Ears usually feel clogged due to a buildup of ear wax, although you can also experience a sensation like your ears are full or your hearing is muffled if you travel to higher elevations, much like our hearing seems distorted on a plane.
However, there are multiple other potential reasons you might feel like your ears are clogged, especially if this has been ongoing for an extended period and standard remedies like taking a steamy shower or practising a Valsalva manoeuvre haven’t worked.
For most people, blocked ears aren’t necessarily painful or uncomfortable, but can quickly become irritating and distracting, as noises may be hard to hear without straining or may appear muffled. If that sensation doesn’t go away and is accompanied by any soreness, we’d recommend having a hearing check as soon as possible.
Common Reasons for Clogged Ears That Don’t Self-Correct
- The most common reason you’ve had clogged ears for a few days is ear wax, because a blockage, or dried, impacted wax, doesn’t allow sounds to reach your eardrum in the normal way and needs to be removed to restore your hearing quality.
- Other possible causes include ear infections or pressure imbalances where air, fluid, or inflammation is impacting the way your ears feel.
- Any cause of clogged ears that persists for several days should be investigated, both because there is usually a quick and simple resolution and because the problem is likely to worsen if left untreated.
Clogged Ears and Buildups of Ear Wax
Ear wax is a normal part of how our ears stay clean. It prevents dust and contaminants from getting inside the ear and keeps the ear canal clean and healthy. Normal ear wax is soft, but if it becomes dry and hard or your ears produce too much wax, it can cause a blockage.
For most people, that sensation of clogged ears is accompanied by:
- Muffled and distorted hearing
- Ringing sounds in their ears
- Earache or mild discomfort
- Dizziness and issues with balance
Impacted ear wax is also often caused by using cotton buds, which push dry wax deeper into the ear canal, although this can be removed gently and thoroughly with an advanced microsuction wax removal treatment.
Related reading: Why do have large amounts of earwax falling out of my ears?
Ear Infections and a Feeling of Clogged Ears
There are two main types of ear infections, both of which can cause a feeling of clogged or blocked ears.
Outer ear infections, or swimmer’s ear, happen when water or moisture enters and stays inside the ear, creating an environment where bacteria can flourish. Usually, this is accompanied by pain, redness, discharge or fluid, and potentially fever.
Middle ear infections and inflammation are slightly different but have similar symptoms. They have numerous causes, but can be due to other infections such as chest infections or sinus complaints.
Eustachian Tube Blockages and Clogged Ears
The Eustachian tube is a part of your hearing that links your middle ear with the back of your throat and manages the draining of fluid away from your inner ears. If that tube is blocked, you may find your ears feel clogged.
Issues such as allergies and infections can cause Eustachian tube blockages, and this is more likely to happen if you also have a cold, flu or sinusitis.
If you have symptoms similar to a cold, such as coughing, sneezing, a sore throat, and a runny nose, your clogged ears could be a blockage in the Eustachian tube. It should be treated to prevent an infection from spreading into the middle ear.
High Altitudes and Their Connection With Clogged Ears
Our Eustachian tube performs several functions and is also tasked with equalising the pressure inside the inner ear. When altitudes change quickly, such as when scuba diving or flying, this doesn’t always work fast enough, and air pressure can build up.
Although clogged ears due to altitude are more likely to be temporary, there can be side effects and secondary issues like barotrauma – or aeroplane ear – which can be accompanied by pain and even short-term hearing loss.
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How to Treat Ears That Have Been Clogged for a Few Days
Of course, step one is to determine the underlying cause since it could be any of the issues we’ve mentioned here or even something entirely different! If you’ve had a clogged ear for a few days, we’d advise you to get this checked out.
There are numerous possible resolutions, depending on the reason for your clogged ears, and those could include:
- Medications to relieve sinus infections, ear infections, allergic reactions, cold symptoms, or the flu, such as pain relief, decongestants and antihistamines.
- Microsuction treatment effectively removes blocked and hardened ear wax without messy liquids, using an advanced suction device for a thorough, pain-free clean. It can also be used to remove any particles or contaminants causing irritation in your ears.
- Manoeuvres to rebalance the pressure inside your ears, advice around lifestyle changes, and self-care exercises you can practice at home to equalise and stabilise air pressure.
We use a variety of safe, clinically effective testing approaches based on your symptoms and concerns. We can quickly verify whether there is a blockage, injury, or infection contributing to or causing clogged ears and recommend strategies to restore your hearing quality.
When to Book a Hearing Check Due to Clogged Ears
Most temporary causes of clogged ears will self-correct rapidly, such as when your ears pop when the air pressure in an aircraft cabin stabilises, or the muffled sensation disappears when you yawn.
Although most causes of clogged ears aren’t a reason for serious concern, the issue won’t likely rectify itself if it’s already been a few days, and most home remedies are best avoided to ensure you don’t take a chance of making your symptoms worse.
In contrast, if you commonly have clogged ears and know that this relates to an allergic reaction, such as hay fever or is down to a cold, you can try treating your symptoms at home, using over-the-counter medications, and seeking help if your allergy or cold gets better but your hearing doesn’t.
