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Tips To Unclogged Blocked Ear Safely

The Eustachian tubes are the tubes that connect the front wall of the middle ears to the nasal passages at the back of the throat. These tubes are responsible for draining fluid from the ears and for maintaining the balance of air pressure between the inner and outer ears. A blocked Eustachian tube may be due to a number of reasons such as a cold, an infection, allergies or a build up of earwax. Some of the best ways to open or unclog a blocked Eustachian tube are to clear the blocked earwax, remove the pus that may have built up due to an infection or unclog the ears using the finger sweep method.

Causes:

• Inflammation caused by a cold or allergy that may prevent the Eustachian tubes from opening
• Sinus infection
• Build up of ear wax
• Collection of fluid in the middle ear that can lead to ear infections (acute otitis media)
• High altitudes or changes in air pressure as experienced when flying, traveling up and down mountains, or deep sea diving

Home Remedies:

• Try a warm compress against the ear to reduce swelling and pain. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water and place this on the affected area to decrease any inflammation. You could also place a heating pad on the ear but remember to put a cloth between the skin and the pad so that it does not cause any burns. Young children should not use a heating pad as they may not be able to decide when it is getting too hot. This could result in more harm than good.
• A warm bag of salt placed against the ear may also help reduce swelling and pain.
• An ancient remedy for ear pain and blocked Eustachian tubes is the practice of nasal irrigation using a neti pot. A neti pot is a specially designed pot that can be bought from your drugstore or health store. A popular practice in yoga, it is believed that the regular use of neti pots help clean the deep inner sinuses and prevent the development of respiratory problems and ear infections. If you have never used a neti pot before, it is better to do so under the supervision of a trained yoga instructor. There are also a number of videos available online with instruction on how to proceed. You could use plain tap water or a salt water to rinse the nasal passages.
• Another way to treat blocked Eustachian tubes is to boil and cool water before mixing in an equal amount of hydrogen peroxide. Fill this solution into an ear syringe and insert into your ear while lying on the side. Let your head remain to the side for around 30 seconds before the hydrogen peroxide is poured out of your ears. You should do this once a day.
• You could also pick up a home wax removal kit that you could get at the local drug store and also plastic plungers and saline ear cleaners.
• You should also avoid using cotton swabs inside your ear as they will cause the buildup of wax near the eardrum.
• Putting some coconut oil into your ears before sleeping is also considered to be an effective method on how to clear a blocked ear.

Treatment:

In most cases, blocked Eustachian tubes clear up in time without any treatment. If the pain or the pressure is too much to bear, you could try yawning or chewing gum to alleviate the symptoms. Another way to reduce pressure in the ears is to perform the Valsalva maneuver. You do this by holding your nose and keeping your mouth closed. You then blow gently through the closed nose and you should feel your ears ‘pop.’ Do not blow too hard as you may risk harming the eardrum. If these methods do not help, your doctor can recommend different types of treatment to get rid of the problem.

How to get rid of blocked Eustachian tubes

• Over the counter painkillers can help reduce pain felt due to clogged ears.
• Nasal decongestants that can be taken orally or through a spray may help unclog ears.
• If the cause of the blockage is an ear infection, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed.
• Children with persistent ear infections may benefit from anesthetic eardrops to relieve pain. However, never administer any eardrops without checking with your doctor first as permanent damage may be caused if there is a rupture in the eardrum and eardrops are used.
• If allergies are the reason behind the blocked Eustachian tubes, steroid nasal sprays may help alleviate symptoms.
• If you suffer from chronic clogged ears, surgery (myringotomy) may be needed to treat blocked Eustachian tubes. This involves the surgeon making a small incision in the eardrum in order to drain the excess fluid and balance out the pressure between the inner and outer ear.
• In some cases, after a myringotomy, the surgeon may insert a small plastic or metal tube into the opening of the eardrum. These pressure equalization tubes allow fluid to drain and can provide relief from clogged or full ears for up to 12 months or longer.

If the ear blockage is due to sinusitis, remember not to blow the nose too hard. Also, while blowing the nose, keep the mouth open. Impacted ear wax can be softened by taking a hot shower for about 10 to 15 minutes. The steam will help to loosen the wax. You can also add a couple of drops of glycerin to obtain relief from ear blockage. Remember never to use sharp instruments to loosen ear wax as these can cause severe damage to the ear drum. However remember that the ear is a delicate organ and therefore it would be beneficial to allow a professional to clean your ears well.

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