Stuffy Ears
A Quick Guide to Home Remedies for Stuffy Ears
Stuffy ears aren’t an uncommon problem for both adults and children, and when someone suffers from ear congestion they can be very miserable. One of the most common causes of stuffy ears is the development and buildup of earwax. When there is too much of a buildup of earwax this can lead to ear pain, as well as hearing problems.
Although the buildup of earwax is the most common cause of stuffy ears, there are other conditions that can lead to this problem. When traveling at high altitudes in an airplane your ears may start to feel stuffy and it will also be difficult to hear, also traveling in an automobile from a low altitude to a high altitude can cause the same thing. When you move to a lower altitude, it will feel as if your ears are clogged, and when they pop it could cause some pain.
A cold virus could also cause stuffy ears; this is due to the fact that the sinuses are congested and the congestion can cause buildup of fluid in the ears. Of course sinus infections and allergies can cause similar problems.
To help you cope with the pain and discomfort of stuffy ears there are several home remedies that may bring you some relief.
One method of clearing wax from your ears and relieving stuffy ears is by using an eyedropper to put some hydrogen peroxide in the ear. Place a few drops in each ear and then follow this by rinsing the ear out with warm, clean water. This should remove a lot of the wax buildup. If there is a chance that your ear condition could actually be an ear infection you will not want to use this remedy.
Another home remedy for removing earwax is to use warm olive oil. Heat the oil only until it is just above body temperature, then using an eyedropper place a few drops in each ear, after a few moments tilt your head so that the oil will run out. You will want to rinse the ear with clean warm water. Olive oil works great to dissolve earwax and relieve that feeling of having stuffy ears.
A popular method of relieving stuffy ears due to earwax buildup is with ear candling. This involves lighting one end of the cone and place the other end in the ear; this causes a suction type reaction that will make the ear candle absorb the earwax.
The feeling of stuffy ears may be caused by an ear infection; if this is the case there are two things you will likely want to do. The first thing would be to increase the amount of vitamin C you are consuming. Vitamin C will help your body fight off the infection by boosting your immune system. The next thing you will need to do is contact your healthcare provider, as ear infections should be treated with antibiotics. Ear infection can be dangerous if left untreated, especially in children.
In some cases if the feeling of stuffy ears is caused by a cold, or allergies a decongestant may help relieve your discomfort.
If you have a feeling of stuffy ears that it is accompanied by ear pain, headache, and ringing in the ears, there could be a serious health problem at the root of your symptoms. It could indicate hearing loss, as well as some serious conditions, such as tumors. If you have these symptoms it is important that you see an ear specialist as soon as possible to rule out any serious illnesses.
In most cases removing the earwax from the ears will get rid of that feeling of having stuffy ears, but if you cannot find relief, check with your doctor for more alternatives.