From time to time, especially when there is a sudden change in air pressure (such as when diving or flying in an airplane), your ears may feel like they are popping or something is popping when the Eustachian tube in the ear becomes blocked. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, and the tube also functions to drain fluid from the ear and monitor the level of pressure inside the ear. If you feel something uncomfortable in your ear, read this article to learn how to get rid of it.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Remove Ear Blocks Quickly
Step 1. Open your mouth slightly and yawn
Open your mouth as wide as you would when you say "ahhh," and try to yawn. Continue to slowly open your mouth in an "O" shape, until you have a full yawn.
- Stop when the ear plug feels like it's gone. If yawning doesn't work the first time, repeat this action. You'll know when the pressure is back in balance. Not only do you hear and feel pops, but you can also hear sounds more clearly than ever before.
- Tilt your head back and push your jaw forward. The Eustachian tube will be in the right position when you look up. Pushing your jaw forward can help you yawn, and can open the Eustachian tube and relieve pressure.
Step 2. Chew gum
If yawning doesn't solve the problem, maybe you can work around it by chewing gum or even mimicking the act of chewing gum. This movement is useful for balancing the pressure outside and inside the ear. Like yawning, chewing gum can also be used as a preventative measure. Start chewing gum when you know you're about to experience a change in altitude, and prevent ear blockage before it occurs.
Chew large amounts of gum. Don't just chew on a small piece of gum. The chewing motion should be large enough to allow the throat to open and the pressure inside the ear to balance. If you don't have anything to chew on, make movements that mimic someone chewing, as if you were biting into something large. Do it for real
Step 3. Suck on a hard candy or lozenge
Like chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, peppermint, or some lozenges can balance the pressure. Don't chew the candy, because your goal is not to eat the candy! Suck on the candy for a few moments to create a pressure effect.
Step 4. Drink a large glass of water
The drinking movement combines proven effective techniques in one motion. Drink a large glass of water, tilt your head back into the Eustachian tube position, and take several large sips to help balance the pressure in the ear. If done correctly, the ear plug feels released and the pain will be reduced.
Step 5. If water gets in your ear, very carefully use your fingers to create some pressure
If you've just come out of the water and are experiencing nagging pain from the pressure of the water, use the gravity of the earth by bending at waist level, with the plugged ear parallel to the floor. Place the pads of your fingers across (not tucked in) over your ears, pressing and lifting them repeatedly, as when using a toilet vacuum. This can help gently change the pressure in the ear and remove the blockage or change the pressure to remove water that has entered the ear.
Never put your finger in your ear. You're not acting to get the water out, you're just trying to change the pressure. Putting your finger too far into your ear can damage your hearing
Step 6. Do the Valsalva move
This is a simple move even though it looks complicated. The concept of the Valsalva movement is to apply opposing pressure to the Eustachian tube by exhaling gently.
- Pinch your nose, close your mouth, and try to exhale gently through your nose. The Eustachian tube will open so the pressure is balanced, and your ear will return to normal.
- Do it very gently. The Valsalva movement should not be performed forcefully, and if done too often or too vigorously can irritate and inflame the Eustachian tube. so it will be difficult for you to clean it.
- For some people, this action is easier to do while bending over. Bend over as if you were stretching by touching your toes. Alternately try to do the Valsalva movement, then release the pinch on the nose and inhale a large amount of air. Continue to do both alternately while bending down, to help reduce pressure and remove blockage in the ear.
Part 2 of 3: Relieve Blockages
Step 1. Feel free to contact the doctor
If the blockage in your ear doesn't go away, you may have a more serious sinus problem that is causing persistent inflammation. Go to your doctor, who may advise you to take over-the-counter painkillers, nasal sprays, or antibiotics. In the meantime, take the necessary steps to relieve an earache or ear infection.
Step 2. Get prescription medication for your ear blockage
If your ear is still blocked, ask your doctor for a blockage reliever. Ear blockers help balance the pressure outside and inside the eardrum, thereby removing the blockage. Although they are expensive, and may require a doctor's prescription, this is the solution your doctor will likely order.
Step 3. Flush your sinuses regularly
If your sinuses are blocked due to allergies or a cold, your ears can also become blocked which disrupts the balance so that your ears feel as if they have to be popped. To solve the problem, clear the blockage by rinsing the sinuses regularly and gently with warm salt water. Using a sinus rinse as directed is an effective and safe procedure, but remember that it must be cleaned and used properly to avoid infection or other complications.
