Ears won't unplug a week after air travel (sinus, infection, doctors)
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When you went to the clinic, were you checked for an inner ear infection? I had a similar experience when flying with a cold. The flight didn’t cause the infection, the cold just evolved into it. I was prescribed antibiotics. It took another week for the ear pressure to resolve...I think the antibiotics were 14 days. Wow, I was miserable.
I am a pilot. We have a procedure called "valsalving." Open your mouth so your teeth are about. Half inch apart. Jut your jaw as far forward as you can. Move your ears to the rear. Do all this simultaneously. Repeat as necessary. This works unless you are badly congested from a cold or allergy. Back during WWII, they used to perforate the ear drums of dive bomber pilots.
You should check with your doctor first, but I needed Sudafed for something like this until it cleared. Good luck, it's a horrible feeling but it will clear.
If you ever have to fly with a cold again (try not to if you can avoid it!) I recommend Sudafed the day of flying. Advil can help too. Sometimes Afrin can help if there is nasal congestion. Earplanes are also AMAZING
I went to a clinic today to get wax out. There was quite a buildup but unfortunately it didn't resolve this. One thing is I should mention is I had a cold when I was on the plane...that could be a reason this is happening.
Yes. I flew once when I had a sinus infection. The pain was incredible. I didn't know that would happen, but I had to get back to my work.
Went to the Dr as soon as I could. Just had to wait it out. I lost hearing for about a week. There wasn't any permanent damage.
I am a pilot. We have a procedure called "valsalving." Open your mouth so your teeth are about. Half inch apart. Jut your jaw as far forward as you can. Move your ears to the rear. Do all this simultaneously. Repeat as necessary. This works unless you are badly congested from a cold or allergy. Back during WWII, they used to perforate the ear drums of dive bomber pilots.
I didn't know there was a name for it but that's what I do. Someone must have told me because it's not something you'd think of on your own.
I also like the recommendations for Sudafed. As a longtime FORMER sinus infection sufferer, that stuff really used to help. (Sinus surgery fixed it completely though.)
This used to happen to me whenever I took a flight. Learned to take an antihistiman a couple of hours before landing and also chew gum when the plane was decreasing elevation. Sometimes, in the past, it would take me a week before I’d hear the loud crack and my ear(s) would clear. It may help to chew gum during this clogged time. I would also hold my nose, close my mouth— piercing my lips tightly — and blow hard a few times a day. That would sometimes clear it
When you went to the clinic, did they look to see if the eardrum had ruptured/perforated?
I flew last year with a bad cold, and my eardrum ruptured during the flight. It wasn't painful, but I could not hear very well for some time. Nurse practitioner confirmed it had ruptured.
Make sure it has not ruptured because you should not put anything in your ear if it has. It will heal on its own, but it will take some time for you to hear clearly.
Thanks for all the comments. I find them comforting. I went to a clinic, the only one open on Sunday's, they had a second rate doctor who didn't check for an infection. I am going to my real doctor tomorrow. It probably is an infection...even if I have little or no pain.
You might have a eustachian tube problem that has to do with drainage and pressure and not ear wax. In Europe that's called "glue ear" and my son had this exact same problem after a bad cold. For two weeks his ears were plugged and we had tried everything. I ordered a simple device called Otovent. It's just a plastic thing where you attach a balloon to one end and blow air out of a nostril at a time to inflate the balloon. My son used this several times and his ears magically popped.
You can also use an electric device called Eustachi (easily found with a search). You plug one nostril and the device forces air into the other all the while you swallow. This can also help unplug your ears although I found the Otovent to work better. However, with both usually it takes repeated use over a few hours to get relief. Some people have chronic eustachian tube dysfunction where they have this problem all the time.
Last edited by Coloradomom22; 12-11-2017 at 01:53 PM..
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