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Hello everyone!
A dear friend of mine called me tonight to ask me for some advice on how to fix her clogged-up ear. It seems she is getting over a bad cold and was doing some heavy-duty nose blowing and her left ear feels all funny now. Sort of like when you're on a plane and your ears pop. Hers needs to pop but won't. I thought maybe a decongestant would help her, or opening her mouth as wide as she can--that helps me sometimes when my ears won't pop on a plane. She tried opening her mouth and even moving her jaw back and forth but it didn't do anything.
She said it's hard to hear now in her left ear and it feels very full and has a bit of pressure, so she's hoping to get it back to normal pretty fast. Does anyone have any words of wisdom for her? I also tried to gently remind her not to blow her nose with such force so hopefully this won't happen again. Thanks so much everyone, Michelle
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I am reading comments about some thumb/nose/jaw tecnique that REALLY works, yet I CAN'T find a description of the tecnique!!!! Help! My left ear has been clogged for a week! I'm on Augmentin for sinus infection, I had to fly at the beginning of this cold, and also did some deep snorkeling. My ear is a mess!!!
April 6, 2013 - 6:59amThis Comment
From another Anonymous:
My own remedy is to place the thumb sideways on that little hanging bit of skin where earrings commonly go and gently push into the jaw while also pushing up toward the top of the ear (you should feel a little knob of cartilage there). Then slowly tilt that ear toward the ground and hold your head sideways until it opens up. It usually takes just a few seconds,
May 16, 2013 - 8:54amI am getting over a cold and my left ear has been so plugged for almost a week I felt like I was going deaf! I had tried everything! I just did the earlobe jaw press thing and got upset because it didn't work and then I blew my nose and it unplugged!!!! Oh thank you so much!!!!! Lets hope it stays that way!
February 26, 2013 - 10:42amOMG! That thumb to lobe to jaw toground really worked! I thought I was going to die because I got on a plane with A stopped up nose an d during the descend felt excruciating clogged ear pain! I tried ur remedy and now feel so much relief! Thank God for you!
Shaunda
Tv
October 1, 2012 - 3:17amDO NOT hold your nose close your mouth and suck in. my friend did this and his eye popped out. Not funny
May 16, 2012 - 6:32pmMy right ear and eustation tube has been intermittently clogged since 1996, have asked many doctors about it. this method seemed to work for me. Hallelujah ! and THANKS !
April 18, 2012 - 11:09pmI have the same problem of sore ear, neck and jaw from trying the pushing thing. Any more clear suggestions?
March 31, 2012 - 10:17pmI went to the Er. Doctor said all the things being discuss here to try.
March 12, 2012 - 2:43amNothing works. 10 days now I'm going crazy
Anyone gone 10 + to have them pop? This blows!
All puns intended!
I used to work in an ER and was told, when having a period of fluid in my ears and a clogged feeling, that if I took an allergy medication...ie: generic Claritin is called loratidine..it would help.
March 13, 2012 - 9:01amIt took about a week or so but it did clear the fluid out and removed the clogged feeling. Maybe it's worth a try....
Hope you get better soon. It's awful to have that feeling!
This has happened to me many times. If you have a cold/runny nose and you get clogged up ears, it's likely behind the eardrum and in the eustachian tube. The gunk will just need to drain out on its own, and it will. Doctors can give you an antibiotic if it might be an infection, but it's always taken me a few days and then my ears are better. I swear I won't blow my nose as hard the next time I have a cold!
Swimmers Ear drops (or isopropyl alcohol/vinegar/hydrogen peroxide) works when you have water in your ears - perhaps from swimming or showering. You can try to shake the water out, or lay down for a few minutes with that ear flat on a pillow to drain the water out.
I've also had a wax clog that blocked one ear totally. This happened while I was floating in a pool and my husband pushed me. I thought it was water clogged, but after 3 days of nothing working, I went to the doc and they pulled all the wax out. It was so amazing to be able to hear after that!
The absolute easiest is if your ears just need to pop - yawning or chewing gum always works for me for that. But for this original question, unfortunately, I think time is the only thing that really helps clogged ears when you have a cold.
February 12, 2012 - 11:04pm