Clogged ears can cause hearing to be muffled as well as make you extremely uncomfortable. It can be as a result of middle ear infection or when fluid gets stuck in the middle of the ear. A middle ear infection is referred to as otitis media, and it is a condition that mostly occurs in children. This infection occurs if fluid fails to clear from the middle ear. It can be as a result of:
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How To Drain Fluid From The Middle Ear?
LAST UPDATED: October 17th, 2022 | BY: Stacy Merci 
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Allergies.
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Irritation from cigarette smoke.
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Respiratory infections.
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Adenoids becoming enlarged.
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Having a cold or sore throat.
You can seek medical attention if you have pain in both your ears, have fluid coming out of the ear, have muffled hearing, or if you have a sore throat. The doctor will be able to diagnose the condition and treat it using medicine or he might use an effusion.
How To Get Water Out Of Ears? - Steps Below
To avoid an escalation of such condition, you can learn how to drain fluid from middle ear. Once you notice any clogged ears, you can try a few of the home techniques. These include:
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Swallowing: Whenever you swallow, the eustachian tube opens automatically. This is the tube connecting the back of the nose to the middle ear. You can also chew gum or suck on candy to help in opening this tube.
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Yawning: You can fake a yawn to open the eustachian tube. You can do so by opening your mouth wide as you breathe in and out. You can do so several times to unclog the ears and drain the fluid out.
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Valsalva maneuver: Here, you pinch your nose to close it, keep your cheeks neutral, and gently blow the air out of the nostrils. There is a pressure that is generated at the back of the nose as a result, which helps to unclog the eustachian tube.
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Using a warm washcloth: You can use a warm washcloth or heating pad pressed against the ear to get rid of congestion as well as open the eustachian tube. If the ears are clogged as a result of cold, this method is very effective.
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Toynbee maneuver: Here, you will need to pinch your nostrils shut and swallow. This technique is also as effective as the Valsalva maneuver. You can try the two exercises to see the one that works well for you as the results may differ from one person to another.
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Nasal corticosteroids: This depends on the use of over-the-counter drugs. It is good to bear in mind that these should not be used for long periods of time. These nasal steroids reduce inflammation in the nasal passage, which helps in unclogging the ears and draining out any fluid.
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Nasal decongestants: You need to be careful when using these drugs and ensure that you follow all the instructions indicated to avoid affecting your hearing. Once you use this medicine, you can use the Valsalva or Toynbee maneuver to pop the ears. Prolonged use of these decongestants is not recommended.
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You can try these procedures at home only when the condition is mild. The air supplied to the middle ear by the eustachian tubes keeps a normal pressure on both sides of the ear. When the pressure changes as a result of fluid buildup, the eardrum may bulge outwards or inwards. Popping the ear helps restore this balance.
What to do in Order to Avoid This Problem
The following tips can help you prevent water from getting stuck in your ear:
Recommended: Swimming Earplugs.
Use Of Ventilation Tubes
If you have a persistent problem, it is advisable to seek medication attention immediately. Also, if you start experiencing pain in your ears, you need to go to a hospital. The doctor can perform a full physical exam and rule out conditions such as adenoids, ear infection or sinus, common cold, earwax buildup, common cold, allergies as well as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ).
The doctor can recommend the use of ventilation tubes in extreme cases to drain the fluid from your ear. This procedure reduces the pain caused by eliminating the pressure from your ear. This is a surgical procedure where the doctor inserts thin ventilation tubes referred to as pressure equalizing (PE) tubes to drain out the fluid.
The procedure is done under local anesthesia, and it can be performed on one or both ears. This procedure can take about ten minutes in the doctor’s office or the hospital. The pressure equalizing (PE) tubes have been designed to fall out on their own, which happens after one or two years.
