What to do if your ear is noisy and stuffy, but doesn’t hurt

Eustachite

In medicine, a broad understanding of this condition is used as inflammation of the middle ear. It must be said that the primary symptoms of the disease arise due to inflammation of the Eustachian tube. The close connection of this canal with the middle ear contributes to the further spread of the pathological process. In addition, during the acute phase of the disease, the mucous membrane of the Eustachian tube swells, resulting in a narrowing of its lumen, against which the internal pressure of the tympanic cavity decreases and a feeling of congestion appears.

What to do for tinnitus at home

Patients who experience such a symptom during a pandemic should self-isolate and call a doctor at home to undergo a coronavirus test. If there is a positive result, you will need to quarantine and follow all doctor's instructions. Self-medicating and leading a normal lifestyle is dangerous for the health of both the patient himself and the people around him.

You cannot warm up or instill stuffy ears on your own, visit a bathhouse, or use external remedies. All this can cause a deterioration in health and the transition of a mild form to a severe one.

Advice!

Doctors recommend drinking more warm liquids to relieve intoxication and taking more vitamins.

You can take medications for symptomatic treatment only as prescribed by your doctor.

Allergic rhinitis

This condition occurs especially often in childhood. The child’s immunity is highly sensitive to various types of allergens: pollen, food products, and medications. In a situation where a foreign protein structure enters the body through the upper respiratory tract, it settles on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, causing inflammation and swelling of the surrounding tissues.

These pathological changes lead to the development of allergic rhinitis with copious mucus discharge from the nose (severe runny nose), lacrimation, severe difficulty breathing and other unpleasant symptoms. In addition, against the background of swelling of the nasopharynx, the appearance of symptoms of ear congestion is noted due to the blocking of the entrance of the auditory tubes by hyperplastic tissues.

Neurological diseases

This group of syndromes is a common cause of decreased visual acuity. Therefore, if your ears are blocked, you should pay attention to the state of the nervous system. Thus, the main diseases that can cause disruption of the functioning of the hearing aid are vegetative-vascular dystonia and osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is worth saying that the clinical picture of these syndromes is often accompanied by headaches and darkening of the eyes.

The mechanism of ear congestion in neurological diseases has not been sufficiently studied. However, it is assumed that the main reason for the development of this and many other symptoms is a violation of the blood supply to the nerves innervating the components of the auditory analyzer. Congestion in this situation can be eliminated only by getting rid of the primary disease.

Why ears get clogged during coronavirus: reasons

Complete or partial loss of hearing as a result of an infectious disease is medically called tinnitus. This pathology has the following symptoms:

• congestion in one or both ears;
• the appearance of tinnitus;
• dizziness;
• loss of balance while moving.

For reference!

Doctors do not yet know exactly how viruses and bacteria affect the hearing aid and contribute to the development of tinnitus. In the clinical picture, patients may experience a negative impact of infectious microflora, provoking the development of tinnitus, but not in all infectious diseases. Thus, SARS and the MERS virus do not cause hearing loss in the patient.

Colds

If the upper respiratory tract is affected by the inflammatory process, swelling of the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa occurs. As a result, the entrance to the auditory tube is blocked, which can impair the ventilation of the ear cavities. Symptoms of congestion due to a runny nose or cold appear especially intense in the morning after sleep. In this case, no pathological changes occur in the ear canals, and the decrease in hearing acuity is temporary and, as a rule, resolves after the symptoms of a cold subside.

Ear treatment with Dr. Alexey Koshelev:

— Anti-inflammatory ear drops for diagnosing otitis media. — Special antibiotics for the ear. — Prescribing vasoconstrictor drops to eliminate swelling of the nasal mucosa. - Antiviral drugs.

If no elevated temperature is observed, then congestion can be dealt with at home:

1. Use a cotton swab to clean the ear canal. 2. Soak a cotton swab in a special saline solution and insert it into the ear. 3. Lie on your sore side for about two hours with your ear wrapped in a cloth.

IMPORTANT: treatment of ear congestion at home at elevated body temperature is not recommended. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe proper treatment.

Deviated nasal septum

This disease can occur at any age and provoke the development of many other unpleasant symptoms. So, in a normal situation, air circulates freely in the maxillary sinuses and other nasal cavities, preventing the proliferation of pathogenic flora. When the nasal septum is deviated, the supply of oxygen is limited, which promotes the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms in these areas. Over time, the inflammatory process spreads to the nasopharynx, which leads to a decrease in hearing acuity.

Possible complications

If you do not begin to properly treat ear congestion and pain in a timely manner, the consequences can be serious complications that can be much more difficult to treat.

