Ear suddenly feels clogged

[Anonymous]

No pain, no congestion or cold symptoms. What could this be? I hate to go to urgent care right now.

[Anonymous]

I had this a week ago — sinus issues from some sort of virus clogged my inner ear, and mucus couldn’t drain into the nasal cavity (as the middle ear normally does, according to Google). Vitamin c tea (made with powdered vitamin c, honey, ang ginger cleared it right up.

[Anonymous]

Probably impacted wax. Very common but very annoying. Urgent care should be able to flush it out with water.

I had this for the time about 12 years ago, and to avoid it happening again I go to the ENT doc every few years for a thorough cleaning. I also try to remember to do those drops they sell but I hate doing it myself, it's messy and gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably impacted wax. Very common but very annoying. Urgent care should be able to flush it out with water.

I had this for the time about 12 years ago, and to avoid it happening again I go to the ENT doc every few years for a thorough cleaning. I also try to remember to do those drops they sell but I hate doing it myself, it's messy and gross.

what drops and who sells them? i hate stuffy ears. sounds like something i need to add to the routine.

[Anonymous]

Pp here with the tea — other poster is correct, I’ve also had that. Cvs, Walgreens, etc sells earwax remover with a green bulb syringe. You put 3-4 drops in your ear, laying down for 15 min, then flush your ear with warm water using the syringe, maybe 15 times or however long it takes to use up a mug of water.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all! I’ll buy the drops/syringe today.

[Anonymous]

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can present as feeling one ear is clogged.

Maybe see an ENT and get tested, if it is the etiology timely steroid dose is important for possibly regaining function.

[Anonymous]

The bulb syringes that come in the kits are too small.

My recommendation would be to skip the drop and just get the biggest bulb syringe you can find. They don't use drops at medical offices-- they just flush the ears out.

[Anonymous]

Use Flonase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can present as feeling one ear is clogged.

Maybe see an ENT and get tested, if it is the etiology timely steroid dose is important for possibly regaining function.

This is an incredible overreaction until the far, far, far more common causes are explored and ruled out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can present as feeling one ear is clogged.

Maybe see an ENT and get tested, if it is the etiology timely steroid dose is important for possibly regaining function.

This is an incredible overreaction until the far, far, far more common causes are explored and ruled out.

It’s a time sensitive diagnosis. And if the manual extraction of cerumen doesn’t work- this should be placed on the OPs radar. A viral/post viral etiology has been postulated, and ‘tis the season of viruses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can present as feeling one ear is clogged.

Maybe see an ENT and get tested, if it is the etiology timely steroid dose is important for possibly regaining function.

If it was that, it probably wouldn’t occasionally “pop” and feel clear, would it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bulb syringes that come in the kits are too small.

My recommendation would be to skip the drop and just get the biggest bulb syringe you can find. They don't use drops at medical offices-- they just flush the ears out.

With water? Or hydrogen peroxide?

[Anonymous]

To add…(OP here) - I just felt a pop and then it cleared, but this happened yesterday too, but then I woke up with the clogged feeling this morning.

[Anonymous]

My first thought was sinuses, not impacted wax. I would think that clogged ears from wax build up would be gradual, not sudden as OP described.