blocked ears!

[chazza]

I have a slight cold and my ears were a bit blocked. I held my nose and blew down my nose in an attempt to clear them but it has just made things worse!

Any ideas how i can clear my ears? I can hear hardly anything now!

[Clanad]

Unfortunately, a lot of people attempt to clear their ears using this old wive's tale. The fact is the Eustachian tubes are very small (about the size of a piece of spaghetti) tubes running from the ears to the back of the throat (actually to the lower nasal area). The design is for the drainage to flow from the ears downward to the throat. To hold the nose and force air up the tubes (Valsalva Manuever)is counterproductive and, as you have experienced, often makes things worse. Firstly, spray a simple saline solution profusely up your nose and sniff the solution repeatedly into the sinus cavities. There are several, inexpensive squeeze bottles available at druggists. There's no medication in the solution. Then, hold your nose an swallow. This assists the natural direction of the mucous flow and is called the Toynbee Manuever. another, similar manuever is to fit the tongue against the roof of the mouth as far forward as you can, then attempt to raise the back of the tounge upwards as far as you can. This is called the Fenzel Manuever, but has the same effect as the previously described Toynbee. In the winter months, dry air affects the mucous membranes and is one of the major causes of your condition. If you have any way of adding moisture to the air in your home, it will help. it also lessens the chances of catchings colds...

[lindapinda]

This has happened me before too,and it is really horrible.I find Otex ear drops are pretty good.It certainly gives you a new perspective on how lucky we are to have good hearing though.