Ears v muffled - won't pop - driving me mad

[dahliaaa]

I've had a series of colds straight of the back of covid.
About 10 days ago both ears became blocked and haven't cleared since. Hearing muffled and head feels full / odd.

(Only time I've had anything like it with both ears was many years ago when pregnant - I'm menopausal now - did wonder if could be related to hormone changes(?))

Anyway this is what I've tried. None have worked and it's driving me to distraction.

Olive oil ear drops in case wax (probably not as both ears at same time (?))

Steroid nasal spray (Beconase) then when that did nothing after a few days pharmacist suggested Otrivine Extra Dual Relief nose spray. That just seems to have dried everything up but ears still same.

Pinching nostrils / closing mouth and blowing. This would normally always pop my ears but nothing happening.

Driving me to distraction any suggestions welcome !

@Threeboysandadog sorry you've got it too.
Have you been doing anything to try and help it? Did you have a cold or anything before it started ?

It's left me feeling quite agitated today I think because it just feels so odd and disorientating.
I'm planning to try and get an appointment in the next few days at one of the microsuctioning places just in case there IS any wax - although I'm expecting them to say there isn't. If not I'll try and get an appointment with gp.

I had been going to try olive oil drops but got a phone appointment with my own GP who told me she would take a look. She couldn’t really see anything wrong so referred me. I didn’t have a cold but had a sudden crop of cold sores and mouth ulcers so could have had something viral. I’m pretty sure I haven’t had Covid. It was when I read that link it’s just exactly what I have.

I do think mine is improving but it’s worse when I’m surrounded by noise and settles when things go quiet. I do have anxiety so start thinking about the worst possible scenarios!

Hope it continues to improve for you over next few days

I get this. Mine is worse on one side and gp thinks it's because I've got a deviated septum and so have drainage issues. He gave me a steroid nasal spray bit I find that steaming works the best. I have to steam every day for about two weeks to notice any difference, you have to keep at it!

It's horrendous isn't it 😤

It sounds like as others have said, eustasion tube dysfunction. I had it 2 years ago in one ear after heavy cold. Your right it is very annoying, I thought I was going mad. However 2 things which worked were the ear popper device and otovent auto inflation ballon both from Amazon. Both equalise the pressure which is causing that horrible feeling. I used them for weeks and they helped no end!! Also nasnonex nasal spray from gp. These will def help get rid !

Thank you for the extra tips!
It's really helping hearing from other people affected too - and who understanding how disconcerting it is !
Can I ask a few questions?
How long do you do the steaming for and do you add anything to the water?

Is the popper thing the expensive one ? There's one on Boots website that is £100.
Thanks

Yes the ear popper I bought was £99 😳 but to be honest I’d have paid 10x that for something that would help. Good luck

Thanks @embolass

I sometimes add a bit of vaporub and just do it for as long as I can stand it. If you can do it twice a day even better.

I tried the balloon thing and it didn't work for me.

I added some vicks when I did it earlier - will try and do twice tomorrow.

Having looked up the ear balloon things mentioned up thread & thinking "that's just a balloon" I found a research paper which showed normal spherical type party balloons were equally effective... so I attached a water bottle sports cap to a (left over birthday) balloon & used as described for Ottovent.... vastly improved my hearing for at least an hour for free

Will be using regularly in private to see if I can get longer than an hour's relief!

Might be worth a shot?
YMMV/This is not medical advice/all disclaimers apply!

Very inventive !!!

That’s genius! Now can you invent something that blow air up the nostril? Save the OP £99!

Hi op, sorry your experiencing this. I had this problem with my left ear. I woke up one morning and it was blocked, after about 2 hours of waking up I heard a buzzing sound. Went hospital and tried everything down to steroids being injected into my ear. Nothing has helped m. Now I'm partially deaf in my ear and have to have hearing aid...

I think next thing for you to do is go get it checked out asap. Let them do a hearing test and take it from there.

@embolass

That’s genius! Now can you invent something that blow air up the nostril? Save the OP £99!

Actually the same thing would work in theory - inflate the balloon & close sports cap then open Sports (my phone keeps correcting to "Sparta" ) cap when held against nostril. BUT I don't know what kind of pressure the bought ones use etc

My ears were about 50% better on waking & 75% better since looking ridiculous doing the balloon thing again.

Thank you so much for this thread OP!

Hi OP I’ve had this problem for years every time I have even a mild cold. Sudafed used to work but then like you I couldn’t have it any more.

Since then my solution is putting a good few drops of olbas oil on a cotton hankie, covering your nose and inhaling deeply while gently trying to pop your ears. Just sit quietly and do it for as long as it takes for your ears to pop.

I won’t go anywhere without olbas oil now - an alternative that’s more portable is to break a Karvol capsule into the hankie but I don’t know if you can still buy those

Good luck

Might be worth trying a neti pot - saline rinse of sinuses.

I'm being a bit thick and can't work out exactly what to do with the sports drink cap

Starting to feel anxious about fact that it's both ears rather than just one and that it started suddenly. Feel very uneasy but I guess that's understandable when it feels disorientating. It's impossible to just ignore it.

Have managed to get an appointment with Specsavers on Thursday afternoon. First one available anywhere near me. Will keep doing the olive oil and steaming in meantime.

Did you take any antihistamines ? With mine I took antihistamine, otex ear drops and the nasal spray.

I've suffered with eustachian tube dysfunction on and off for years. Mine seems to stem from a constantly runny nose which I get when I'm cold - and I'm cold ALL the time! I suspect sinus drainage problems. I'd actually managed to virtually eradicate it during lockdown as I wasn't needing to go out in the cold (ie commuting) but since I've pregnant, it's been back and driving me crazy. Thanks for this thread OP, I now have some potential remedies to try! I hope it clears up for you soon.

@dahliaaa

I'm being a bit thick and can't work out exactly what to do with the sports drink cap

Starting to feel anxious about fact that it's both ears rather than just one and that it started suddenly. Feel very uneasy but I guess that's understandable when it feels disorientating. It's impossible to just ignore it.

Have managed to get an appointment with Specsavers on Thursday afternoon. First one available anywhere near me. Will keep doing the olive oil and steaming in meantime.

It's probably me - I do most of my explanations by waving my hands around

Photos of the cap/balloon - it's a sports cap from a disposable water bottle. I assume you can still get them but this is years old (kept for making a cd hovercraft with the kids 😂)

If you want to do a nasal rinse the McNeil one is brilliant & is the only thing that keeps my chronic sinusitis at bay.

Try not to stress too much OP, though I remember feeling panicky like I couldn’t escape from the feeling as it’s right inside your head. The fact it’s happened after a cold it is more than likely the eusatachian tube dysfunction. Go to GP for a check, however I found they were quite dismissive and I had to push foe ENT referral. By the time the ENT appointment came through, it had almost resolved with the popper and auto inflation balloon

gibbons yes in theory that would work alternatively , however I think the pressure would be v strong compared to popper which is a steady gentle flow. Good thinking though

Thank you so much for all the ideas and reassurance everyone.
@GibbonsGoatsGibbons gets a hold star for providing photos !!!

Sorry - that's me - name change fail