Why Do My Ears Feel Clogged?

Your ears are sensitive, and when they feel clogged, it can be very distracting. Wearing earplugs can feel a bit foreign or even a bit annoying, and it typically muffles the sound. While muffled sound can be from wearing earmuffs, earplugs, or even from plugging your ears with your fingers, other times, they can feel clogged for unknown reasons. Hearing the world muffled can quickly become a distraction and an annoyance, especially if you don’t know what it stems from. If your ears feel clogged, there could be several reasons for this.

Who doesn’t want to hear the world at full volume? However, if your ears feel clogged, it can put a damper on your day and your spirit. However, proper know-how can help you diagnose your issue. Here are the most common reasons your ears feel clogged.

Fluid in the Ear

You could have fluid in the ear for a few reasons. Whenever you are bathing, swimming, or are in a moist environment; water can become trapped inside the Eustachian tubes. When this happens, tilting your head sideways and pulling the earlobe gently can help any fluid in the ear drain. Yawning, chewing, or taking a deep breath may also help. You can also develop fluid in the ear from a middle ear infection. When you have an ear infection, you may experience clogged ears fur to built-up fluid behind the eardrum.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

One of the most common types of sensorineural hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can occur in one or both ears. NIHL can occur over some time, or it can happen from a one-time exposure, such as from a blast or explosion. So if you experience tinnitus (ringing in your ears) or if your ears feel clogged after a loud event, the chances of it being from excessive noise exposure are high. Luckily, noise-induced hearing loss is highly preventable if you take the proper precautions against hearing loss.

Sinus Pressure

While sinus pressure can often be accompanied by facial tenderness and stuffed nasal passages, it can also come with temporary hearing loss. There are sinus cavities located near the ear canal, so when you have an inflamed sinus cavity, your Eustachian tubes can also swell. The pressure is placed on the eardrum, which can cause you to experience pain, hearing loss, and can even make your ears feel clogged. Luckily, these symptoms will clear once the sinus congestion clears, but it still doesn’t hurt to see your family doctor to help you with any discomfort.

Impacted Earwax

Earwax is necessary for the ear, as it helps keep the ears clean and protected from dirt and other pollutants. Due to its sticky consistency, earwax helps keep the ears clean since it naturally falls out of the ear canal on its own. However, earwax can become impacted but can impact your ability to hear and cause your ears to feel clogged. If you think you might have impacted earwax, do not try to remove the earwax yourself. Using cotton swabs can push the earwax deeper into the canal. Instead, see your physician or hearing care professional to get the earwax safely removed from the affected ear.