Infections All The Time

Opt For Some Over The Counter Pain Remedies

While you are getting rid of the pressure, you may want to relieve the pain and discomfort you feel. Sometimes the only way to do that is through over the counter remedies. You do not need strong painkillers to help. Just some paracetamol or aspirin will do the trick.

If you have a medical condition or take medication that means taking aspirin is dangerous, opt for the paracetamol instead. You may also want to talk to your doctor to find out if there is anything else that you should avoid.

Treat the over the counter remedies as a last resort. Most of the six other remedies will help to get rid of the pressure and reasons for the pressure. The painkillers are more to treat the symptoms if you find nothing else works.

Mineral Oil And Warm Water

A solution of mineral oil and warm water would also help in softening the ear wax and reduce blockage and pain. Add a little mineral oil to half a cup of warm water. Put it in your affected ear and keep your head tilted for 10-12 minutes. Then, drain the solution. Repeat this remedy until the problem subsides.

Also Check: How Long A Sinus Infection Last

Common Factors That Lead To Clogged Ear

Your ear canal is like a door of open opportunities to foreign objects and intangible particles that make their way in and cause problems some of which can be painful, too.

A few factors that commonly cause your ears to become clogged up are:

1. Wax buildup

Generally,earwax is protective in nature. But, when it hardens, the ears become clogged and cause pain, ringing, etc. Too much accumulation of earwax is responsible for the ear clogging. There are various earwax drops & removal kit available in the market which you can use to get rid of it.

2. Dirt Particles

External particles, dirt, and insertion of foreign objects like cotton swab cause the ear to clog. The insertion of these objects damage the inner cells of the ear. And you may suffer from hearing related problems.

3. Air pressure

You may experience ear clogging while scuba diving, climbing mountains or on an airplane. You can also call it Ear Barotrauma or Airplane ear. As sometimes Eustachian tube cant equalize the pressure due to change in altitude or pressure. This causes clogging of ears.

4. Sinus problems

A common cold, flu, allergies and various factors responsible for sinus infections block the nasal passage and it leads to Eustachian tube blockage. As a result, you feel as something is clogged in your ear.

5. Ear Infections

Otitis Media, an ear infection occurs when fluid starts to build up in the middle ear and harmful microbes start to grow. This causes the sensation of ears blockage.

Home Remedies For Clogged Ears Due To Sinus Infections

Here are some additional home remedies that can help alleviate ear problems associated with sinus infections and even wax build-up.

• Yawning helps redistribute the fluid in your ear.
• Take a hot, steamy shower.
• Make a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water and pour it into the ear.
• Chew gum as it can help move wax out of the ear.
• Combine rubbing alcohol and vinegar and use the mixture as ear drops.
• Pinch your nose and blow to pop your ears.
• Drop warm olive oil into your ear once again this breaks up wax.
• Combine rubbing alcohol and apple cider vinegar as ear drops to help treat infection.
• Apply warm compresses to the ears.
• Gargle with warm water and salt.

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When Do You Need To See A Doctor

Sometimes your sickness symptoms get better, but your ear congestion does not. This is the first sign that you might need to see a doctor for a check-up.

If you develop green nasal discharge along with sinus pain and fever, develop a fever on its own, or have a weakened immune system, asthma, or emphysema, visit a doctor as soon as possible.

If you are experiencing ear pain, fluid drainage, and hearing loss, this can indicate an ear infection. Although they can clear up on their own, ear infections often need to be treated with antibiotics. If you think you have an infection, youll need to see a doctor for a prescription.

Likewise, if your problems persist, go to the doctor. Theyll be able to give you a thorough medical examination and work out the best course of treatment for you. You might need steroid ear drops to reduce swelling or antifungal ear drops if there is a fungal infection.

If your congested ear has just appeared, there are some home remedies you can try for now. Alternatively, you can get antihistamines and decongestants to help reduce ear pressure or OTC pain relievers to relieve earaches.

Swallow To Help Open Up Your Clogged Ears

If your clogged ears are due to a sudden change in air pressure, like what happens during an airplane landing, suck on some sugar-free lozenges or chew sugarless gum.

This stimulates saliva production and increases how often you swallow. As you swallow more, the Eustachian tubes open more frequently and may relieve the excess pressure in your ears.

Read Also: Best Medication To Stop Sinus Drainage

Causes And 3 Remedies For Clogged Ears

Clogged ears are a nuisance that many people experience. Clogged ears are what happens when something blocks the ear canal and makes it difficult for you to hear. Sometimes, your ears unclog themselves in a few days. If you want to know why your ears get clogged and what you can do for fast relief, Healthline offers three causes and three remedies.

3 causes for clogged ears

• Eustachian tube blockage: The Eustachian tube connects your middle ear to your throat. Normally, mucus travels from your ear to the back of your throat because your ears, nose, and throat are connected. However, sometimes the mucus gets trapped in the middle ear and, as a result, you experience a clogged ear. With this kind of blockage, there is usually some type of infection, too, which can include the common cold, the flu, or a sinus infection.
• Change in altitude: Another possible cause for clogged ears is high altitude. This happens when flying on an airplane, scuba diving, or experiencing a change in air pressure outside the body. A clogged ear is the most common effect of pressure change, and there are other symptoms people experience that can be attributed to altitude sickness.
• Earwax: Earwax protects your ear, cleanses the ear canal, and keeps debris from entering your ear. Earwax is usually a good thing, but sometimes it gets hard and causes a blockage in your ear. This can be caused by using cotton swabs to clean your ears, which actually pushes earwax deeper.

3 remedies to unclog ears

Ear Congestion Causes And How To Relieve Clogged Ears

27th Jan 18 4:44 pm by admin

Taking off in an airplane, swimming completely submerged, or riving up a canyon, all of these situations can cause pressure in the inner ear . The result is ear congestion, or ear fullness. Symptoms like vertigo, pain, tenderness, itching, muffled hearing, and tinnitus can sometimes accompany the ear congestion.

Ear congestion is the name we give to every condition preventing sounds from being heard clearly. It is one of the most frequent ear problems, and there is an increase in recent years due to a rise in upper respiratory tract infections. Also, as we use airplanes as a mean for transportation more frequently, it is logical and normal to expect more ear congestion problems.

But when should you worry, and what are all the causes of ear congestion? Generally speaking, an ear congestion can be easily treated with home remedies. But if it persists for more than five days, you should visit a physician.

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Treatment For Sinusitis From A Gp

If you have sinusitis, a GP may be able to recommend other medicines to help with your symptoms, such as:

• steroid nasal sprays or drops â to reduce the swelling in your sinuses
• antihistamines â if an allergy is causing your symptoms
• antibiotics â if a bacterial infection is causing your symptoms and you’re very unwell or at risk of complications

You might need to take steroid nasal sprays or drops for a few months. They sometimes cause irritation, sore throats or nosebleeds.

A GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist if, for example, you:

• still have sinusitis after 3 months of treatment
• keep getting sinusitis
• only have symptoms on 1 side of your face

They may also recommend surgery in some cases.