If you do not know what to do and do not treat otitis media on time, the consequence will be a perforation of the eardrum, which in turn can lead to complete and irreparable hearing loss.

If the wax plug is not removed in time, it can lead to the development of an inflammatory process or hearing loss. In this case, the very first step will be to remove the wax plug, and then you can begin to treat the complication. The inflammatory process can be either bacterial or fungal in nature. To eliminate it, the doctor will prescribe special treatment and tell you what to do.

Hearing loss usually resolves spontaneously after the doctor removes the plugs from the ear canal.

The most dangerous complication can be hearing loss or complete hearing loss. Due to the destruction of the eardrum and structures of the inner ear, and damage to the auditory nerve. In this case, treatment should be carried out by neurologists and otolaryngologists. It may take a very long period of time.

What to do if your ear is blocked

Episodic manifestations of this kind of unpleasant symptoms, as a rule, do not cause concern for the patient’s health. In this situation, doctors recommend regularly cleaning the ear canal with ear sticks and promptly treating diseases of the upper respiratory tract. In case signs of congestion appear after swimming, tilt your head several times in the appropriate direction. Due to the pressure difference, the remaining liquid will come out and the unpleasant symptoms will disappear.

If there is severe itching due to the presence of wax plugs, experts advise dripping a few drops of peroxide or warm olive oil into the ear canal. Remember that introducing any substances into the ear canal in order to eliminate pathological (purulent) discharge is strictly prohibited. Conditions of this kind require immediate contact with a specialist who will examine the ears and prescribe adequate treatment for the resulting syndrome.

Ear congestion

Fungus

Allergy

794 04 February

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment.
In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and properly prescribe treatment, you should contact your doctor. Ear congestion: causes, diagnosis and treatment methods.

Definition

Congestion in the ear or ears occurs as a result of a violation of sound perception and is characterized by various sensations, which may include deafness, a feeling of squeezing and heaviness, and the sound of one’s own voice being too strong. Ear congestion, regardless of the causes of its occurrence, is difficult for the patient to tolerate and, as a rule, requires the help of a specialist.

Types of ear congestion

Blockage in one or both ears may be accompanied by pain, tingling, noise or ringing in the ears, and dizziness. In some cases, congestion disappears after swallowing.

A dangerous symptom is ear congestion accompanied by fever, headache, discharge from the ear (purulent or bloody), and foreign body sensation.

Ear congestion does not always indicate a pathological process.
This condition can be caused by water getting into the ear, pressure changes
during air travel or diving to depth.
Sometimes too strong and incorrect blowing of the
nose from two nasal passages at the same time leads to a blocked ear (ears), which is associated with an increase in pressure in the middle chamber of the ear due to a sharp intake of air from the Eustachian tube.
Taking certain medications
(antibiotics, psychotropic substances) has a toxic effect on the ear, causing the development of congestion and hearing loss.

Diseases that can cause ear congestion.
Earwax
blocking the ear canal. Attempting to remove earwax yourself using improvised objects significantly increases the likelihood of pushing the plug deeper into the ear and sticking to the eardrum (this increases the risk of injury to the eardrum, which leads to complete or partial hearing loss). In these cases, the condition of congestion in the ears is accompanied by excruciating pain, noise, dizziness and nausea.

Mycotic, or fungal, infection of the external auditory canal

. Infection with fungi can be complicated by narrowing or blockage of the ear canal with a feeling of fullness in the ears. The spread of fungi in the ear is aggravated by hearing aids, in-ear headphones, and inflammatory diseases of the ear. The main signs of the disease are itching, ear congestion and resulting hearing loss, and increased sound of one’s own voice in the affected ear.

Damage to the external auditory canal and middle ear structures

may be accompanied by hearing loss and congestion. Bleeding and the formation of a blood clot that blocks the ear canal lead to deterioration in sound transmission. In addition, injury to the eardrum is possible during cleaning of the ear canal, a sudden change in pressure, or a strong blow to the outer ear. In this case, sharp pain occurs, which is replaced by congestion, ringing, noise and hearing loss.

Acute inflammatory diseases

accompanied by swelling and sometimes the formation of purulent contents.
They can lead to ear congestion and hearing loss. In particular, with otitis media of the middle ear (tympanitis),
the tympanic cavity and auditory tube are involved in the inflammatory process. Swelling, which narrows the lumen of the auditory tube, and suppuration of the soft tissues cause ear congestion and hearing impairment. As a rule, the infection enters this sterile cavity from the Eustachian tube, which is directly connected to the nasopharynx.

