• With Mayo Clinic pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist

    Laura J. Orvidas, M.D.


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Question

Plugged ears: What is the remedy?

I'm just getting over a bad cold, and my ears have been plugged for more than a week. What causes this? Is there any remedy for plugged ears?

Answer

from Laura J. Orvidas, M.D.

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Illustration showing inner ear Inside your ear

With plugged ears, your eustachian tubes — which run between your middle ear and the back of your nose — become obstructed. You may also have ear pain. You can try to forcibly open your eustachian tubes by taking a deep breath and trying to blow out while pinching your nostrils closed and closing your mouth. If you feel a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.

When treatment is needed, doctors focus on getting air to flow into the eustachian tubes. Options for clearing plugged ears include:

  • Oral decongestants
  • Nasal spray antihistamines
  • Topical nasal steroids
  • Ventilation tubes, in severe cases, to drain fluid and relieve pressure

If your symptoms are severe and last longer than a few weeks, consider seeking care from an ear, nose and throat specialist.

Next question
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References
  1. Seibert JW, et al. Eustachian tube function and the middle ear. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2006;39:1221.
  2. Poe D, et al. Eustachian tube dysfunction. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 8, 2011.
AN01740 Jan. 19, 2012

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