To aak what to do for a blocked ear (mine)?

[UtterUtterUtter]

One ear has been blocked since taking a flight a week ago. I expected it would sort itself out but it hasn’t yet and is starting to drive me mad.

I’ve been doing all the usual swallowing and yawning things but no luck. I guess I’ll go to the GP this week if it doesn’t clear up but it seems silly... anyone got more experience than I do with these things? What will the GP do anyway?

Menthol crystals!!!

Could try olive oil. May seem worse to begin with though.

Olive oil drops or I use a spray called Earole ... use either for about 5 days (make sure keep your head tipped to the side and massage it in!)

Steam inhaler. Towel over head of hot steaming water (maybe with some olbas oil in, but that's when I have a cold) for 5 mins or as long as you can stand, breathing it in deeply.

Olive oil or drops will only cure it if it's wax, but you'll need to do that for a week before a nurse will syringe them, so you could start doing that in case you do go to the GP. Those syringe things you get with kids calpol or nurofen are good for putting in just a little at a time.

Try Otex express drops, they go all fizzy inside your ear as it’s breaking down the wax assuming wax is the issue?
I use these as I have a narrow ear canal on one side which is forever getting blocked but these sort me out in around 3-5 days

Olive oil is only good if wax is the problem but this doesn't sound like that. An ENT consultant told me to use Sudofed but it has to be the one from behind the counter at the pharmacy imo. It works by expanding the small passages between ears and nose.

Ear popper, it's expensive but really works.

https://www.boots.com/ear-popper-ear-relief-device-10151691

This works in the same way but much cheaper

www.otovent.co.uk/buy-otovent/otovent/

I had to have mine irrigated (a gentler way than syringing) after swimming underwater - the wax had been forced too far down into by ear canal and although repeated use of olive oil may have softened it, it definitely didn't remove it,

In the end, I had to pay £30 to have it irrigated privately - I think most GPs surgeries have a practice nurse who does this, my GP (who I saw after trying OTC treatments - she just recommended continuing with the olive oil), didn't even mention this 🙄.

You could try Hopi ear candling i find it amazing

Olive oil is only good if wax is the problem but this doesn't sound like that.

I’d say 99% sure it’s nothing to do with wax, I’ve never had a wax issue before and this came on suddenly after a long-distance flight.

I’ll look into Sudafed, I suppose it’s the pseudoephedrine that does it?

• Have it syringed or a DIY method
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I just had this after someone splashed water directly into my ear with force at the pool last week. I finally managed to clear it by ramming my palm over my ear and then releasing it to create a plunger effect.

Can you make yourself sneeze worked for me once

Sounds to me like your eustachian tube (internal tube that goes from inner ear to nose) could be the issue. Try the sudafed or dexamethasone .......otherwise I'd Def see your gp. I've had problems with my ears for years....so you have my empathy OP x

Mine was totally blocked last weekend, took 3 days to clear with Earex Advance.

*Sounds to me like your eustachian tube (internal tube that goes from inner ear to nose) could be the issue. Try the sudafed or dexamethasone .......otherwise I'd Def see your gp. I've had problems with my ears for years....so you have my empathy OP x **

Sorry I meant pseudoephedrine (sp??).....not dexamethasone!!

If it's from a flight he could be that your sinuses are blocked so nothing you put in your ear will help. Steaming might help but you might need prescribed steroid nasal drops which clear the passages from the other side

Really appreciate all these suggestions. Will check out pseudoephedrine options in the morning (not now when I’ll soon be thinking about going to bed ) and might make a GP appt too.

Olive oil drops won't really help if your ear is badly congested. What you need are drops containing hydrogen peroxide. You can get them in the chemist's for about £8 - they're usually on the shelf with all the other ear stuff. Use them in the same way as any other ear drops, except that you'll feel a 'fizzing' inside your ears as the hydrogen peroxide does its thing.

I often get blocked ears and they're the only thing that work. In fact, whenever I go to Spain or Italy I buy a little bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the supermarket as it only costs a few Euro for 100ml - several times the amount you'll get in a chemist's here for £8. It's also good for stain removal on clothes!

If its not wax, hold your breath, pinch your nose and blow. Sorts me out after a flight when my ears are always blocked.

www.otovent.co.uk/buy-otovent/otovent/
This is amazing. I had a blocked ear for months following a cold and this works every time.

If its not wax, hold your breath, pinch your nose and blow. Sorts me out after a flight when my ears are always blocked.

I’ve been trying this over and over and this morning it finally did something! I’m still trying but I think it will sort itself out if I keep at it.

I'm glad @UtterUtterUtter! Always works for me, I often have to do it more than once though. Good luck!