In children of the first and second year of life, acute otitis may occur when breast milk or formula enters the nasopharynx during regurgitation.

In older children, otitis media and congestion can be caused by
inflammation of the adenoids
, the lymphoid tissue responsible for the local immunity of the nasopharynx and closing the openings of the auditory tubes in the nasopharynx. The anatomical proximity of the adenoids and the auditory tube ensures the rapid transition of infection from the nasopharynx to the ears. In addition, enlarged adenoids can block the openings of the auditory tube, which causes a feeling of stuffiness.

Allergic reactions

can also lead to acute inflammation and swelling of the middle ear.

Otitis externa

characterized by inflammation of the external auditory canal. Congestion in the ear in this case occurs due to swelling of the tissues of the ear canal.

If the disease is caused by a foreign body entering the ear canal

, then swelling and congestion are complemented by a picture of severe irritation. The patient complains of severe itching, pain, a feeling of fullness, and heat in the ear area. The pain intensifies with chewing movements.

For furunculosis

In the external auditory canal, the picture of the disease is aggravated by a closed space where the inflammatory process develops. Increasing pain in the ear is complemented by its irradiation to the corresponding half of the head. The patient cannot lie on the painful side. Due to severe swelling of the tissues of the external auditory canal, sound transmission into the affected ear is disrupted, and a feeling of stuffiness occurs.

Among the anatomical and postoperative defects

that cause ear congestion include deviated nasal septum, narrowing of the nasal passage due to hypoplasia of the nasal wings, and stenosis of the external nasal valve.

Impaired nasal breathing leads to frequent runny nose, infection of the nasal sinuses and, as a consequence, to the transition of the inflammatory process to the auditory tube.

Ear congestion in these cases appears on the side of the narrow nasal passage. The same consequences occur after operations in the nose area.

Sensorineural hearing loss

occurs due to damage to any part of the auditory nerve. Most often, this is an irreversible phenomenon, the symptoms of which include imbalance, dizziness, nausea, fullness and noise in the ear, and poor perception of low sounds. The causes of sensorineural hearing loss can be previous infectious and vascular diseases, tumor processes, injuries, and toxic effects of various substances.

Meniere's disease

is a non-purulent disease of the inner ear, which is accompanied by congestion. An increase in the volume of lymph in the labyrinth of the ear leads to increased pressure and attacks of progressive deafness, tinnitus, and sudden dizziness. In most cases, one ear is affected first. The disease begins either with attacks of dizziness or with deterioration of hearing, which is completely restored between attacks. However, after a few years, hearing loss becomes irreversible.

Myofascial pain syndrome, temporomandibular joint diseases

. Patients with myofascial pain syndrome, which is associated with disruption of the masticatory muscles and limited mobility of the lower jaw, may also complain of ear congestion. In addition, the disease is accompanied by headaches and facial pain, difficulty opening the mouth, and clicking in the temporomandibular joint.

The root cause of the syndrome is spasm of the masticatory muscles.
A similar clinical picture is also given by diseases of the joint itself caused by malocclusion. Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, increased blood pressure
. Congestion in the ears due to damage or narrowing of blood vessels is explained by a deterioration in the blood supply to all tissues, as well as impaired circulation in the area of ​​the inner and middle ear.

Vasomotor rhinitis, or runny nose during pregnancy

occurs under the influence of hormonal changes and is characterized by impaired vascular tone and the release of mucous secretion. With allergic rhinitis, the clinical picture of the disease is almost the same, but the provoking factor is not hormones, but a specific allergen. Swelling of the mucous membrane and narrowing of the nasal passages lead to obstruction of the auditory tube and cause ear congestion.

Tumors in the area of ​​the auditory canal, auditory tube and inner ear

– the most serious cause of ear congestion. Among them should be called cholesteatoma - a tumor-like formation that consists of epidermal cells impregnated with cholesterol. Cholesteatoma is characterized by slow but steady growth. Forming in the middle ear, it can spread to the outer and inner ear, causing congestion and a feeling of heaviness in the ear, purulent discharge, swelling and redness of the auricle.

Which doctors should I contact if I have ear congestion?

If ear congestion occurs, you should contact an otolaryngologist. In the future, you may need to consult a neurologist, cardiologist, or allergist.

Diagnosis and examinations for ear congestion

To diagnose the disease that caused ear congestion, a careful questioning of the patient, examination of the outer ear and ear canal to the eardrum, and an audiometric examination are necessary. The infectious nature of the disease is determined on the basis of the clinical picture, otoscopy data and culture of the discharge.

