My ear is blocked following a bad 3 week long cold

[Toddlerbeast]

I've had the cold from hell for the past 3 weeks which has given me sinus pain which I've never experienced before. My GP has just given me anti biotics as she thinks I've got an infection.
Trouble is my ear has been blocked for a week now and it's really annoying. I bought some optrex ear drops b it there's no difference yet and it's started aching today.
Any tips for unblocking an ear? I'm really self conscious about it as I can hear my own voice vibrating in my head.

How long will this take to unblock and how can I help it on its way?

I don't know, but don't do what I did last night which was hold my nose and blow, hoping it would unblock my ear. No luck. Air came out of my eye though, which was very sore and weird.

It's awful and really frustrating 😩

It might take a couple of weeks to unblock. When you start to feel ‘movement ‘ in it it will be the beginning of the end of the problem. It’s so unpleasant I’m sorry for you!

i had this after a cold and it took a long time to go back to normal, weeks and weeks. I think they recommended I take an antihistamine but I'm not 100% sure. No manner of holding nose and blowing, ear drops or anything else helped.

I've been completely deaf from fluid behind the eardrum, plus it's caused the joys of tinnitus for 2 weeks now, so I feel your pain. I don't think eardrops will do anything. I'm on steroids and antibiotics (not in the UK at the moment so not sure if you can get the same at home), doing lots of steam inhalations, beconase nasal spray, salt water nasal spray and chewing gum! There's been a tiny improvement, but the GP said it could take up to 2 months to return to normal. Best of luck, it's so awful isn't it.

I have this regularly but the worst was this month. Nearly three weeks and not a budge of it got it going.

I was on 3 different lots of anti-b’s, steaming, inhaling Vick but the only thing that worked was steroids…

How are you now? Xxx

You can try Otovent, it's a balloon that you blow up. It can work extremely well and I believe is recommended as a first treatment by GPs.

I have this as well following a bad cold. I’ve had it for 3 weeks now and it’s awful, GP diagnosed Eustachian tube dysfunction. It’s causing me balance issues and making me dizzy and nauseous as well
im on steroid nasal spray and I’ve also got the Otovent but I haven’t used it yet.

I’m also quite deaf in the other ear so I really can’t hear very much at all.

someone on here on another thread recommended the Ear Popper which is about £100 from Boots - anyone tried that?

I’ve had this for five years now. First started after I blew my nose too hard during a heavy cold. The doctor just told me it would sort itself out and it never has. I keep trying to get a GP appointment for an ENT referral.
It’s basically fluid trapped behind your eardrum caused by Eustachian tube dysfunction. During a cold the tube gets inflamed and doesn’t allow air in/fluid out in the usual way, so you end up with the fluid getting stuck.
If you hold your nose shut and blow you might be able to feel the tube open up, and sometimes you can feel the bubbles of air displacing the fluid in your ear. Keep doing that whenever you remember and it will help it return to normal.