The most common cause of ear fullness is a blockage in the Eustachian tube, which may be the result of:
- Common cold
- Sinusitis (allergic, bacterial, or viral)
- Allergic rhinitis or hay fever
- Ear infection, such as swimmers’ ear or acute otitis media
- Impacted wax
- Foreign body impaction in the ear
- Changes in altitude or sudden, dramatic shifts in the air pressure
The Eustachian tube is an organ that connects the ear to the upper part of the throat, permits the drainage of fluid from the middle ear, and maintains air pressure in the ears and sinuses.
Ear fullness is a sensation of having a blocked, clogged, or stuffed ear. This can cause muffled hearing or crackling noises in the ear. While a feeling of fullness in the ear usually only lasts a few minutes or days, sensations that last longer than a week could indicate ear problems.
What ear conditions cause ear fullness?
- Meniere’s disease: Inner ear disease in which fluid buildup in the inner ear leads to loss of balance and pressure changes. Symptoms include ear fullness, severe dizziness, and hearing loss
- Cholesteatoma: Abnormal skin growth in the middle ear that presents with symptoms such as foul-smelling discharge, ear pain, and hearing loss
- Acoustic neuroma: Benign tumor of the nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. Symptoms include hearing loss, ringing sensation in the ear, and ear fullness
- Chronic otitis media: Prolonged bacterial, viral, or fungal infection of the middle ear that leads to fluid buildup in the middle ear and causes ear fullness along with hearing loss.
How to get rid of ear fullness
Tips for getting rid of ear fullness include the following:
- Move your mouth: Move your mouth up and down by swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum. You can also try taking a deep breath and exhale through your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut until you hear a popping sound.
- Use gravity: If water is stuck in the ear canal from a recent shower or swim, help drain the area by turning your head to one side and gently pulling your earlobe in different directions.
- Nasal spray: If you tend to get ear congestion during air travel, try a decongestant nasal spray one hour before traveling. Always consult your doctor before using any medications.
- Hot towel: If severe pain occurs while on a flight, place a hot towel tightly over the opening of your ear. The heat may relieve pressure on your eardrum.
- For babies: If a baby has a blocked ear, give them water or milk to drink or a pacifier to suck on.
Other options for clearing clogged ears may include:
- Topical nasal steroids, especially for allergies
- Ventilation tubes, in severe cases, to drain fluid and relieve pressure
- Antihistamine medication for hay fever
When to see a doctor about ear fullness
Seek medical treatment if the feeling of fullness in your ear lasts longer than 2 weeks or is accompanied by other symptoms such as:
- Severe ear pain
- Tinnitus
- High fever (higher than 101 F) that lasts 48 hours or more
- Severe headache
- Throbbing or tenderness behind the ear (especially over the bone)
- Swelling and redness of the skin surrounding the ear
- Drainage of pus from the ear
Any ear discomfort in a small child should be evaluated by a physician.
Park MS, Lee HY, Kang HM, Ryu EW, Lee SK, Yeo SG. Clinical manifestations of aural fullness. Yonsei Med J. 2012;53(5):985-991. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3423854/
Mayo Clinic. Plugged ears: What is the remedy? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/expert-answers/plugged-ears/faq-20058092
Boys Town National Research Hospital. Ear Fullness. https://www.boystownhospital.org/knowledge-center/ear-fullness
Harvard Health Publishing. Ask the doctor: Nothing works for fullness in ears. Any suggestions? https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/nothing-works-for-fullness-in-ears-any-suggestions
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