A muffled, clogged sensation, occasional pain, and a lot of frustration. The Golden Rule: Don't Force It Before we get to the fixes, a warning: Do not plug your nose and blow hard.
When you catch a virus, the membranes in your nose and throat swell. That swelling pinches those tiny tubes shut. Mucus also backs up into the space behind your eardrum. Because the tube is blocked, the air inside the ear gets absorbed, creating negative pressure. That suction pulls your eardrum inward. how to unclog your ears when sick
There is a unique, frustrating hell that comes with being sick. Your nose is stuffy, your head feels like a bowling ball, and on top of everything else—your ears have decided to go on strike. A muffled, clogged sensation, occasional pain, and a
Don’t worry. You aren’t losing your hearing. You’re just dealing with , a very common side effect of colds, flu, and sinus infections. That swelling pinches those tiny tubes shut
While the Valsalva maneuver (pinching your nose and blowing) works great for airplane pressure, it can backfire when you are sick. You are essentially forcing bacteria-laden mucus from your nose up into your already inflamed middle ear. This can turn a simple clog into a painful ear infection.
Here is the "why" behind the clog, and the safe "how" to pop your ears without hurting your eardrums. Inside your head, tiny canals called Eustachian tubes connect your middle ear to the back of your throat. Their job is to drain fluid and equalize air pressure.