A constant feeling of blocked ears usually stems from Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD), where the tube connecting your middle ear to your throat gets blocked by inflammation from colds, allergies, or sinus infections, trapping fluid. Other causes include excessive earwax, fluid buildup (otitis media), water in the ear, or less commonly, Meniere's disease or sudden sensorineural hearing loss, so seeing a doctor for persistent issues is important.
Common causes include earwax buildup, fluid building from ear infections, sinus pressure, and noise damage. Occasionally clogged ears also can cause muffled hearing or hearing loss. This is temporary and your hearing will go back to normal once the blockage or pressure has cleared.
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.
Earwax buildup, middle ear fluid from a cold or allergies, or infections can all cause the same “full” feeling. Beyond the watery sensation, you may notice muffled hearing, crackling sounds, ear pressure, dizziness, or pain. These are signs that fluid—or another ear issue—needs attention.
Common causes include excess ear wax, sinus congestion, allergies, changes in altitude, water trapped in the ear canal, upper respiratory infections and Eustachian tube dysfunction. Understanding the underlying cause helps determine the most effective solution for relief.
See a nurse at your GP surgery if:
you have symptoms of earwax build-up which have not cleared after 5 days. your ear is badly blocked and you cannot hear anything (you could get an infection if it has not cleared)
Move the mouth in up and down motions, such as chewing gum or yawning, and try swallowing while the nose is pinched closed. Use Gravity. If water is stuck in the ear canal from a recent shower or swim, help drain the area by turning the side of the head down and gently pulling the earlobe in different directions.
Stress also contributes to the difficulty in managing tinnitus symptoms or might trigger an episode of tinnitus. For instance, pulsatile tinnitus can worsen with heightened blood pressure. Stress can also cause the ears to feel blocked or stuffed, contributing to a negative impact on hearing health.
Earwax blockage that has no symptoms can sometimes clear on its own. But if you have signs and symptoms of earwax blockage, talk to your healthcare professional. Signs and symptoms may signal another condition.
Is Earache a Symptom of Pregnancy? An earache or blocked ear is not typically considered a symptom of pregnancy itself. However, certain physiological changes that occur during pregnancy can contribute to the development of these conditions.
To sleep with an ear infection, elevate your head or sleep on your non-affected side. Elevating the affected ear makes it easier for the infection to drain.
Five critical warning signs in early pregnancy needing immediate care are vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal/pelvic pain, persistent headaches with vision changes, fever/chills, and severe nausea/vomiting, as these can signal serious issues like miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or infections, says Better Health Channel, Liv Hospital, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby. Seek prompt medical attention for these symptoms, especially if accompanied by dizziness or fainting, to ensure your and your baby's health, notes CDC and Texas DSHS.
Ear infection. In an ear infection, narrow tubes that run from the middle ear to high in the back of the throat, also known as eustachian tubes, can become swollen and blocked. This can lead to mucus buildup in the middle ear. This mucus can become infected and cause ear infection symptoms.
The symptoms of tinnitus can vary significantly from person to person. You may hear phantom sounds in one ear, in both ears, and in your head. The phantom sound may ring, buzz, roar, whistle, hum, click, hiss, or squeal. The sound may be soft or loud and may be low or high pitched.
Common reasons include changes in atmospheric pressure, congestion from colds or allergies, earwax buildup, and muscle tension. Jaw joint (TMJ) issues or inner ear conditions may also contribute to the sensation.
Anxiety can manifest in various physical symptoms, including ear pressure and discomfort. In some cases, anxiety-related ear pressure may result from increased sensitivity to bodily sensations, making individuals more aware of changes in ear pressure and other sensations.
Try deep breathing.
When you worry, you become anxious and breathe faster, often leading to further anxiety. But by practicing deep breathing exercises, you can calm your mind and quiet negative thoughts.
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). Sudden onset of muffled hearing in one ear may signal an urgent problem requiring prompt treatment to prevent or reduce possible hearing loss.
You should see a doctor if these symptoms don't go away: Ear popping that causes pain or discomfort. Feeling fullness or pressure in the ear. Any sudden changes in hearing.
Top 10 Tips To Relieve Ear Pressure
Symptoms can include:
You should see a doctor if you have a build-up of ear wax and: you think your ears might be infected. you have hearing loss in one or both ears. you've had ear surgery or an injured eardrum in the past.
If you're experiencing nasal drip with thick yellow-green mucus, you likely have a sinus infection, not an ear infection. Ditto with a cough, bad breath and reduced ability to smell. However, signs such as sharp stabbing pains in your ear canal, earaches and muffled hearing point to ear infections.