- Neti-pots are easy to find and can be used by filling them with warm distilled water mixed with a little salt. Tilt your head over the sink and pour the water into one nostril so the water will flow through the sinus cavity and out the other nostril. It may feel a bit scary at first, but it is really effective for relieving sinus congestion.
- If your sinuses are really blocked and water can't flow through the sinus cavities, you can change the pressure to relieve the blockage and relieve the stuffy sensation in your ear. It's worth a try.
- Make sure you clean your neti-pot after use and only use distilled or sterile water to prevent harmful bacteria from entering your system.
Step 4. Take a decongestant or antihistamine before symptoms get worse
Be proactive to protect yourself against sinus and ear blockage. If you have frequent sinus problems, don't wait until you have severe ear pain and pressure to find out how to get rid of the blockage. Treat your sinus problems using over-the-counter medications.
Step 5. Take a warm bath and soak your body up to your ears
If you are sick and want to relieve ear blockage, take a warm bath and lie down with your ear under the surface of the water. Tilt your chin and swallow a few times to see if you can get rid of your ear plugs this way. Changes in pressure can help balance the ear, and the steam from the hot water can also help relieve congestion. Once you're out of the shower, and you still feel the pressure, bend over so your ears are parallel to the floor and use your fingers to create pressure, as described above.
Step 6. Blow your nose gently
Blowing your nose is basically part of the Valsalva movement, with the added benefit of reducing nasal congestion. Use a tissue and plug it in one nostril at a time, then gently blow the other nostril. This action can help balance the pressure inside the ear.
Blowing gently is very important. Blowing your nose hard can make your condition worse, which will force a blockage in the ear canal and make your ears feel like they need to be popped. Do it very gently
Part 3 of 3: Using Home Remedies
Step 1. Gargle with warm salt water
Try to use as hot a mouthwash as you can hold in your mouth. Add about a teaspoon of salt to one cup of water and stir until dissolved. Gargle several times, resting for a minute between gargles. Drain all of the warm water in the cup, then give yourself a break of at least 30 minutes before you try to gargle again.
Step 2. Try removing ear plugs by mixing vinegar with alcohol
If you suspect that the pressure imbalance in the middle ear is due to a buildup of earwax, it's a good idea to remove the blockage first and then try some of the suggestions in this article. Here's how to do it:
- Mix vinegar with 70% isopropyl alcohol in equal proportions. This mixture is useful for loosening the wax in the ear and removing the blockage.
- Gently tilt your head to the side and put a few drops of the vinegar mixture into your ear using a dropper.
- Keep your head tilted for a moment, then return to your normal position. You may feel that the vinegar mixture flows down and out of your ears. Repeat this action on the other ear.
- Flush the ear with a little water. If the vinegar mixture evaporates due to the alcohol used, it's a good idea to rinse your ears afterwards. Put a few drops of water into the ear using a dropper while tilting your head to the side before tilting your head in the opposite direction to remove debris.
Step 3. Eat very spicy foods, such as cayenne pepper
The taste or sensation may be unpleasant, but it can blow your nose. (Chilli is known to help with mucus buildup.) Blow your nose and move your jaw in a circular motion as the snot begins to flow. You may experience a popping in the ear.
Step 4. Try craniosacral therapy
This therapy, which developed at the turn of the 20th century, aims to rebalance the "natural cerebrospinal flow rhythm". Although this therapy is used for a variety of disorders and therapies, it's a good idea to correct the pressure imbalance in the Eustachian tube that causes the blockage in the ear.
Many of the claims of craniosacral therapy are unproven. If you are tired of looking for other alternative ways, this therapy can be tried because it is not dangerous
Step 5. Try acupuncture
Acupuncture can be used to treat everything from ligament pain in the legs to jaw discomfort and even ear inflammation. Go to an acupuncturist and consult about your problem. Let me know that you've tried all the tips listed in the book and still can't get rid of the blockage in the ear.
Tips
- You can use frozen food. For example, try ice cream or frozen yogurt.
- Yawning and even screaming can be useful.
- Gently pull the tip of the ear and twist it in a circular motion.
- Swallowing can be useful. Chewing gum can often help you because it stimulates the production of saliva.
- Yawn and do a Valsalva movement (squeezing your nose, then blowing air gently through your nose).
- Blow air through your nose gently while closing your nose. Be careful not to blow too hard as this can have an undesired effect.
- If you have persistent ear blockage or muffled voices (muffled sounds inside your own head), this could be a sign of sinusitis or a sinus infection.
