Elevation (aka sleeping upright) Try propping yourself up on a stack of pillows, or better yet sleep in a reclining sofa or armchair. As long as you're upright enough to allow the ears to drain more successfully, you should notice an improvement in symptoms and be able to sleep much easier.
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.
If you're an adult with a middle ear infection, elevating the affected ear makes it easier for the infection to drain out. So, sleep on your other side or tuck a few extra pillows under your head if sleeping on your back. If you have an outer ear infection, keep blankets and hair away from 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.
A few days is normally enough time for your body to clear up any blockage. But it might be, as a general rule of thumb, a prudent decision to come see us if your blockage lasts for more than a week. Early indications of hearing loss can also feel like clogged ears.
In almost all cases, your blockage will take care of itself after a few days. But the general rule of thumb is that if things last more than a week or so, it might be a good idea to see a specialist.
Your ears will most likely return to normal after a couple of days if air pressure is causing your blockage. If an ear infection is to blame for your clogged ears, you might have to wait until your body fights off the virus or bacteria at work (and, if it's the latter, antibiotics can really help).
If your ears won't pop you might have fluid in your ears. Thickened fluid blocks the auditory tube and prevents the fluid from draining into the back of the throat. Sometimes this is caused by an ear infection.
Muffled Hearing in One Ear
When the condition occurs in one ear, it's likely a sign of a single-sided ear infection, a clogged ear or earwax buildup.
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).
a ringing or buzzing sound in your ear (tinnitus) earache or ear pain. itching in your ear. clear fluid, blood or pus leaking from your ear.
Painful ears:
It's most likely down to sleeping on the same side for too long, on a pillow that's too firm. The ear cartilage gets a constant pressure or gets folded against the pillow and this irritates the pain receptors.
The ear tube provides an opening into the middle ear, which may allow a small amount of clear fluid to drain from the ear. People should contact their doctor if any clear fluid drainage continues for more than 24 hours.
How Can You Get Rid of a Muffled Ear? Most muffled ear cases are easily solved either with time, a decongestant or oil, though some may indicate more severe problems. Understand why you can't hear out of one ear and treat it accordingly. If your symptoms persist, contact a medical professional to assist you.
Common causes of blocked or plugged up ears
Why is sound muffled when there doesn't appear to be anything inside your ear canal? The causes can range from the earwax to allergies to infections (yes, including COVID) to more insidious conditions like an anxiety disorder or Meniere's disease.
To do this, they may use a eustachian tube balloon dilation or a pressure equalization tube, which releases fluid and pressure from the eardrum to the ear canal. If these treatments do not work, a doctor may perform a surgical incision in the eardrum to release fluid and pressure.
Normally, the eustachian tubes open when you do things like swallow or yawn. This naturally equalizes the pressure in your middle ear. If the eustachian tubes become narrowed or blocked due to a disease or condition, you may feel ear pressure that doesn't go away naturally.
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.
When the ears are clogged, it can cause pain and discomfort and affect hearing and balance. Call your ENT doctor if you experience severe symptoms with clogged ears, or if symptoms persist for more than two weeks.
Another way to do it is to get you to “pop” your ears on a more regular basis, about 20 times per day, often by closing your nostrils with your hand and blowing gently against that pressure. The pressure should help force the Eustachian tube to open a bit, draining pressure and any fluid that's in that space.
Fluid naturally drains from the middle ear to the throat through the eustachian tube. But if an infection or irritation is present, that tube can swell. This causes fluid to back up. Popping your ears can help open the eustachian tube, allowing fluid to drain.
What symptoms are related to fluid from the ear? Symptoms depend on what is causing the fluid or discharge. You might have pain, itching, loss of hearing or ringing in your ear, or you might feel unwell with dizziness or a fever. The fluid might contain wax, blood or pus.