It’s been a couple of days. Your right ear is still totally blocked. You haven’t been able to hear anything in that direction since yesterday morning. You’re left feeling off balance as your left ear works overtime to pick up the slack. You thought it might up after a good night’s sleep, but that’s not happening. So will your clogged ear clear up soon?
Exactly how long your blockage will last depends, not unexpectedly, on what the cause of the blockage is. You may need to get medical attention if your blockage isn’t the kind that clears itself up quickly.
You shouldn’t let your blockage linger for longer than a week, as a general rule, without having it examined.
When Should I Worry About a Clogged Ear?
You will probably begin to think about the cause of your blockage after about a couple of days. Perhaps you’ll think about your behavior from the last couple of days: for example, did you get water in your ear somehow?
How about your state of health? Are you suffering from the sort of discomfort and pain (or fever) that might be related to an ear infection? You might want to make an appointment if that’s the situation.
Those questions are actually just the tip of the iceberg. A clogged ear could have multiple potential causes:
- Irreversible loss of hearing: Some kinds of hearing loss feel a lot like a blocked ear. You need to make an appointment if your “blocked ear” lasts longer than it should.
- Changes in air pressure: Occasionally, your Eustachian tube can fail to adjust properly to variations in air pressure, creating the feeling of a short-term blockage in your ear or ears.
- Build-up of earwax: Earwax can lead to blockages if it’s not effectively draining or if it becomes compressed, hardening in place.
- Ear Infection: Your ear can eventually become obstructed by fluid accumulation or inflammation from an ear infection.
- Allergies: Swelling and fluid production can develop when the body’s immune system goes to work – as a reaction to an allergic reaction.
- The eustachian tube or ear canal gets water stuck in it: The little places inside the ear are surprisingly good at trapping water and sweat. (If you tend to sweat copiously, this can definitely end up temporarily blocking your ears).
- Sinus infection: Because your sinuses, throat, and ears are all interconnected, a sinus infection can cause excess fluids to become stuck in your ears (causing a clog).
- Growths: Your ears can have growths, bulges, and lumps which can even obstruct your ears.
The Fastest Way to Bring Your Ears Back to Normal
Your ears will most likely go back to normal after a couple of days if the blockage is caused by air pressure. You might have to wait for your immune system to kick in if your blockage is due to an ear infection (and, if it’s the latter, antibiotics can really help). This may take up to a couple of weeks. Sinus infections have been known to stick around even longer.
A bit of patience will be required before your ears return to normal (counterintuitive though it might be), and your expectations need to be, well, adjustable.
Not doing anything to aggravate the situation is the first and most important step. When you first start to feel like your ears are clogged, it might be tempting to attempt to use cotton swabs to clean them out. All sorts of issues, from ear infections to loss of hearing, can be caused by cotton swabs so this can be a particularly dangerous approach. You will probably make the situation worse if you use cotton swabs.
If Your Ear is Still Clogged After a Week…it Could be Hearing Loss
So, if your ear remains clogged after two days and you don’t have any really good ideas as to what’s causing it, you might be justifiably impatient. A few days is usually enough time for your body to get rid of any blockage. But the general rule of thumb is that if things persist for more than a week or so, it may be a wise idea to come in for a consultation.
That sensation of feeling like your ears are blocked can also be an indication of hearing loss. And you shouldn’t ignore hearing loss because, as you’ve most likely read in our other posts, it can lead to a whole host of other health issues.
Doing no additional harm first will allow your body a chance to mend and clean that blockage away naturally. But when that fails, treatment may be necessary. How long that takes will fluctuate depending on the underlying cause of your blocked ears.
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The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
FAQs
Clogged ears can also result from swollen or blocked eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat. This can happen for brief periods during air travel, but also due to allergies, sinus or ear infections, or other respiratory viruses (including COVID-19).
How to clear an ear blockage? ›
If your ears are plugged, try swallowing, yawning or chewing sugar-free gum to open your eustachian tubes. If this doesn't work, take a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. If you hear a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.
Why does my ear feel clogged even though I cleaned it? ›
Causes include allergies, colds, or sinus infections, leading to pressure buildup and temporary hearing loss. Remedies include swallowing, yawning, or using decongestants to relieve the blockage and restore normal hearing.
