If your ear infection is occurring in just one ear, sleep on the side of the healthy ear to avoid adding even more pressure to the affected area.
Rest with your head on two or more pillows, so your affected ear is higher than the rest of your body. Or if your left ear has an infection, sleep on your right side. Less pressure equals less ear pain.
Since the eustachian tubes in the infected ears can only drain into the throat, try keeping the infected ear elevated by sleeping on the opposite side of the one infected. This way the tube will be above the throat, and the ear will most certainly drain sooner.
But it's best not to sleep on your infected ear – and not just because it's uncomfortable. If you're an adult with a middle ear infection, elevating the affected ear makes it easier for the infection to drain out.
Common causes of clogged ears include changes in altitude or atmospheric pressure, eustachian tube dysfunction, ear infections, and fluid, foreign objects, or ear wax blocking the eustachian tube. Most of the time, these problems are easily diagnosed and treated.
Clogged ears from a mild ear infection usually last one or two weeks. If the problems are in the inner ear, this could last longer. Mild ear infections clear up by themselves, and you can alleviate the pain with painkillers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, ear drops, or simply by applying a warm cloth to your ear.
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.
As pressure builds up it can result in blocked ears, pain and hearing problems. Although blocked ears are common, if they are ongoing for a long period of time or the symptoms are severe then medical help may be necessary. Frequently experiencing blocked ears is a sign that you need to be cautious.
But a clogged ear is typically temporary, and your ear will likely clear on its own within a few hours or days depending on the cause: Fluid: If your ears are clogged by water or another fluid, they will often clear quickly. Air pressure: If the blockage is caused by air pressure, it may take a few days to go away.
Massaging your eustachian tubes is a great way to combat ear infection pain. Using a gentle amount of pressure, press lightly on the area along the back of the ear that meets your jawbone, continuously push and release this flap of skin several times to open the eustachian tubes up.
Muffled hearing can occur in one or both ears. When the condition occurs in one ear, it's likely a sign of a single-sided ear infection, a clogged ear or earwax buildup. Muffled hearing due to sinus infections or changes in pressure while flying or changing altitudes typically occurs in both ears.
SSHL happens because there is something wrong with the sensory organs of the inner ear. Sudden deafness frequently affects only one ear. People with SSHL often discover the hearing loss upon waking up in the morning. Others first notice it when they try to use the deafened ear, such as when they use a phone.
The most common cause of a blocked eustachian tube is a stuffy nose, such as from a head cold or sinus infection. When the nose is stuffed or clogged, it can prevent the eustachian tubes from draining or filling with air properly. A buildup of earwax is also a common cause of a blocked or obstructed eustachian tube.
You can do exercises to open up the tubes. This includes swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum. You can help relieve the “full ear” feeling by taking a deep breath, pinching your nostrils closed, and “blowing” with your mouth shut.
Warm Compress
This can help to loosen congestion, loosen fluid in the ear, and ease any ear discomfort. Creating a warm compress is simple. Just soak a washcloth in warm water, wring out excess water, fold it, and place it on the affected ear for 10 to 15 minutes.
Common causes include fluid in the middle ear, hay fever, allergies or over-excessive nose blowing. Ear pain can be associated with ear congestion in cases of infections or with airplane travel, with sudden changes in barometric pressure, which most often occurs during descent.
Using drops may make your hearing or symptoms a little worse at first before getting better. These can help soften the earwax so that it falls out naturally.
In many cases, a muffled ear will go away on its own. This is especially true for conditions like airplane ear, or sickness-related hearing loss. Even certain ear infections will resolve themselves if given time, but there are some instances where you should not wait to seek medical treatment.
There are a number of signs and symptoms that can indicate a ruptured eardrum. They include some of the following: a sudden increase or decrease in pain, bloody discharge from the ear with pus, hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo or a spinning sensation, and nausea and vomiting from the vertigo.
While some causes of ear congestion do not require medical intervention, people should contact a doctor if their symptoms persist or if they experience symptoms of a severe ear infection, such as: fever. fluid drainage. severe ear pain.