Ear Congestion
Things You Need to Know About Ear Congestion
Ear congestion can refer to a range of symptoms from muffled hearing to a stuffy or clogged sensation in the ears. Some people also find that ear congestion comes with popping noises inside their ears. These symptoms can last from a few hours to a few weeks. It is generally found that ear congestion accompanies or follows a bad bout of cold or sore throat.
Most often ear congestion is the result of fluids that have drained into the middle ear either when the patient is lying down or because of a very emphatic nose-blowing which can push fluids up the ear canal. Dramatic increases in barometric pressure, such as that we experience during airplane take-off and landing or driving in mountainous terrain, can also lead to ear congestion.
There are some things you can try at home if you are experiencing ear congestion. This kind of self-help is advisable only if there is no accompanying pain, although even then it is best to be safe and get a medical opinion if the pain persists over a period of days.
You can try yawning frequently, chewing gum and also swallow while you hold your nose pinched to make your ear pop. These motions open up some chambers of the ear and may help in naturally relieving the pressure building up there. If the ear congestion is the direct result of water entering the ear from a swim or shower, you can try lying down on your side with the congested ear facing down. This will allow gravity to drain out the water.
If the ear congestion is from wax build up in the ear, there are cleaning kits available that you can try although it is recommended to take care of this in a specialist’s office to ensure that you do not do anything that can cause permanent damage to the sensitive membranes in your ear.
When dealing with ear clogging during air travel, some of the methods mentioned earlier can be used. The swallowing with your nostrils blocked and yawning can help is dealing with the changing air pressure also. The swallowing technique can be applied for kids by giving them some water to drink in small sips or by giving an infant a pacifier.
It may be necessary to take some over the counter medication if your symptoms are tied to hay fever as antihistamine is very effective in countering this. Medical professionals also recommend decongestants for helping the body deal with the additional fluids. Your extent of relief from these medications will, of course, depend on the nature of the problem. Someone who is experiencing muffled hearing or pressure in their ear from a cold or sinus infection may find relief as soon as the head and nose congestion are addressed. Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine are remarkably good at alleviating symptoms.
Prolonged ear congestion or ear pain can be indications of an ear infection and you should consult a doctor immediately. Chronic ear trouble or repeated patterns of ear congestion may be symptomatic of other ear-related problems. One example is that middle ear fluid or infection seen in otitis media with effusion can be accompanied by a sense of congestion of the ear. Similarly Meniere's disease, which is an inner ear disorder, can also present itself as a regular congestion. It is particularly important to follow up with a doctor if you are experiencing unilateral or one-sided ear congestion. Tests and a physical exam will be needed to understand the cause of the congestion and to eliminate the possibility of lesions or growths in the eustachian tube.