Folk remedies

Elimination of ear canal congestion is possible only after getting rid of the problem that led to the development of this unpleasant symptom. However, you can speed up the process using folk remedies. Remember that the use of any recommendations from healers should be discussed with your doctor first. Otherwise, you risk, in addition to the main disease, getting many other problems. Among the huge number of folk remedies for getting rid of ear congestion, the following can be particularly highlighted:

• Warming compresses. Any such procedures should be carried out only if you are completely sure that there are no purulent or inflammatory processes in the ear. It is recommended to warm up with camphor alcohol. For this purpose, gauze or a cotton swab is moistened in the specified composition, wrung out a little and applied to the auricle. The duration of one session is about 20 minutes. It is recommended to carry out warming three times a day until the condition improves.
• Inhalation with decoctions of medicinal herbs. 2 tbsp. l. pour dry raw materials with cold water and bring to a boil. Then, covered with a towel, breathe in the steam emanating from the container with the medicinal decoction. Carry out inhalations twice a day for a week until the buzzing (ringing) in your ears stops.
• Washing with saline solution. This popular advice is used if your ears periodically become blocked due to a runny nose. The procedure is carried out by intranasal administration of a hypertonic solution. The latter is prepared at the rate of 2 tsp. salt per glass of water. The procedure for washing the nasal passages is carried out using a pipette several times a day.

What to do?

Treatment of ear congestion is prescribed to each patient individually, based on the diagnostic results and the identified cause of its occurrence. It is strictly not recommended to purchase any medications without a doctor’s recommendation. At best, they may not be effective, and at worst, they may cause complications. In addition, it is very important to correctly calculate the dosage and timing of use.

The presence of a disease such as otitis media requires the use of ear and nasal drops, antibiotics and painkillers. But in the case of a ruptured eardrum, treatment with antibiotics or other medications is prescribed only if the rupture is large enough. For minor damage, such measures are not necessary.

If a patient is diagnosed with Meniere's syndrome, treatment occurs in several directions at once. First of all, the patient is prescribed a diet aimed at reducing salt intake. Strict adherence to all instructions will reduce the time between attacks and their frequency. A number of medications are also prescribed to combat nausea, vomiting, increased excitability and dizziness. In some advanced cases, surgery cannot be avoided.

Quite often the cause of ear congestion is a neuroma. Treatment methods for this benign tumor directly depend on its size and growth rate. So, with a small size, the so-called wait-and-see tactic is carried out: the patient does not take medications and undergoes procedures, but is regularly examined by a specialist. If the tumor grows, radiation therapy or surgery is prescribed.

In addition, in order to speed up the recovery process from ear diseases, the doctor may perform the following procedures:

• removal of contaminants from the auricle, such as wax, pus, water;
• drainage of fluid from the middle ear;
• treatment of the hearing aid with antibacterial agents;
• UHF;
• pneumomassage;
• electrophoresis.

Each procedure is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor, since the spread of infection can have a negative effect on the brain or completely deprive one of hearing.

Traditional medicine recipes

Contacting a specialist is mandatory for those people who experience pain due to ear congestion and other unpleasant accompanying symptoms. In all other cases, you can deal with the problem yourself at home. But it is worth noting that if folk remedies do not have the desired effect, then you should also seek help from a doctor.

One of the most effective and efficient remedies against wax plugs is a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide is instilled into the ear using a medical syringe without a needle, and after five minutes the ear canal is washed with warm water. It is important to ensure that water flows back out of the ear. Another product is prepared based on mumiyo. So, the powder is dissolved in warm water, a tablespoon of alcohol and sodium sulfate is added there. If necessary, this procedure can be repeated several times. To dissolve earwax, you can also use special solutions that are sold in pharmacies.

You can remove ear congestion using compresses. For example, a cotton swab can be soaked in geranium oil or juice and then placed in the hearing aid for several hours. It is most convenient to do this procedure at night.

Drinking decoctions made from plant components are also considered quite effective. However, they are usually used if the ear is blocked due to a cold. Preparing a healing decoction at home will not be difficult: a herbal mixture of chamomile, St. John's wort and birch buds must be poured with boiling water and left to infuse for fifteen minutes. Next, the resulting decoction should be filtered through a sieve or cheesecloth to get rid of unnecessary herbs. Finally, add two teaspoons of honey to it. It is recommended to drink the resulting mixture immediately before bedtime.

If ear congestion occurs as a result of a foreign object getting into it, then you can remove it with the help of ordinary vegetable oil, which everyone probably has in their home. Before the procedure, the oil should be slightly warmed and only then poured into the ear canal. It is important that the patient is in a horizontal position with his ear plugged up during the procedure. Next, you should rinse your ear with a warm stream of warm water until the foreign object comes out.

