Treating ear obstruction due to pressure

Ear blockage

The ear is the organ responsible for hearing, which is defined as one of the senses that God Almighty has granted to man. One of the diseases and one of the most prominent problems that the ear is exposed to is an obstruction that may occur for external or internal reasons, and the blockage of the ear leads to several symptoms, including feeling uncomfortable, pain and difficulty in hearing, and acute ear obstruction is usually - temporarily - not dangerous The human body can deal with it without the need for intervention, but in other cases, the patient may resort to simple solutions that help treat the blocked ear.

Symptoms of ear obstruction

  There are many symptoms associated with ear obstruction, and the symptoms of ear obstruction vary according to the reason leading to it. These accompanying symptoms are:

• pain in the ear.
• Tinnitus in the ear.
• Hearing impairment.
• Dizziness.
• Redness in the ear if injured due to swimming.

Causes of blockage

 Ear Everyone suffers in some cases to a blockage in the ear, for various reasons that may be internal from the human body or external due to the surrounding environment, and these reasons are:

•  Earwax: If the earwax hardens in the auditory canal, this leads to a blockage of the ear.
•  Rapid pressure change: This often occurs at rapid altitude when riding a plane or diving in the deep ocean.
• Blockage of the Eustachian tube: It is the channel that connects the ear to the throat. A blockage occurs in this channel in case of colds, sinusitis, and allergies.
•  Auditory nerve tumor: It is the growth of a benign mass, this mass is usually small in size and grows slowly, but if it grows significantly it causes blockage in the ear.
• Swimming: Water entering and remaining in the ear leads to ear infections, which in turn lead to blockage of the ear.

The effect of air pressure on the body

 The ear is affected quickly when a sudden change in external pressure occurs, but it needs a period in order to restore balance inside the ear, where behind the eardrum there is a channel called the Eustachian canal which is a channel that connects the ear, nose, and throat, this channel helps air to and from the middle ear to get the balance of the internal pressure with the external pressure, for example when landing in the plane, the external air pressure is high compared to the pressure in the middle ear, that leads to opening in the Astaxius duct to enter the air into the middle ear in order to increase the pressure inside the middle ear and thus the balance occurs between the external pressure and the pressure Evacuated, in the case of colds or infections, the eustachian tube becomes narrow and do not allow air to enter or exit, which leads to a blockage in the ear, and in the case of children, the eustachian tube is narrower than children suffers a blockage in the ear.

Treating ear obstruction due to pressure

 In most cases, the treatment of ear blockage due to pressure is by natural means or by using drugs and drugs. The treatment depends on methods that help open the Eustachian tube, and these methods are:

•  Eating chewing gum and sugar when feeling squeezed or an obstructed ear can help alleviate this obstruction.
• The method of breathing is by taking a deep inhale, then closing the mouth and nose and pushing the air out of the nose while it is closed. Persistent yawning, breathing and swallowing exercises help treat ear obstruction.
• Giving children a way to drink or breastfeed them.
•  In some cases resort to decongestants that are in the form of nasal spray or in the form of tablets, as it works to remove this blockage.
•  In the event of an ear infection, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, in this case, contributes to reducing the obstruction.
• In the case of diving, it is preferable to dive deeper gradually and then go up gradually, and to avoid diving completely when suffering from any diseases of the ears or any inflammation or sensitivity of the respiratory system.

Prevention of ear obstruction

To prevent ear blockage in the event of an infection or a cold, it is best to postpone any plane flight and avoid diving, but in the case of need for that, there are some steps that help to avoid ear blockage, such as:

• In the case of colds and inflammation, and nasal spray should be used an hour before the flight of the plane, or take oral medications that remove nasal congestion during a cold, and it helps prevent ear blockage also in the event of bacterial infections taking antibiotics.
•  The use of earplugs for flights that give the ear more time to deal with the difference in air pressure.
•  Stay awake while the plane is landing.
• Keep children in a straight sitting position while the plane is landing, and give them a feed or pacifier to avoid clogging the ear.
•  Use swimming earplugs.
• Avoid using cotton sticks inside the ear, preferably using a paper towel moistened with warm water and cleaning the outer part of the ear.
• Refer to the specialist doctor when feeling pain, dizziness, or fluid coming out of the ear, or hearing tinnitus, or if something is lost from the hearing.

Source :

^ A B Why Does My Ear Feel Clogged ?,, www.healthline.com, Retrieved in 26-11-2018, Edited ↑ What Is Ear Barotrauma ?,, "www.webmd.com", Retrieved in 26-11-2018 , Edited ↑ Ear barotrauma,, "www.medlineplus.gov", Retrieved in 27-11-2018, Edited ↑ Barotrauma,, "www.health.harvard.edu", Retrieved in 27-11-2018, Edited ↑ "treatment Ear obstruction due to atmospheric pressure ", youtube.com, Retrieved 14-01-2020.