Home Remedies for Ear Congestion
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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Ear Congestion Home Remedies:
Submitted at 2010-06-04 20:22:12
I have been visiting this site and many others like it, daily for the last 3 weeks. I came down with a chronic sinus infection, of which has been horrible. Since then, my ears have clogged and not budged for 3.5 weeks. I just had a cat scan done and do not even have the results yet. I have tried everything from meds, antibiotics, chiropractor, ENT, ER, Sinus washes, homeopathic, sticking garlic in my ear - need I go on? Well today was a break through. Just in time, too - cause I was about to have a break down. I tilted one ear to the ceiling and pinched my nose and blew. I felt an overwhelming amount of air - and an incredible amount of 'gunk' leaking down the back of my throat - then I did the same to the other side adn the same thing happened. I cannot say my hearing is back to normal - as I have to keep doing this over and over to get more and more gunk out....but I am hoping and praying that this is a step in the right direction. I saw another girl unclogged her ears the same way - well, it works - but it may take some time. I did a bunch of soft blows - I would not recommend blowing hard - cause it does hurt a bit when they pop. Good luck - this has been by far the worst illness I have ever endured!
rating: 7 (203 votes)
Submitted by bri at 2008-02-20 23:37:06
I had a bad cold (probably the flu) for the past few days, and I was able to get rid of the other symptoms. However, from blowing my nose too hard, I felt that terrible nagging buildup in my ear canals. I tried pseudoephedrine and other decongestants but could not drain my ears.
I then landed on this neat little trick - I stuck my pointer fingers in my ears; not all the way, but enough for the tips of my nails to go slightly past the curve in the outer canal. With tops of the fingers pointing up, I kept my fingers straight and used the leverage to pry that outer opening of the ear up and towards the back of my head. It feels like its pulling on other things farther in the ear, and it doesn't hurt. It only muffles the hearing. I then yawned and kept those muscles stretched for as long as I could.
Within a few seconds, I could literally feel the warm buildup draining down my canals. I repeated a few times and it has not come back. This may be unique to my ear build, but will use this from now on, it was instant!
The trick to preventing this in the first place is to not blow your nose to hard. Like other posters have said, it pushes the buildup not out your nose but up your ear canals.
rating: 6 (317 votes)
Submitted by Jeremy at 2008-03-02 13:39:30
After 3 day's of my right ear being clogged I finally started looking for a remedy.
I found this site and quickly found that every one has a different answer on what worked and what did not. After looking at other sites I found that the Hydrogen Peroxide remedy was more recommended then any other.
This method is taxing to say the least. Here are the steps I took.
1.) Gather up the items you need
a.)Droppers
b.)Peroxide
c.)Towel or napkin
2.)Lay the Towel or napkin on you bed or floor.
3.)Fill your dropper with the Peroxide
4.)Lay on your side with the clogged ear up
5.)Fill ear with Peroxide and wait for fizzle
6.)When fizzling slows add more Peroxide from dropper
7.)After 10 minuets or so the fizzling should stop. This lets you know it has broken up the wax.
8.)Remove Towel or napkin from under you head, place it over you ear and sit up to let drain.
9*.)Place your thumb behind your ear and push forward to loosen the clog
You should feel a difference how ever depending on how bad the clog is you may have to do this a few times (I had to do it 4 times).
*This may not be necessary if after step 8 the clog is gone however after 4 tries I found this to 'pop' the clog.
Do not try this remedy if you have jaw pain or ear pain already present it could worsen your condition.
rating: 6 (80 votes)
Submitted by Amanda at 2007-11-19 22:21:57
Ok - I googled 'my ear is clogged' and I stumbled across this website. I was sick with a cold and all that goes with it. I woke up a week ago (Sunday 11-11-07) with a clogged left ear. I didn't think much of it until it happened again the next day. It was like that the rest of the week. I tried EVERYTHING I could without going to the doctor. I irrigated it with a home kit, I did the vinegar and water, the peroxide, etc. I told the pharmacist that my ear was clogged and they suggested Sudafed that you have to ask them for (and be over the age of 18 to purchase). I tried it and to no avail.
A co-worker suggested Rescon GG. Again, a medicine you have to ask the pharmacist for and will set you back about $15.00. It didn't immediately work but, it's Monday (11-19-07) and my ear is pretty much unclogged.
Also, A LOT of yawning!!! Even if you have to force yourself to yawn. Your ears pop and it seems to break up the fluid and allow that stuff to drain.
Hope this helps!!
rating: 6 (41 votes)
Submitted at 2011-11-05 13:18:35
My ear was really congested for 2 days and it was driving me nuts and I didn't have a heating pad or anything.So right before I went to bed I put two washcloths under the sink.It doesn't matter if it is hot or cold water but hot work's better.I put it in the microwave for 2 minuets and wrapped them up in a towel when I got in bed I laid on my ear with the towel under it and when i woke up the congestion in my ear was gone.
rating: 6 (46 votes)
Submitted at 2009-04-21 20:47:43
I had a clogged right ear for 5 days. My solution was to boil a cup of water, and placed my ear over the cup and let the steam loosen up the ear wax. It popped clear about 2 hours later.
rating: 6 (37 votes)
Submitted at 2010-10-26 02:14:48
I took 2 Sudafed then immediately a menthol cough drop and while sucking on the cough drop inhaled through my nose right over the top of a little bottle of eucalyptus oil for about 5 minutes. My ear started to clear within about 5 minutes. I then put a lot of drops of the oil into a teapot with about 2 cups of water and breathed through my nose over the steam. My ear got even better. It's now been about 3 hours and the Sudafed is working as well and my ear is near normal. I expect to have to repeat this tomorrow as my ear pain/block is from a sinus cold. Good luck!
rating: 6 (50 votes)
Submitted by Kelly S at 2008-09-07 03:11:49
If you have a cold or allergy never 'sniff'. Blow your nose. By sniffing, you are pulling all that mucus and infection deeper and deeper into your sinus and can eventually clog your ears. An anit-inflammatory like Ibprofen or Advil can lessen the swelling of the inner ear which is preventing it from draining properly. The same goes for 'clicking' your jaw. You can do it every once in awhile if you feel you need to but overdoing can actaully make the swelling worse thus preventing the drainage. And laying on a heating pad, infection side down on the pad, can help with pain and ease the internal swelling. If the pain is unbearable or may be caused from Swimmer's Ear, see a doctor.
rating: 6 (14 votes)
Submitted by Relived in Ten Minutes at 2009-10-19 14:49:55
I tried almost all of the advice from this site, without luck, spent money on ear wax removal kits, deongestants, etc. Nothing worked to unblock my right ear. Finally, I called an ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist, made an appointment, and he vacuumed out the ear wax that was causing the problem. No pain, and instantly my hearing was restored. Here's my advice: get relief fast by going to an ENT doctor. It's worth the money (and you'll save money not spent needlessly on things that don't work). BTW, THE SPECIALIST SAID NEVER TO USE Q-TIPS TO REMOVE EAR WAX BECAUSE THEY TEND TO DRIVE THE WAX FURTHER BACK INTO THE EAR CANAL CAUSING MORE BLOCKAGE!!!
rating: 6 (64 votes)
Submitted by Melody at 2012-03-04 17:12:23
***This may prevent stopped up ears***
Don't sleep on your side. Sleep on your back and prop up the head of your bed or use extra pillows to elevate your head.
I have had sinus and allergy problems for the past few weeks with nasal congestion, sinus pain and pressure. The other day I was laying in the bed (on my side, with my head NOT propped up) and I felt the fluid drain into my ears... I can not believe that it happened so quickly.
Sounds like common sense but, I had never really thought about it. I won't make that mistake again. This is worse than dealing with the sinus and allergies.
rating: 6 (25 votes)
Submitted by Yoli at 2006-07-22 13:23:53
I've come to this website a few times for the past 4 weeks. which is how long my ears have been plugged up. I tried everything. Sudafed PE, Sudafed maximum strength, ear candles, antibiotics for an ear infection, and some other things I can't remember. None worked. Finally I read someones suggestion. Go to the doctor, which I did yesterday. The doctor told me that the reason why none worked is because it seems as if I have allergies and my allergies aren't giving my sinuses enough time to decongest. So she told me to buy some Claritin D the 24 hr kind. So after spending $40 on co payments and meds my ears are finally startig to pop. As a matter of fact my left ear totally popped and I could hear again till I blew my nose. But at least I know there is hope again. Good luck to all of you.
rating: 6 (41 votes)
Submitted by Draxyl at 2011-09-08 17:49:32
Im not sure if you would call this a remedy but anyway. I have suffered with blocked ears when I get a cold for as long as I can remember. I once saw a doctor who told me that the key to it was my throat. So when my ears are really blocked and driving me insane I find relief by either drinking cold water with ice cubes or a good old slurpee from 7 Eleven. Wait a minute or two then hold your nose and blow and your ears will pop. My only reasoning behind this is that the ice must reduce swelling in the throat enough to allow the pressure to be released from the ear passage way. I hope this helps someone
rating: 6 (37 votes)
Submitted at 2012-02-26 02:36:08
It's important to differentiate between ear congestion due to an ear/sinus infection and due to wax buildup. Basically, if you feel pain inside your ear, it's an infection. If all you feel is pressure, it could very well be just a wax blockage.
For an infection, antibiotics, hot compresses, allergy medication, and the other remedies listed can all help. If it's wax buildup, hot compresses can again help, but the best thing to do is to go to your local pharmacy and find both wax-softening ear drops and a plastic syringe. Use the drops as directed a few times a day, and each night rinse out your ears using warm water from the syringe. Flush the affected ear(s) a couple times each night, and it should eventually loosen up and blast out the wax.
rating: 6 (30 votes)
Submitted at 2011-09-24 10:41:07
I had ear congestion in my right ear, so I looked everywhere on the internet for easy ways to get rid of it without the use of a doctor. Most of the people suggested to hold your nose and blow. I would not advise this. When you blow too many times it can damage your hearing and make you develop problems with your ear drum. I ended up putting a heating pad just under my ear as hot as I could stand it for 30 minutes. This helped with the pain but didn't help the congestion. Right before I went to bed I heated the heating pad as hot as I could stand it, and laid it under my congested ear while laying down. I kept it in place and fell asleep on it. The next morning my hearing was fine and I didn't have a congested ear anymore! This is easy, simple, and it works wonders! Hope this helps!!!
rating: 5 (36 votes)
Submitted by Stealth at 2009-06-30 23:38:32
After 7 days of both of my ears being clogged up, I finally started looking for a remedy. I don't know if it was coincidental, but my ears became clogged after I had a bad sore throat for about 8 days prior. After reading every single idea on this web site, I decided to go see the doctor about my ear problem. He inspected the ears and said I had a build up of wax in both ears. To get out the wax, the doctor's technician put hydrogen peroxide in the right ear, while I was lying on my left side. After about 3 minutes of the peroxide fizzing in my ear, the technician had me sit up with a bowl on the bottom of the ear to catch the peroxide and water and any debris. He then put warm water in a syringe and squited it in to my ear to try to flush out the wax build up. While flushing out the ear, the wax ball the size of a small piece of chewed up chewing gum came out. He tried the same procedure on the left ear, but after about four tries he stopped. He then prescribed some stool softner pills for my ear. He said to take one pill and poke a hole in it, then let the liquid in the pill go into the ear, letting the liquid sit in the ear for about an hour. He said do this the day prior to the next appointment and 2 hours prior the appointment the day of with another pill. So I did this and went in for the doctor to try to get out the other wax ball. This time he mixed warm water with peroxide and put this solution into the syringe to flush out the left ear. This time the wax build up came out the first try. Good luck and I hope you get relief like I did.
rating: 5 (48 votes)
Submitted by Lauren at 2011-11-18 02:12:16
My ear was congested from a wicked cold, and I didn't have a lot of the ingredients for some of the remedies on here, and a lot of them didn't work (DO NOT plug your nose and blow, not only is it painful, it can seriously damage your eardrum. Common sense, people). All I did was boil somewater, pour it into a cup with a ridiculous amount of sea salt in it, and hold your ear over the steam until it cools off. I did this a couple of times, then I simply mixed more sea salt and warm water, and sucked it up my nose with a spoon (very classy) and rinsed my sinuses. Worked like a charm. No more pain and it doesn't sound like I'm in a giant plastic bubble
anymore, which is a plus. Try it, peeps.
rating: 5 (54 votes)
Submitted by mary at 2011-12-27 12:10:13
I tried what this poster suggested and it really does work! My ear is not completely clear but less clogged than it was 3 minutes ago!
Submitted by bri at 2008-02-20 23:37:06
I had a bad cold (probably the flu) for the past few days, and I was able to get rid of the other symptoms. However, from blowing my nose too hard, I felt that terrible nagging buildup in my ear canals. I tried pseudoephedrine and other decongestants but could not drain my ears.
I then landed on this neat little trick - I stuck my pointer fingers in my ears; not all the way, but enough for the tips of my nails to go slightly past the curve in the outer canal. With tops of the fingers pointing up, I kept my fingers straight and used the leverage to pry that outer opening of the ear up and towards the back of my head. It feels like its pulling on other things farther in the ear, and it doesn't hurt. It only muffles the hearing. I then yawned and kept those muscles stretched for as long as I could.
Within a few seconds, I could literally feel the warm buildup draining down my canals. I repeated a few times and it has not come back. This may be unique to my ear build, but will use this from now on, it was instant!
The trick to preventing this in the first place is to not blow your nose to hard. Like other posters have said, it pushes the buildup not out your nose but up your ear canals.
rating: 6 (315 votes)
rating: 5 (52 votes)
Submitted by Plugged for a month at 2012-03-15 12:59:33
My ear has finally opened after a full month of being plugged. What a relief! I have had this problem 3 or 4 times over the last 8 years.
What finally worked for me was inhaling Eucalyptus Oil in steam through my nose. You can buy it in a vitamin store. The relief was intense and almost immediate. There are a few other remedies that helped along the way to healing but inhaling steam with Eucalyptus Oil had the greatest effect. I was able to use a steam room, but you can also just boil it in a pot, or use a steamer and drape a towel over your head to capture the steam. You don't need much eucalyptus oil, just a few drops in 2 cups of water is plenty. Inhale through the nose! Try to keep your head up. The first day I used it I found relief after 20 minutes. Unfortunately when I took a shower,I got more water in my ear. However I knew I was on the right track. The second day of using eucalyptus oil in steam, the effect was much greater, and I'm happy to tell you that I have about 80%-90% relief, and it is getting better.
I read this blog and did find some other things that helped:
1) Don't lay on your affected side. Keep your head propped up. It will keep the liquid from accumualting in the ear.
2) Whatever you put into your ear, warm it up to (at least) room temperature first.
3) Laying with my affected ear up, I used warm 100% hydrogen peroxide via a dropper. I did this for 15 minutes, or so. It doesn't hurt, but it will sting if you get it in your eyes (I found out the hard way). It bubbled like crazy, however it didn't open the ear canal. I found it helpful because it loosened things up. Afterward, I could hear 'sloshing' when I moved my ear with my finger. Some gunk leaked out, but not much. I did this for 3 days before trying the eucalyptus oil.
4) Another poster had a great idea. Submitted by bri at 2008-02-20 23:37:06
'I stuck my pointer fingers in my ears; not all the way, but enough for the tips of my nails to go slightly past the curve in the outer canal. With tops of the fingers pointing up, I kept my fingers straight and used the leverage to pry that outer opening of the ear up and towards the back of my head. It feels like its pulling on other things farther in the ear, and it doesn't hurt. It only muffles the hearing. I then yawned and kept those muscles stretched for as long as I could.
Within a few seconds, I could literally feel the warm buildup draining down my canals.'
Using this idea, I did get some very temporary slight relief, but not much. The best thing about this trick is I discovered that I would get better as soon as I could get the trapped fluid out of my ear.
I hope this post helps somebody. Don't panic and don't jam anything into your ear. It is a common problem, and you can heal yourself. It just takes time.
Thanks to all the others who shared their experiences, and thanks to whoever started this blog.
rating: 5 (43 votes)
Submitted at 2010-12-31 14:27:47
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: 5 (101 votes)
Submitted by farzin at 2012-01-26 19:02:14
Well, I had severe sinus pressure and ear congestion for over 2 years. I had wistling ears too. I live here in germany and recently by accident i got two off the counter drugs that worked very very well.
Both are sprays that you puff through your nostriles.
First one which is anti-inflammatory is called 'nasic'. This is good if your congestion and sinus pressure is mild.
Second one is an excellent one which has immediate antibiotic effect and opens your nose ears right away. It is called 'Beclometason 0.05%. So you guys who have severe infection problems in your sinuses or ears use this. You will be saved. Specially for those of you who are sinusitis sufferers.
rating: 5 (25 votes)
Submitted at 2011-12-27 16:18:37
YES, OIL!!!
BACKGROUND: Growing up in high altitude, I have had chronic ear problems most of my life that tend to just go away on their own and come back every now and then. This most recent time, it wasn't so much of an aching, rather just a 'fogginess' for lack of a better description. It didn't hurt, but it was incredibly bothersome and if you've ever had ear problems that lasted for more than a day or two, you know it is SUPER annoying!! SO, this last time, it was going on for about 2 weeks and I've been trying everything: heat, tiger balm, hydrogen peroxide, my trusty rubbing alcohol... but alas, my ear fog remained. Ugh.
REMEDY: So, on to Home Remedy #5..6?? OIL! I've learned from reading that really any sort of olive or tree oil will work (I used sweet olive oil), but OMG, did it WORK!! YAY!
Here's what your do (best if done just before bed):
1) HEAT THE OIL TO BODY TEMPURATURE (just place the SMALL bottle under your arm/between your legs/inside your hands, whatever is warmest on your body) until it is body tempurature and no longer cool to the touch (about 10-15 minutes).
2) USE AN EAR DROPPER: just excrete enough oil for ONLY 3-4 drops into the dropper.
3) LAY ON YOUR SIDE with the aching ear upward and place dropper all the way inside the ear canal and release the oil into your ear.
4) PUT A LITTLE OIL ON YOUR FINGERS and gently massage the part of your neck directly below your ear lobe down to your lymph nodes; the back/bottom of your ear; and the bottom of the external canal in a downward motion (remain lying down). Continue the massage until you begin to taste the VERY slight flavor of the oil in your mouth (this means it's draining!!) Finally, simply continue to lay there for a good 30-45+ minutes. You can then roll onto the other side and place a cotton ball/kleenex/papertowl/towl under your ear to catch any excess oil which will drain out of your ear.
RESULTS: I did this last night and by this morning--POOF! GONE. Total miracle! My ear is about 98%, so I will likely do this one more time tonight to completely drain any blockage that has built up.
On a side note: the most important tip I've learned is that no matter what sort of fluid you are putting in your ear (peroxide, alcohol, oil, etc) first always warm it to body tempurature! It not only soothes the aching, but the cold can be somewhat harmful or shocking, which can sometimes make it worse.
That's my two cents!
rating: 5 (65 votes)
Submitted by David at 2010-04-19 01:25:57
OK MY EAR WAS CLOGGED FOR 5 HRS AND IT WAS DRIVING ME INSANE,SO HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME.#1 HOLDING MY NOSE AND BLOWING TO OPEN THE EAR DRUM.#2 PUT COLD WATER ON A Q-TIP AND TRY TO YAWN.#3 POURING PEROXIDE IN THE EAR AND LETTING IT SIT CAUSE ALL IT DOES IS CLOG THE EAR MORE.
SO THIS IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME AND I THINK ITS WORTH A TRY.TAKE A Q-TIP AND DIP IT IN TO PEROXIDE AND SLOWLY PUT IT AS FAR AS U CAN IN THE EAR CANAL BUT MAKE SURE U DON'T PUSH TO FAR CAUSE U CAN RUPTURE THE EAR DRUM SO WHEN U'VE DONE THAT ROLL THE Q-TIP SLOWLY AND U'LL HEAR THE PEROXIDE BUBBLING AND OPEN UR MOUTH BACK AND FOURTH WHILE ROLLING THE Q-TIP AND THAT SHOULD HELP ALOT.
WELL GOOD LUCK ON THIS REMEDY.
rating: 5 (129 votes)
Submitted by K'sMommy at 2011-05-11 10:04:24
Go to Ehow site and search How to Use Peroxide to Remove Ear Wax. I just did it this morning. My left ear was so congested b/c I had a bad cold. Then yesterday I decided to stick a qtip to clean it out...WRONG MOVE! I made it worse. So i was desperate to find an at home remedy. Hydrogen Peroxide works wonders. Follow the instructions and don't let the bubbling bother you. I told my hubby I will be cleaning his ears tonight using this method. Try it out it doesn't hurt.
rating: 5 (69 votes)
Submitted by the solution at 2012-01-20 23:40:21
steps to unblock your ears
1.stop smoking a.s.a.p
2.take sudafed or claritin
3.don't blow your nose hard
4.chew gum
5.boil some water in a pot and let the steam go through your ear and also breath in & out the steam.
All these steps will loosen the backed up fluid and unclog your eustachian tube. It can take up to days or weeks depending on how much its backed up.
eventually you will feel it pop and crackle and clear out.
Get Well Soon Guys God bless !
rating: 5 (52 votes)
Submitted by Jione at 2010-10-18 13:35:11
For those who have access to a beach, a very popular Caribbean remedy for blocked sinuses and painful ear pressure is to dip your head under water for about 4 seconds, holding your breath, but not pinching your nose. When you come up for air, you will have a runny nose, but it will release excess mucous and tension from your head in general. Don't know if a pool can be substituted as the salt water has its own healing properties. Has worked for my children. Hope it can work for someone else also.
rating: 5 (56 votes)
Submitted by Linda at 2011-10-09 19:41:21
I read all the posts on this page and tried to piece them together. Then I went to the kitchen, poured a little hydrogen peroxide into a cup and heated it in the microwave. Use your brain. You don't want to boil your eardrum. Just get the peroxide warmer than room temperature, do not us it if it's not comfortable to the touch.
I got a syringe that we used to feed a kitten, and, turning my head to the side, dropped some of the warm liquid into my ear and let it sit 2-3 minutes. Then I held a folded paper towel to that ear and turned over to let it drain. I did this 5-6 times with my left ear and then 5-6 times with my right. It loosened the plug of infection/wax/whatever and I can almost hear normally. After not hearing for 2 weeks, I'm pretty excited about this. The warm peroxide apparently warmed the plug enough to let it start to dissolve. The drainage on the paper towel was not attractive.
Thanks for all the other posts, everyone. So happy to hear again.
rating: 5 (57 votes)
Submitted by TCADY at 2008-08-26 19:00:07
You can put nasal spray drops in a neti pot and rinse your eustachian tube with it to reduce swelling in the inner ear and drain the clog from the inside (you do this thru your nostrils). See my website to learn how.
google this since I cannot post a link:
tcady clogged ear remedy
rating: 5 (55 votes)
Submitted by Blake at 2010-04-10 19:55:07
Zrytec
turns out I couldnt hear and my ear was plugged because of allergies, try zrytec, it took 3 days, but my chronic ear problem has become non-existent.
rating: 5 (56 votes)
Submitted by JaY at 2011-12-02 07:05:32
I got a cold... after driving from a mountain (only 900ft) to sea level my right ear got blocked badly. I have been like that for 7 days... really bad. So... I went to the doctor two days ago, a smart one thank God. He said 'first of all, please never blow your nose to try to relieve the blocked ear, you can break your ear drum'... second, 'you have two options: it's blocked bcause of a virus and will open in a cople of days more or it's got infected. Use Nasonex Nasal Spray for 3 days (actually he told me Sudafed Congestion is also very effective, but this is even better), and if it doesn't get better, it may be an infection, so, dont panic, have this antibiotic (Amoxicilina) to deal with the posible infection... whatever you do, dont fly/dive/drive to a mountain... and dont worry, you will be fine'. After 2 days using Nasonex - and having some water vapors from a pod ...and 7 days having something called Mucovital, to disolve the mucus) today I can say my right ear is open. It did it by itself, no yawning, no blowing... Please guys, take care of your blocked ears just in case it's an infection (if it lasts more than 2/3 days). I'm glad Nasonex worked and I dont have to deal with antibiotics... I'll still have to take care of my cold and be careful for some days but Ill be fine. Hope this helps. I really did my homework and researched through internet before and after seeing the doctor (some wrong/dangerous ideas out there, please be careful, some people doesnt know what are they talking about)... so, after my happy ending, I wanted to share my case/knowledge/experience/solution to try to help you guys if you are in this uncomfortable situation. Don't panic, just take care of it soon. You'll be fine. Love :)
rating: 5 (42 votes)
Submitted by Jason X the 3rd at 2005-02-17 12:51:24
If you have a clogged up ear, just add proxide in it, make sure you hear crackles.
rating: 5 (214 votes)
Submitted by Amber at 2012-03-02 07:47:31
I found this site when I couldn't sleep because my right ear was so clogged it hurt. I'm getting over a cold so all the mucus and whatever else is up there was what was blocked up. I found the remedy where you get a wash rag, wet it, then put it in the microwave for 2 minutes, take out and then wrap in a slightly bigger one. I held it up against my ear and I could slowly feel the stuff in there break up and start to drain. I did this probably 3 times, and the last time was when the pain got intense to pop. Finally though after about an 35 minutes of this there was a huge pop and all the built up stuff immediately drained, and I felt so much better. Right now my ear is still popping a little bit but it's nothing compared to what it felt like earlier! Thank you so much to whoever posted that remedy!
rating: 5 (50 votes)
Submitted at 2012-03-22 00:06:01
Ear congestion - Blocked eustachian tubes. A bad head cold turned into a bad sinus and ear infection. Then, my ears got so congested it was hard to hear. I tried a variety of things. Finally, I went to the ear doctor, and she suggested an 'ear popper'. It is a small, handheld device which gently blows air into your nose. I guess it equalizes pressure inside and outside the eardrum or some such. After a day, my ears were clear most of the time. After a few more, the congestion was gone entirely. What a relief! You will probably need a doctor's prescription to order one, and they are expensive (about $175). So, like me, you might want to try other remedies first. But, if nothing works, then you might consider the 'ear popper'.
rating: 5 (38 votes)
Submitted at 2011-05-15 09:56:13
My ear became clogged last night. Before going to bed I used one of those rubber things that you typically use for cleaning out babies noses and filled a large cup with warm water a couple of times and forced the water into my ear. When I woke up, it was still clogged so I did the same thing with a couple more cups of warm water. Then I boiled some water and put a little bit into a cup, holding my ear over it. Then forced more water in and eventually a ton of wax came out and my ear was clear! It takes a little patience, but when it works its way loose, it's a miracle. I couldn't believe so much stuff could come out of such a small place. I don't know if this remedy works for congestion due to a cold, but it definately does for wax build-up.
rating: 5 (90 votes)
Submitted by Renee at 2006-02-28 19:14:47
After a hot shower, place a few drops of hydrogen peroxide inside the ear and insert a small bit of wadded cotton to keep the liquid from spilling out. Next lay on a low setting of a heating pad with a thin towel over it to keep from burning yourself. Take an oral decongestant and Tylenol.
rating: 5 (81 votes)
Submitted by lfreece at 2007-02-18 19:03:06
i'm 21 and have been suffering from severe ear congestion and earaches ever since i was 2. doctors assumed i would grow out of it, but because i have underdeveloped ear canals i never have (and most likely never will). after seeing many doctors including several specialists, and even being recommended fur recontructive ear canal surgery, i had pretty much given up.
a friend recommended ear candles to me. i have never been one to try 'alternative treatment' but after my ears being clogged for almost a month, i decided that it couldn't hurt. i tried them, skeptical of course, and after doing them my left ear was cleared in half an hour, the right ear cleared shortly after.
i know that there is some controversy on ear candles and their negative and positive qualities, but if you're in a position like i was, i would strongly suggest trying them. the idea that ear candles pulls wax out of your ears is a myth. the debris you see inside of the candle is actually just debris from the burning process. they are shaped like a small cone whit a thin opening at the bottom. the smoke travels down through the cone and into your ear. i'm not sure exactly how this helps, but it does. i know it doesn't work for everyone but it certainly did for me.
i know how paiful and frustrating ear congestion can be, so i hope that you find this information helpful.
rating: 5 (62 votes)
Submitted by Patricia at 2010-02-09 21:24:05
Just like everyone else here with the remedies they tried ..i had a clogged or plugged ear sounded squishy inside like fluid..it was driving me crazy..so i tried some of your remedies ..since it had been mentioned several times it is a sinus related problem..i tried this and it worked in less than an hour but then i did it repeatedly all day and so far so good...the ear is back to normal...
i just took A BLOB OF VICKS VAPOR RUB in my nosrils and inhaled it till the effect of the vapour made my nose run and i blew my nose several times and VOILA my ear cleared after 3 days of suffering...
hope it works for others as well as it did for me :)
rating: 5 (40 votes)
Submitted at 2008-09-26 20:14:36
Okay, people, I just unclogged my ear and here is how I did it!
Since yesterday and today, I've taken nasal spray and earache drops that are also treats ear congestion.
I took them as prescribed.
And today, I took ibprofen, cause I read somewhere they it can reduce sweilling in sinuses and can help with ear congestion. But what I alo did was take 64 ounce mug feel it ice water and dranked it. I mean gulped it down.
An hour later, I help my nose and popped my ear, then I tilted my head so my congested ear was upward and I felt something drain behind my face, then when I righted my head up, the pressure was gone and my hearing was almost normal. No muffling or airy feeling.
It is a little sore though, so I'll continue taking the ear drops for it. But I think my ear is better, but I'll be taking it easy for the rest of the night and tomorrow.
I hope this helps.
rating: 5 (21 votes)
Submitted by no more blocked ears at 2012-01-19 22:36:48
It starts off you having a cold or flu or sinus issues. Then your constantly blowing your nose and blowing it hard BAD MISTAKE ( DONT BLOW HARD NO MORE ) the mucus will travel to places you never thought you had Its called Your Eustachian tubes that's being clogged by mucus/fluid. then out of nowhere you hearing is not so clear as before asif your under water it can happen to one ear or both.
OK dont panic, yeah its awful and gross
But very cure-able some cases will take a few days or few weeks. But its ok .
when i first got it i freaked out but when i do get it i know what to do now and now i'm in control of it :)
Now, first thing if you are a smoker... STOP SMOKING RIGHT AWAY (RIGHT NOW) I know its hard to do but its not helping to clear out your blockage and it WILL get worse if you continue to smoke or secondhand smoke ( i learned that the hard way ) second thing you will need to buy sudafed or clairtin pills. third thing boil a pot of water then carefully let the steam hit your ear/s get close enough to the steam also you can inhale & exhale the steam this will loosen the mucus/fluid. and what you can also do is get a clean sock ( new one if you can ) put a handful of rice in it then tie it in a knot, run warm water on it then put the sock in a microwave for around 30 seconds or a minute. let it cool down a bit so you can pick it up and place it on your ear until it goes cold. you can lay-down on your side where the ear is blocked during this is best.
this is what i have tired a worked but alot of cases are different it depends how clogged your ears are first time took 2 weeks. second time few days. and now this is my third time i hate it but what can you do life goes on the best thing is not to overstress this issue be patient and dont think about it so much keep yourself busy and tell yourself its ok you will be healed from this also i prayed alot to Jesus Christ and god to heal me i had faith and trusted him :)and he did heal me thank you my king ! and now i'm quiting smoking for good its been 5 days so far. i think the smoking had alot to do with it for my ears being blocked in the first place due to the cold. but anyways i hope i was of help to you guys, get well soon :)
rating: 5 (68 votes)
Submitted by coach at 2007-05-08 21:45:27
Thank you so much to Yoli. I have been suffering from congested ear for a week till today. As per my doctors suggestion, took Tylenol colds started last Sunday hoping that i'll have some relief come Monday. None. Tuesday - research online at 12pm, consulted it to my doctor at 1pm, bought Claritin D 24hr at 2pm, took it at 3pm and my ear got decongested at 8pm. Amazing. Please try to research first and ask your physician. Good luck to you all and may you hear normally soon.
rating: 5 (24 votes)
Submitted by David at 2010-03-03 21:08:49
My left ear was clogged for a couple days, so I finally decided to check online for a solution. I read part of a remedy where the person took a bath and let his ears soak in water, and then plugged his nose and blew hard. I tried the last part, and after about a minute of trying to push the clog out, my ear finally popped.
rating: 5 (41 votes)
Submitted at 2011-10-05 18:34:22
My ear was blocked for 7 straight days during a bad flu recently. I had to fly on a Saturday and knew that I couldn't do it with a clogged ear, so I woke up on Friday and threw 4 Ricola cough drops into a pot of water and boiled it. I put a towel over my head and held it in the steam until it got too cool. I repeated this for four pots of water, each time blowing my nose while boiling the next pot. Finally, after the fourth pot, I blew my nose while blocking the nostril of the normal ear and blew out the blockage in the affected ear. The ear had a hard time stabalizing and was popping like crazy and moving liquid through it. It would start to fill again pretty rapidly, so I went on the with steam and the nose blowing for another four or five pots of water. Finally, I left it alone and went to the gym. Several hours later, I could feel it start to drain on its own. It was still a little wet and sloppy when I got on the plane, and the pops were intense, but it all worked out fine. The key for me was boiling water- not the bathtub, not the steam room- and patience.
rating: 5 (35 votes)
Submitted by Mary S at 2011-12-19 19:56:35
Never had plugged up ear before and it was getting really painful after several hours when I checked this sight and was trying some of the suggestions. My friend called and told me to try cider vinegar and rubbing alchohol..just put some in my ear twice in an hour and now feel much much better and the ear is now clear and pain free!! Yeah!
rating: 5 (18 votes)
Submitted by Adienne at 2011-12-22 22:48:16
I just got back from skiing, we drove from 10,000 ft to 5,000, usually my ears are fine but i already had a little bit of a cold so my ears got so badly conjested that i could nearly hear. So I tried Sudafed and Ibprofine but it didn't work. I came to this website and tried plugging my nose and exhaling hard. It worked! But I found that holding a hot damp cloth to the infected ear helped a lot! Hope it works for you!
rating: 5 (25 votes)
Submitted by MrsJethro at 2006-09-04 12:17:56
I've spent the past 3 weeks with a severely clogged ear and a bad ear infection. I've taken sudafed and benadryl, used steroid ear drops, steroid dose packs, antibiotics, everything the doctors suggested. Finally a compounding pharmacist told me to use 2 drops of Pure Grain Alcohol (from the liquor store) in the ear once in the morning and once at night for a couple of days. This has dried up the moisture and the ear has finally unclogged. Now that we have air moving through there again, we're working on drying up the infection. That worked when nothing else would!!
rating: 4 (37 votes)
Submitted by Sydd at 2010-07-12 13:30:02
I have had my ear blocked before by ear wax and have simply gone to my regular family doctor. She simply took one of those big plastic syringes that work as a small water gun, put luke warm water in it and squirted in my ear and with a tip of my head everything was better.
However, recently I have gotten a serious throat cold and sinus congestion for the past 5 days. I was reading these and managed to pop my right ear and it is clear (for now, I feel pressure and it might come back), by plugging my nose and slowly blowing. I know for a fact that it is not ear wax, and that it is probably fluid from my congestion. - any home remedies besides blowing my nose? because it's all I've been doing for the past 5 days and I didn't start off with blocked ears, I only have had my ears blocked for about 3 days now.
rating: 4 (52 votes)
Submitted at 2008-09-25 17:16:57
This is my first time with ear congestion, and it's been annoying. Hardly painful, but annoying all the same.
Here's something I did that gave me some relief from it. I took a bath.
Just clean water. No waterbeads, or bubbles, or epson salt. Just plain warm water.
I leaned back and submerged my head, but I didn't fill it enough for the cover to cover my face. Just sit back and relax in warm water and listen to the pop as air escapes from your ears. Give yourself a scalp massage, it's very relaxing.
I did this for like five to ten minutes, just keeping my ears underwater and then I lifted my head and let the water drain from them. Then I pinched my nose and pushed the air to my ears and it popped very easily.
rating: 4 (60 votes)
Submitted by Glenn Taylor at 2010-12-09 22:18:09
I'm 20 year old and have suffered throughout my entire life with ear infections/problems. Congestion is the latest problem to hit me, at one point it was so bad when I woke up I was practically deaf in one ear due to my eustachian tube gluing together (glue ear).
More recently it is just muffled sound (behind water etc) - my mum suggested this one to me and it did work - get a tub of menthol crystals from your local chemists, add it to a large cup of hot (not boiling) water and breath it in for 5 - 10 minutes (I advise you close your eyes, this is strong stuff) once you have finished breathing it in pinch your nostrils and gently blow until your ear pops - that should be it then!
rating: 4 (82 votes)
Submitted at 2010-01-11 23:33:02
I have had stuffy ears every now and again with colds but never anything this severe. I am 26 years old and came down with worst sinus infection/cold virus I can ever remember. About a week into the infection, I went on Levaquin and Astepro nasal spray. I felt better but the next morning, I woke up with a severely congested right ear. My left ear was fine but that wasn't surprising. I have had recurrent cholesteatomas in that ear. The first day I just rested hoping it would go away. I had some Ciprodex ear drops for my left ear and put it in my right ear to see if it would do anything. Nothing happend. I went to bed completely depressed. I woke up in the middle of the night and put my head over a bowl of steaming water for 15 min and nothing happend. The next morning I was frantic and went to immediate care. The doctor prescribed Mucinex D extra strength and to use a sinus rinse along with increased and continued use of the nose drops. I started the regimen and nothing really happened. On the third day, I went to work miserable with a stuffy ear. I continued taking all the medicines. In between all that I spent 15min in the steam room at the gym, did headstands (no joke), chewed gum obsessively and even went to a tanning bed. Tonight after 72 hours, I finally got my ear to pop after taking an allergy tab Ciperizdine and doing the sinus rinse but this time holding some back in my sinuses and tipping my head toward the right side while plugging my nose. It was a very small amount of solution but I think it did the trick. Alot of mucous came out my nose and my sinuses felt very clear. An hour later, I plugged my nose and VERY gently blowed through my nose with my mouth open moving my jaw side to side. My ear did pop but my eustacian tube closed again :( but it was a very positive step for me. I recommend the positive pressure sinus rinse by Neil Med but I have not tried the neti pot. With the sinus rinse you have much more control how much and how fast the solution goes into your nose. I am hoping I will be over my ear congestion soon. I deeply sympathize with everyone out there going through this. It's driving me bananas but keep trying things and something is bound to work. :) P.S. I also made a Dr. appointment with an ENT in two days if the congestion continues.
rating: 4 (38 votes)
Submitted by Simi H. at 2011-04-12 22:08:19
I have had a very bad cold for the past week. My colds, which I get often, are usually first associated with a sore mouth/throat, sinus problems, and a light cough. They almost always end in sinus infections. This time, however, I blew my nose so much that some fluid went into both ears, and I felt terribly congested for days. I looked around for relief and this is what I found- antihistamines do the trick. I have allergies, but I know for sure this cold was not allergy-related (doctor confirms). I'd been avoiding antihistamines because they thicken mucus, making it harder for sinuses to drain. I finally relented and took an Allegra in the evening, and the next morning I woke up with my ears back to normal. As the 24 hour dose wore off, my ears started feeling stuffy again, but I just took another pill and hope I'll have just as good results tomorrow. My congestion was terrible, so I'd tried everything- antibiotics, saline rinse solution in ears, heating pad, vaporizer, Sudafed, Advil, etc. This is the only thing so far that has worked: good luck!
rating: 4 (46 votes)
Submitted by in Hawaii at 2010-10-04 16:03:39
For plugged middle ear which felt like water in ear (ENT diagnosed as allergy related) which often became infected, Mucinex D, 12 hour; one/day; remarkable. My sinuses are able to drain, I can hear clearly, no longer sneeze & cough throughout day. Comfortable in airplanes. No more earaches.
rating: 4 (62 votes)
Submitted by Mrs.P at 2008-08-11 05:59:50
Hello everyone,I have been having itching and pain in my ears for the past few days.They usually itch due to allergies,but this time around it's some type of ear infection because this pain has lasted a while and it is 4 a.m. in the morning.I woke up around 3 just miserable,so I decided to gargle some salt water-that kinda helped,but didn't open up my ear way and release swelling,so i decided to make some tea.While the tea was boiling,I drunk a cup of water,that helped drain my ear some.Finally my tea was done,so I let the tea brew in the cup.During that time I went to the remaining pot of water on the stove and put my face over it-to let the steam help drain any congestion up.My ear started feeling better,then my tea was fully done,I sipped while hot and my ear feels better...I'm ready for bed again.NOTE:When you have an ear infection or some type of ear congestion,keep your head upright so your ears can drain..Hope I helped.God bless you all!
rating: 4 (29 votes)
Submitted by jim at 2011-10-07 22:48:26
Try this to get your sinus's working, hopefully to drain your ear blockage. I like to take hotsauce, or even pepper and put a big on the tip of your little finger. Then try and get it as far up your nose as possible, even inhaling to get it further up. This will cause you to start 'burning' which will start sinus flow naturally. This worked after having WEEKS of clogged ear that wouldn't go away. Similar to when you eat really hot spicy food, it causes your nose to run.
rating: 4 (39 votes)
Submitted at 2011-09-16 14:17:27
I have ears that have been clogged since 2008. I looked at this site and the remedies here didn't really help me. my clogged ears have only drained when i drank hot tea.Peppermint tea is the best to help with this but any type of tea will work.
rating: 4 (43 votes)
Submitted at 2009-09-23 09:02:50
I experienced a persistent upper respiratory infection that started out as an dry heat in my throat/tonsils area, then my lungs and finally my sinuses with an intense itch in my lungs and at its worst on my skin as well as excessive phlegm even seemingly after the cold was over. At the sinus phase the malady had lasted a month with ear congestion for over a week. I tried everything previously listed here by others for the ear congestion but nothing worked. I finally found relief within 36 hours after acupuncture and the traditional Chinese medicine herbal remedy by Plum Flower R Brand called 'Chinese Teapills.' It is also known as pinellia Root teapills. I got it at my local acupuncturist's, but it is also available at MAYWAY CORP, USA of Oakland CA 94607 and no doubt elsewhere as well. For me the results were swift, but I suppose each individual is unique. If that doesn't work for you, I know of at least one other who thinks well of a product called MucoStop, by Enzymedica produced by Enzymedica, Inc of Port Charlotte, FL, which uses plant-based enzymes.
rating: 4 (45 votes)
Submitted at 2011-05-25 23:51:47
I tried almost every one of the remedies listed here, and none worked. Then I rinsed my sinuses. It was the best feeling I've ever had when my ear popped after that.
rating: 4 (62 votes)
Submitted by Moogul at 2010-05-31 21:29:56
Get some rosemary plant crumble up the lil leaves off the stems and wrap them in cleanex and also add a little bit of vapor rub on the leaves (just a little). Make two seperate balls of rosemary wrapped in napkin and put them in your ears and waaaaahlaaaa the mexican remedy has worked!
rating: 4 (49 votes)
Submitted by genie at 2011-11-02 20:45:00
After having a stuffed ear for several days I was looking for relieve. I had tried Sudafed, but it only helped a little, and then the congestion returned. I put a bit of tobasco sauce all the way up my nostril. It did burn a bit, but it made the mucus flow. I also used some saline nose drops, Afrin nose drops and a hot compress. In the morning I took sudafed. It got much better and by afternoon the congestion was gone.
rating: 4 (29 votes)
Submitted by ALI at 2008-09-18 16:56:09
I experience ear clogging often (as I refuse to stick q-tips or foreign objects into my ears to 'clean' them...I hear most often that q-tips can actually push wax further down the canal)
I have read other remedies that include pouring liquids of sorts into the ear canal, this is also out of the question for me.
I have found that a trip to the Doc is not necessary providing the clog has not gone to far or too long.
What works for me???
HOT HERBAL TEA....
Drink...Drink...Drink
I think the heat loosens stuff up
and the constant swallowing pulls it out
Anyhow worked for me!!!
If it persists and you are a big suck like me who refuses to stick anything in the ears, GO to the Doc before it gets worse....and it CAN get really really PAINFUL!!. Let the Doc flush it out....This has worked for me in more extreme cases
rating: 4 (24 votes)
Submitted by Jennifer at 2006-02-17 02:28:29
For ear aches, infections and blockages, I highly reccommend using ear candles. These can be found at any GNC 'general nutrition center) and are quite affordable. You simply lie down with the infected ear facing up. Please an ear candle into the affected ear (following the package directions of course) and light it as you would a regular candle. then blow it out. It will continue to burn down. When you are finished, the blockage and pain are gone. My husband used this when he lost complete hearing in one ear because of blockage. His hearing was restored immediately. he decided to cut open the rest of the candle and see just what was in there. These things pulled out years of old, deeply burried junk. Try it once and (if you do not have a weak stomache) open up the candle afterwards and see for yourself just what was in there. I know many elderly people that do this either annually or semi-annually. all still have excellent hearing and swear by this product!!!!
rating: 3 (94 votes)
Submitted at 2007-05-16 20:52:41
When my ears are blocked from congestion (cold or allergies) I force myself to yawn, and that to unblocks my ears.
rating: 3 (49 votes)
Submitted at 2012-03-03 06:57:59
Call your buddy with the sweet sound system in his vehicle and sit in the back seat while listening to something with bass. It'll rattle it out pretty good.
rating: 3 (54 votes)
Submitted by claire at 2011-05-10 14:33:11
I've been 17 days with ears so congested after a sinus-cold that started as a bad cold at the beginning and transformed in a sort of chronic sinusitis. I was desperate looking for a quick fix for my annoying congested ears and tried every single piece of advice in this site. Nothing helped until I decide to try the holistic approach, meaning to heal the cause of the imbalance rather than the symptoms. Today I would say I'm 90% hearing. So my advice is to look through your symptoms and try to see what's going on on your life. For me was depression and lack of purpose, so my energy was completed imbalance. I started a program to balance my energy points (chakras) and did some research. I found out that ears, eyes and nose are related to the seven chakra (third eye) I stared some meditation (Youtube is a good source to find them) to unblock and balance my chakras. I started to be more grateful and see more close at my relationships with friends and family. I basically stared a spiritual healing and loving more myself. I assure that powerful meditations, prayers and a lot of insightful looking will work wonderful in your ears blockage. At least it worked for me. Every illness has an emotional and spiritual cause that has to be address in order to completely heal. There are tons of help and literature on healing from the spiritual side, and it works for any other illnesses. So take your time don't desperate and start know to heal yourself.
rating: 2 (200 votes)
Submitted by k at 2009-02-11 22:19:53
ok plug you nose then blow while still holding your ears closed, it will hurt yet it will work
:D
rating: 2 (69 votes)
Submitted at 2009-05-23 16:58:53
Get a Q-Tip, then soak the cotton in cold water then put the wet end in your ear as far as you can, without gurting yourself, then slowly pull it out. Wait a few seconds, yawn, then it should go away. Repeat as many times a necessary.
rating: 2 (81 votes)
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