Blocked ear

[Summermum479]

Hi everyone,

So I am currently 24 weeks today and like majority of the UK, have been suffering from this horrible cold since Christmas Eve! I have actually got a chest infection and was just all around really congested which isn’t ideal especially when pregnant.

My main concern (annoyance) now is since around Boxing Day my right ear has been completely blocked and I cannot seem to pop it at all. I went to the GP and they have said this is called Eustachian Dysfunction and just basically said it should clear up on its own eventually but I’m wondering if anyone else had experienced anything like this? I’ve had blocked ears before obviously, but never for this long and it’s concerning me a little bit.

Any advice or reassurance would be great? GP was reluctant to give me anything with me being pregnant.

Have you tried steam inhalation? That can help.

@HappyTalkingTalkingHappyTalk yeah i’ve had my head permanently in our steamer hahaha! Nothing is budging it at the moment 😕

Could it be a wax build up at all? I know there's places that can microsuction it out if so. Blocked ears suck so I feel your pain. Hope you're sorted soon x

@FirstTimeTryer93 apparently not! They checked both of my ears and said they looked clear and that’s when they put it down to this Eustachian Dysfunction 🤔

I've had this before when full of cold and in fairness I may also have been pregnant it lasted for ages but then eventually cleared as the cold did, nothing I did made any difference I just needed to wait it out. I've only ever had it the once.

I am 13 weeks pregnant and have had a blocked ear on and off for a week or so following the hideous cold that you mention. I also had a chest infection recently too so you have my every sympathy.

I have been using a natural nasal spray (Otrivine eucalyptus which the pharmacist said was safe) and ear drops and it does seem to have helped. Just have the odd episodes of it feeling blocked now. I also used the Neilmed sinus rinse when I was really congested.

I hope you feel better soon x

I'm 33 weeks, got the winter virus thing going around about 3 weeks ago and had exactly the same thing!
Ears got better after a week or so, but still
Not back to normal. Some good days some bad.

@TheArtfulScreamer1 ah god I hope this doesn’t go on for much longer! It’s driving me mad 😂

@snowy29 i have been using a natural nasal spray myself and my nose isn’t that bad now but it just doesn’t seem to be letting up 🙁

@botleybump yeah it’s been rife hasn’t it! Mine has been over a week now and my GP said coughing won’t be helping it (god knows why) but I’m on my 2nd round of antibiotics because I just can’t shift this cough! Hopefully once that clears up my ear will too 🤞🏻

This is what they recommend for kids with glue ear, which is slightly different I think, but may be worth a go (basically helps them do the Valsalva manoeuvre): www.otovent.co.uk/buy-otovent/otovent/ )
Sympathy as I have had similar recently though not pregnant, it has more or less cleared up on its own...

I have chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction and swear by the otovent balloon. It can be a little uncomfortable if your tubes are badly blocked but it definitely helps to clear it 😊

No recommendations but I had this in November, drove me insane and both of mine were blocked so I could barely hear.

It did clear though! Think it lasted 3ish weeks but it did clear, so hang in there x

Hoping to start the day with some good news....been up an hour and my ears seem okay! Perhaps light at the end of the tunnel!

Still coughing though! 😩

@Teaandcrumpets95 Oh god, bless you! I can bearly cope with it in one ear let alone two! Glad yours cleared up though ☺️

@botleybump Ahh I’m so glad for you! Still coughing and blocked eat here sadly but seeing everyone else who has had something similar saying it did eventually clear has given me hope! Might just be a case of being patient

Sorry you're going through this too! I've had the same, chest infection that started in October and still coughing terribly with it, blocked ear since last week and now the other one has blocked and I've caught a cold on top of it. 36 weeks pregnant and hoping it clears before I go into labour as I don't think I can handle anything else 😂
Hope you recover soon, I've found running a humidifier in my room with olbyss oil in at night has helped with the breathing at night.

@jessrsp oh god I hope you’re starting to feel better soon!

Still no change for me tbh (nearly two weeks now) but feel like it’s something I’m going to wait out another week or so and see if it resolves, if not will probably go back the GP and see if they can refer me to ENT!

Hey, did this ever go away?

I am also wondering if it ever went away for op and if so how long it took.

How are you now @XMelissaWx?

I have had a blocked ear for maybe 2 weeks now and have truly had enough. It’s been after back to back viruses, one being Covid, so I know there’s reasoning behind it but it’s really affecting me now.

Have been to gp twice now and put on two types of antibiotics, the first lot was for sinus infection (after first virus I had awful pain in my sinuses, yellow gunk coming out of my nose, a disgusting taste in my mouth and smell in my nose and just generally was so poorly) and the second lot was when I went to check my ears weren’t full of wax. To my surprise they’re totally clear and she said it looked infected.. I have about 4 antibiotics left to take and I see no real improvement in my ability to hear again. No ear pain but just a constant almost bulging pressure like my
ears going to explode.

All I can hear is my own voice booming, my own breathing and either my own pulse raging or a constant ringing.. it’s becoming torturous tbh and turning me demented. I’m struggling to look after my children as I have no patience with constantly being out of sorts day after day. I’m still coughing up mucous, still have a killer sore throat during the night and mornings, my nose is still congested too.

I’m at a loss and truly started to panic I’ll be this way forever. It’s been 3 weeks since the first initial virus and I can’t believe I’m still suffering, it’s hell on earth. Do you have an update?

Did this ever go?? If so how long did it take?? I've got exactly the same think at the min and it's driving me crazy x

I’m pleased to say YESSSSSS!! It went away! 🙌🏻 I think my ear was blocked for about 3 weeks in total. After 3 weeks there was one weekend it just constantly kept popping and crackling, the relief was amazing. I remember bending down to unplug something and it was like the biggest pop ever and that gave me 75% of my hearing back alone.

Aww thats brill to hear( excuse the pun 🤣) I'm on week 2 at the min so hopefully will be better soon I've had some popping today so hopefully on the right track thank you for answering me it's really reassured me x x

I've had this now for 2 and a half weeks following a cold and cough. Waiting for ear to pop and drain. This thread gives me hope!

Exactly the same! Had cold for around 3 weeks, 2 lots of antibiotics and steriod nasal spray I've had, hoping this is now getting better it's been so frustrating! Hope you're on the mend soon x