For ear inflammation from congestion, the following folk recipes :

• Anise seed must be crushed to a powder and mixed with rosehip oil. The mixture should sit for three weeks, stirring periodically. After this, the product will be ready for use. It must be instilled into the ear, three drops once a day;
• 15 grams of propolis must be poured with 96 percent alcohol and the resulting mixture must be left for ten days in a dark, dry place. Then, in the resulting tincture, you need to moisten a cotton swab and insert it into the ear canal at night for twenty days;
• The tandem of honey and horseradish will also eliminate ear congestion. The juice of the latter is instilled into the ear canal, four drops at a time, and then a cotton swab lubricated with liquid honey is inserted there. For greater effect, the tampon can be wrapped in fresh or steamed horseradish leaves.

How to quickly get rid of stuffy ears?

If such a problem is not caused by a pathological disease, then you can get rid of it quickly. There are several effective techniques:

1. Rinse your nose with a Neti pot. When you have a runny nose, many people experience the feeling that they have wax plugs in their ears. Sometimes even a sinus problem can masquerade as a hearing aid problem. A procedure like using a Neti pot will help remove mucus from the nose, thereby improving your hearing.
2. Start yawning or swallowing. With such movements, all unnecessary air will come out of the ear. You can also make chewing movements with your jaw. In this case, regular chewing gum will help.
3. Create a vacuum in your ear. To do this, you need to place your index finger in your ear and, pointing it up, apply a little pressure. Next you should do rotational movements. After some time, a feeling of vacuum will be created inside, which will allow excess liquid to come out.
4. Jump. After swimming in the sea or in a river, you can notice how some people on the shore methodically jump on one leg, tilting their heads to the side. This is another effective way to remove moisture trapped inside. You need to perform jumps slowly and evenly, otherwise you may fall and get injured. In addition, sudden movements will not give any result.
5. You will resort to the Vasalva method. It consists of holding your nose with two fingers and making a sharp exit. If everything was done correctly, you will hear a characteristic pop inside, and the congestion will go away instantly.
6. Make a steam bath. If the cause is a runny nose, then hot steam will help reduce the amount of mucus. In order to make a steam bath you need to heat the water. For better effect, you can add herbs to it. Next, cover your head with a towel and breathe hot air for several minutes.
7. Massage your nose. To do this, place your two index fingers on the wings of your nose from different sides and move lightly up and down your nose. After a few minutes, the congestion should go away as the mucus in the nose thins.

Take care of your health, then you will be able to avoid many problems. A clogged ear can occur for various reasons. Each of them requires a special approach. Harmless physiological causes can be quickly eliminated with simple exercises or folk remedies. If ear congestion does not go away for a long time and is accompanied by deterioration of hearing, then you should consult a doctor. So, it can be a sign of the presence of a disease of the ear apparatus. If you put the problem on hold, you can partially or completely lose your hearing.

Medicines

Before using this or that medicine, it is extremely important to understand why your ears are clogged. Thus, a decrease in hearing acuity can be a symptom of serious diseases (hypertension, VSD attack). As a rule, such conditions, among other things, are accompanied by dizziness, nausea, severe pain and other syndromes. In addition, the answer to the question of why your ear is blocked may be an ear infection. In such a situation, treatment should be aimed at eliminating pathogenic flora. In general, the following drugs are used to relieve ear congestion:

• Otipax. The components of this drug successfully cope with inflammatory processes. Therefore, Otipax is widely used to combat otitis media and ear congestion. The drug does not have a dissolving effect on sulfur plugs.
• Garazon. Antibacterial ear drops used to treat otitis media and eczema of the mucous membrane of the ear canal. Not used for defects of the eardrum.
• Otinum. Has antimicrobial and analgesic effects. Can be used to soften wax plugs. The drug should not be used if the integrity of the eardrum is suspected.

Why can the ear hurt and feel stuffy?

Let's look at the most likely reasons:

1. Otitis externa is an inflammatory process in the external auditory canal and auricle. The pain may intensify if you gently pull the patient's ear. The most common cause of this disease is a boil that has matured in the external auditory canal.
2. Otitis media can develop against the background of a previous cold or viral infection. Most often, inflammation originates in the ear through the Eustachian tubes.
3. The most severe form of otitis is internal otitis.
4. The result of injuries to the auricle or internal structures of the ear.
5. The presence of a foreign body in the ear. It could be wax or a foreign object. Such situations are most often observed in young children.
6. Stuffing and pain in the ears may be associated with increased blood pressure.