How to remove ear wax blockage fast? ›
You also can try hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal amount of room temperature water. Place 2 drops of the fluid, warmed to body temperature, in the ear two times a day for up to 5 days. Once the wax is loose and soft, all that is usually needed to remove it from the ear canal is a gentle, warm shower.
How do I stop my ears from clogging? ›
Here are a few suggestions:
- Drink plenty of fluids. The more fluid you consume, the thinner the mucus in your sinuses. ...
- Take a decongestant. ...
- Keep nasal passages moist. ...
- Blow your nose. ...
- Don't get too hot or too cold. ...
- Stay up straight. ...
- Avoid vices. ...
- The Valsalva maneuver.
You may be able to open the blocked tubes with a simple exercise. Close your mouth, hold your nose, and gently blow as if you are blowing your nose. Yawning and chewing gum also may help. You may hear or feel a "pop" when the tubes open to make the pressure equal between the inside and outside of your ears.
What's the best decongestant for ears? ›
The best decongestants for ears
| Medication | Usual dosage |
|---|
| Sudafed PE (phenylephrine) | 10 mg every 4 hours |
| Afrin (oxymetazoline) | 2-3 sprays in each nostril every 10-12 hours |
| Deep Sea Nasal Spray (saline spray) | 2-3 sprays in each nostril every 10-12 hours |
| Claritin (loratadine) | 10 mg once daily |
5 more rowsFeb 19, 2023
Remedies for unclogging or popping your ear may involve treating the underlying condition. Natural ways to unclog earwax buildup may include steam, ear irrigation, using a warm compress, and dripping certain oils into the ear. Natural remedies to pop your ear include yawning, chewing, or swallowing.
What medicine to take to unclog ears? ›
Pseudoephedrine is used to relieve nasal or sinus congestion caused by the common cold, sinusitis, and hay fever and other respiratory allergies. It is also used to relieve ear congestion caused by ear inflammation or infection. Some of these preparations are available only with your doctor's prescription.
Which ear drop is best for ear blockage? ›
Medicated ear drops may also be recommended to help soften the wax, such as carbamide peroxide (Debrox Earwax Removal Kit, Murine Ear Wax Removal System). Because these drops can irritate the delicate skin of the eardrum and ear canal, use them only as directed.
Typically, clogged ears will ease up within a few days. Symptoms may last a little longer if you have a head cold, COVID infection, or allergies. But if clogged ears continue beyond a few days, it may be time to see a healthcare professional about your treatment options.
What draws earwax out? ›
Earwax removal tips
Instead, soak a cotton ball and drip a few drops of plain water, a simple saline solution, or hydrogen peroxide into the ear with your head tilted so the opening of the ear is pointing up. Keep it in that position for a minute to allow gravity to pull the fluid down through the wax.
How do you clear a badly blocked ear? ›
The following are some at-home methods to help:
- Use steam. Steam can help unclog an ear when the cause is an infection or allergies. ...
- Consider mineral and essential oils. Many oils reportedly have antibiotic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory properties. ...
- Use a warm compress. ...
- Gargle salt water.
If the aim is to completely break down the wax, waxsol, peroxide 3% or a sodium bicarbonate solution (which can be prepared by your local pharmacist) is effective.
Why am I prone to blocked ears? ›
Some people regularly get blocked ears because they naturally produce a lot of earwax. Other causes include: producing naturally hard or dry earwax. having narrow or hairy ear canals (the tube between the opening of the ear and the eardrum)
Why does my ear feel full of fluid? ›
Fluid often builds up inside the ear during a cold or allergies. Usually the fluid drains away, but sometimes a small tube in the ear, called the eustachian tube, stays blocked for months. Symptoms of fluid buildup may include: Popping, ringing, or a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear.
Why do my ears feel wet inside? ›
If your ears ever feel wet, it's often just because they're making more earwax. When first produced, earwax is thin, clear and watery. But as time goes on, it becomes thicker and darker. However, if you develop additional symptoms like ear pain or fever, call a healthcare provider.
How do you get rid of fluid in your ear? ›
You can also try the Valsalva Maneuver, jiggling your earlobe, using gravity, creating a vacuum, using a blow dryer, trying ear drops or sprays, trying more water, inhaling steam, or gargling with saltwater for safe fluid drainage from the inner ear.
