Home Remedies for Clogged Ears
WARNING: This home remedies site is intended to be archival in nature. The natural remedies here are submitted by numerous people from around the world, and we have no way to test or verify every remedy. As such these home remedies should be used for academic purposes only. Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.
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Clogged Ears Home Remedies:
Submitted by Kalahari at 2011-07-09 14:45:34
The thing is, there are two types of plugged ears: inside (behind the eardrum) and outside. Wax buildup happens in the ear canal to the outside of your eardrum, and sinus congestion affects the eustachian tubes that are behind your eardrum and that connect with your throat.
Excess wax - treat it with steam, peroxide, or purchased ear wax treatments. NO Q-TIPS!
Eustachian tube congestion - allergy meds, sudafed, sinus rinses, inhaling steam from hot tea, drinking the hot tea; all can help. Staying really well hydrated is also important, so taht mucus can thin and flow out of the sinuses and eustachian tubes.
Another gentle but really effective option is to get some papaya enzyme tablets. Don't swallow them (although you'll be tempted, because they taste great) - place one papaya tablet between your cheek and gum in each corner of your mouth, and one under your tongue, and let them dissolve. I'm a professional singer and have used this to unclog the most stubborn of ears right before a performance (when you don't want to be taking meds that dry you out).
A very, very old remedy that my mother used gives good comfort until you can get to a doctor, and sometimes will take care of the problem by itself: use sweet oil. (Sweet oil is the old-fashioned name for very pure light olive oil). Place a few drops in a teaspoon and warm over a candle. Soak a small wad of cotton in it (big enough to block the opening of your ear canal, not small enough to go into it). Test to make sure it is not painfully hot, but is as hot as you can comfortably stand. Place the oil-soaked cotton at the opening of your ear, and lie down with that ear up. The warmth will penetrate and sooth your pain, and the oil will also soothe the external ear canal and help melt any wax buildup that might be there.
One final note: sometimes what feels like a clogged ear is actually from painfully tense, swollen jaw muscles. If you have a habit of clenching your jaw, that might be the source of persistent ear pain. Get yourself a night guard, and see your dentist just in case there's something out of alignment with your bite.
rating: 7 (22 votes)
Submitted at 2010-12-31 14:25:35
It's been four days since my ear's been all clogged up, and after reading all of these home remedies, all I decided to do was take a hot bath, drink some tea, and hold my ear over the hot water from the tea and now it's all better, seriously just try it. You don't anything fancy.
rating: 6 (22 votes)
Submitted by Sabrina at 2011-05-09 01:20:42
I woke up today with one ear completely clogged. The strange this is, other than the occasional sneeze, I wasn't having any allergy symptoms today. Anyway, I tried yawning, popping my ears, and the jaw thing for about 30 mins. Then I started to freak because nothing was working. I then did a warm compress with a wash cloth soaked in hot water; placed it over my ear for three minutes and problem solved
rating: 6 (20 votes)
Submitted by JayW at 2011-06-27 00:04:06
I've had an overproduction of ear wax most of my adult life. Nothing wrong with going to the doctor. They can do a really good job of treating you very effectively and easily with a lavage (wash). If you can't get to one, I was given a self-help remedy that works well enough. If you mix a 50/50 compound together with rubbing alcohol and vinegar, and put an eardropper full into your ear for several minutes (time depending on the degree of wax), it will heat up in your ear and allow the wax to albiet 'melt'. Then use a syringe with, not quite, hot water to rinse out. You'll see the debris in your sink basin and be amazed. DO NOT use a cotton swab. You'll likely make matter even worse, possibly infection will result.
rating: 6 (11 votes)
Submitted by Curtis Ray at 2011-10-06 10:17:06
Trying to clean my ear out improperly, I only managed to lodge the wax further in the canal.I used a small amount of peroxide and tilting my head sideways poured it into the clogged ear. I allowed this to fizzle for about ten minutes to break up wax. Then I took a small bottle with a top kind of like an eyedrop bottle,that would squirt a small stream,and filled it with warm water. After draining the peroxide from my ear, I took the warm water and squirted it deep into my ear canal.After refilling the bottle a few times my ear became completely unclogged and a pea size ball of wax came out. This method definitely works.
rating: 5 (9 votes)
Submitted by Acriz at 2011-11-21 17:51:20
I thought this sounded crazy but I was still kinda desperate to try it.
