How to Unclog a Clogged Ear

First, one needs to know what is causing the clog before proper treatment can be initiated. There's a few assumptions here before proceeding.

• You have no ear problems typically
• There is no "pain" per se other than perhaps a pressure type pain. If there's actual PAIN present, you most likely have an ear infection and this article does not apply to you.
• You currently have no other symptoms (ie, sinus or nasal problems). An upper respiratory infection or sino-nasal problem may have triggered your ear problem, but you no longer have those symptoms anymore.
• You are older than 8 years of age.

Step 1:
Examine the ear canal with an otoscope. Look for any blockage like earwax or fluid.

If earwax is found, the first step is to get the earwax out! Although your doctor or an ENT specialist can do this for you, some rather try it at home by attempting to flush the earwax out. My personal at-home earwax flush kit favorite can be found here on Amazon.com.

Step 2:
Assuming no earwax is present, the next step is to get a hearing test. Why? The hearing nerve can become damaged causing a sense of fullness or clogged sensation. Click here to read a Washington Post article about this. Treatment must be urgently pursued as there is only a short window of time when medications can reverse the nerve damage (around 4 weeks). After this period of time, there's not much that can be done other than wait and cross-the-fingers.

Step 3:
Assuming there is no earwax and a hearing test revealed no nerve damage, you either have fluid in the middle ear (serous otitis media) or pressure (eustachian tube dysfunction).

Regardless of fluid or pressure presence, the treatment is the same. Click here to read the protocol to fix this problem.

Remember that pressure/fluid buildup in the ear is just like water/pressure contained inside an inflated (water) balloon. It needs to be "released" in a physical manner. There is no "pill" that can automatically do this for you. Watch video explanation. Read more about this here.

Mythical Treatments:
There are a couple key points to make if you have reached Step #3.

You do NOT have an ear infection and antibiotics will make little if any difference. Antibiotics help with infections and only infections. It does not get rid of pressure or fluid (ie, throwing antibiotics into a swimming pool will not make the water disappear). Other common myths also need to be dispelled:

• Sudafed and other oral decongestants do not help unless you have nasal congestion and/or runny nose.
• Antihistamines like zyrtec, benadryl, allegra, claritin, etc do not help unless you have other allergy symptoms affecting the nose.
• Saline flushes or nasal sprays also do not help unless there are associated nasal symptoms.


Products That Help Pop the Ear Due to Eustachian Tube Dysfunction or Fluid in the Middle Ear:

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Geared Toward Adults

Balloon Geared Toward Kids

Flying and Ear Problems

In our office, we often see patients who have ear problems who are planning to fly. Here are a few facts to consider.

1) IF you can pop your ears easily, there shouldn't be a problem with flying.
2) IF you have a hole or a tube in your eardrum, there shouldn't be a problem with flying.
3) IF you have problems popping your ears and your flight is not for a few weeks to months, read this webpage and follow the suggestions mentioned.
4) IF you are going to fly soon (within 1 week) and have trouble popping your ears, contact your local ENT to get a tube placed in your eardrum. Why? Your middle ear is like a balloon and with pressure changes, the eardrum stretches out and causes excruciating ear pain known as ear squeeze. A tube in your ear is just like putting a hole in a balloon. Just like pressure can't build up in a balloon with a hole, pressure can't build up in your ears with a tube.

An easy way you can predict if you are going to have problems with your ears when flying is to go swimming into the deep end of the pool (>5 feet). If you are able to pop your ears as you swim deeper into a swimming pool, you generally shouldn't have any problems flying.

If you live near the mountains (Shenandoah or Rocky Mountains), take a drive up the mountains and see if you can clear your ears with the gradual elevation changes. Alternatively, if you live near a very tall skyscraper (ie, Empire State Building or Chicago Sears Tower), ride it to the top and see if you have problems popping the ears.

Spraying Afrin into your nose 30 min before ascent and descent will help with ear popping and may be something you may want to bring with you when flying to prevent problems. Do NOT use afrin daily for more than 3 days otherwise one may become addicted to it... a rebound phenomenon known as rhinnitis medicamentosa.

Read a USA Today article on this problem here.

Listed below are some products that may be helpful to get your ears popping: