Is your ear feeling blocked? Perhaps you’re not sure? Take a simple online hearing test to see if you’re suffering from any hearing issues, then read on. If something doesn’t feel quite right, it could be for a number of reasons. Although earwax is a common culprit, there are other things that could be going on to cause the discomfort.  

Earwax

Earwax is essential to cleansing the ear canal and stopping debris entering. Though it’s usually soft, it can harden – this is when a blockage occurs. Alongside a clogged ear, you may suffer with an earache, ringing in the ears and dizziness. 

Something you definitely shouldn’t do if you’ve got a build-up of earwax, is use a cotton swab to try and clean it up. This could lead to simply pushing the wax deeper into the ear. The only way to know for sure what’s going on, and to remove the earwax safely, is to see a healthcare professional. 

Swimmer’s Ear

Swimmer’s Ear, or Otitis Externa, occurs when the canal between the eardrum and outer ear gets inflamed or infected. This happens when water remains in the ear after swimming – the moist environment encourages the growth of bacteria or fungus. Other triggers can include foreign objects in the ear, chemical irritation from hair products, narrow ear canals and even diabetes. If you’re suffering with Swimmer’s Ear, you might experience pain, itchiness and puss in the ear canal, as well as muffled hearing. 

For treatment, it first needs to be established whether the infection is bacterial or fungal. After this, you’ll be prescribed with either antibiotics or antifungal medication, and the ear is cleaned out. 

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD)

The eustachian tube is a small canal – just 1.5 inches long and a few millimeters in diameter – that runs from the middle ear to the back of the nose and upper throat. The two tubes are responsible for ensuring the pressure in both inner ears is the same as the outside world. But there are a number of triggers that mean the tubes can’t perform their job. These include a swelling-induced blockage, caused by sinus infections and illness, or a physical blockage, such as an overgrowth of tissue in the back of the nose. A ruptured eardrum can also trigger eustachian tube dysfunction.

You might be prescribed antibiotics or nasal sprays to try and treat the ear block. If these don’t work, it means there’s a dysfunction in the tube – so it’s a good idea to get your ears checked out by a healthcare professional. 

Higher Altitude

If you love adventure, it’s possible you will experience clogged ear from high altitude. Activities like scuba diving, driving up a mountain and flying an airplane can all cause ear blockage, because of the quick change in air pressure outside the body. The eustachian tube can’t always do its job effectively at higher altitudes. A clogged ear may be the only side effect you experience, or you may develop altitude sickness, which causes headaches, nausea and shortness of breath.

It’s best to try and prevent too much damage to your ears by treating the discomfort before it gets too painful. You can do this by chewing gum if you’re on a plane, allowing your eustachian tube to open. When scuba diving, come up to the surface when you first notice the discomfort, to allow your ears to equalize. If you do suffer serious damage, corrective surgery may be required.