I am a singer and I have a choir concert tonight and singing can be very difficult if your ears are congested and tuning becomes an issue when you can only hear yourself.
I tried several remedies here and nothing worked. I tried plugging my nose and blowing which only made it worse, a sinus rinse which left me with vertigo and pain in my right ear and a hot bath, but with the upcoming concert I didn't want to get my hair wet and have to try to redo it in time.
I found this on another website with ideas for getting rid of ear congestion. I don't have a heating pad so this worked much faster than a hot bath or steaming and I stayed dry.
Use a hairdryer on medium heat and hold it about a foot away from your ear and have it blow into and around your ear. I did it for about 5 minutes per side then switched back and did another 5 per side again. Both ears began popping and slowly allowed more hearing to come back. I'm a fan :)
rating: 4 (13 votes)
Submitted at 2010-08-07 14:17:18
If you feel like you have a possible ear wax clog in your ear; try putting some warm water in your ear to soften the wax. Then using a bulb syringe (those things commonly used to suck mucous out of baby's noses) or if your desperate a turkey baster, try sucking the wax out of the ear canal. TWO VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER: #1. Don't stick the tube too far into your ear so as not to rupture your tympanic membrane (ear drum), this is why the turkey baster might be a better idea. #2 Make sure you push the bulb before inserting the tube. You don't want to blow the wax further into your ear you want to suck it out. Hope this helps.
rating: 4 (13 votes)
Submitted at 2010-07-22 14:09:22
I've been suffering from clogged ears for a few days due to a cold. I've read many helpful remedies. I came across one that said to chew gum. It actually works! It releaved a lot of the pressure in my ears. You may also try boiling water and putting it in a bowl with your head over the water with a towel Over your head. This will releaved congestion in the ears.
Good luck!
rating: 4 (16 votes)
Submitted by David Massey Jr. at 2011-12-22 04:16:43
I must stress that it is VITAL that you do NOT pinch your ear and blow your nose, this is a very bad method. It may work to unclog your ears, but your ears are connected to your nasal cavity and throat. If you decide to pinch your nose and blow it, you will put a large amount of air pressure in your ear which can cause your eardrums to rupture and damage the nerves that are located in your cochela. Your cochela is in your inner ear and your auditory tube connects your inner ear with your throat and nasal cavities. If you blow your nose while pinching it you will cause air to rush up the auditory tube into your middle and inner ear which can seriously damage your ears. I'm posting this because in many areas, it is posted to use this dangerous method, unfortunately I do not have a home remedy for this issue. The causes of clogged ears can be due to fluid build up or allergies (the cause of mine is from allergies). The best way to deal with this is to let time heal it. Your ears won't be like this forever. I suppose the other method that may be useful is to put a heating pad under your ear while you sleep. I don't suppose that there are any hazards to this solution. It seems that it would loosen up any viscous fluid in the ear if that is, in fact, the cause. The main causes that I would assume would be either a viscous fluid in the ear, an infection, or swelling in the ear. If you can resolve one of the three causes, then you can resolve your issue. The topic of a clogged ear is a bit vague to be looking for remedies for. To solve any issue it is vital to find the root of the problem, not a solution to a vague problem. If you always look for a solution before understanding the underlying issues you will never solve your problems.
rating: 4 (7 votes)
Submitted at 2011-03-09 16:52:03
This doesn't quite remove ear wax but it does help with clogging: I haven't reaserched it but it works for me, all I do I just hold my nose then try to blow out my nose. It ends up poping your ears and moves the wax a little so you can hear better until your doctors appointment when the wax can be properly removed. Doing anything else could be dangerous.
rating: 4 (17 votes)
Submitted at 2011-12-12 12:00:49
2 tablespoons of olive oil and two garlic cloves. Do not chop the garlic just peel and then take a spoon and give it one good smash. Put garlic in the oil. Heat in the microwave for 10 sec. When it cools to just above room temp (common sense to not burn your ear) remove ALL the garlic and pour the oil in your ear. Let it sit for 45 sec to 1 min and then drain (over paper towel or towel the drainage was GROSS) for 15 sec or until it feels like it is all out. Not only did this unclog on the first try it was instant relief.
rating: 3 (7 votes)
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