My Ear Won’t Pop
I flew back to LA this afternoon, several hours ago in fact, and my right ear still hasn’t popped. I have a cold, with congestion focused especially on the right side of my sinuses. For whatever reason, that seems to be keeping that ear from popping. I’ve tried yawning (a lot), chewing gum, holding my nose and blowing… everything, but nothing.
My left one popped right after landing (per usual), but the right one simply refuses. So now everything sounds funny. Really funny. The left ear hears normal, but through my right ear, it’s like I’m still on the plane. It could be the cold, but it seems this audio disconnect is giving my brain a headache to boot.
As if being sick wasn’t unpleasant enough.
Man, this sucks.
January 19th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Sometimes, a big strong sneeze helps to pop ears.
January 19th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
…or rupture eardrums.
I’ve heard a case of beer solves this problem.
January 20th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Guess you’ve been out here in the midwest…we are pretty much all suffering from the same thing.
:))
ps….prob should run to the doctor for this one. (with apologies for always being a mom)
January 21st, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I had this happen to me after flying with a cold. It took about 5 days or so for it to finally pop. Boy did that feel great when it finally did!
January 22nd, 2007 at 12:02 pm
blow your nose that always does it for me eventually
January 22nd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
just have sang pee in your ear — his Korean urine has strong healing properties.
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
my ear is doing the same thing. i havent flown or changed elevation lately either. its super annoying. I heard that the passage way that allows your ears to equalize is located in the back of your throat and if you have had any congestion problems or sinus, it can actually cause a mucas build up that puts pressure on the tubes of the passage way blocking one or both of them. Right know im going with the bashing head against wall until i fall down and pass out.then i redo it if i awaken and still have the problem. If you cant do that, go find a black guy and get some marijuana and smoke it. it will at least make ur ear problem seem sycadelic.
February 14th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
You might try taking a product like benadryl which will shrink the inflamed area and allow the ears to pop.
February 25th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
my ears fricken hurt you guys suck, send me some of sang’s urine
March 31st, 2007 at 8:20 am
the same exact thing just happend to me
i too have a cold. at least this means im not crazy
April 20th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Hey,
I love what you’e doing!
Don’t ever change and best of luck.
Raymon W.
April 23rd, 2007 at 5:00 pm
so, william did you have any luck with your ear situation. if so, please help. i went on a cruise in jan and 3 months later, my balance is still off and my as not completely popped or rather it will not stay popped. i have been to doc and and ent, but nothing has yet to totally get me back to normal. you are correct…this sucks!! well, let me know if you found anything or anyone that helped.
April 23rd, 2007 at 5:01 pm
so, william did you have any luck with your ear situation? if so, please help. i went on a cruise in jan and 3 months later, my balance is still off and my as not completely popped or rather it will not stay popped. i have been to doc and and ent, but nothing has yet to totally get me back to normal. you are correct…this sucks!! well, let me know if you found anything or anyone that helped.
April 25th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Liz, my ear cleared up by itself a day or two later. Sorry I don’t have anything better. My recommendation would be to see a doctor, but sounds like you’ve already tried that…
August 3rd, 2007 at 9:34 pm
try drinking something hot like tea or lemon and honey. stay away from dairy which could clog up your sinus more…hope that helps!!!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Liz…from what I’m reading if this problem continues for an extended period of time it could be Meniere’s Disease, which is a problem with the middle ear not connected to a cold or whatnot. You might want to ask your docs about it.
November 10th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
omg, this has happened to me not, ive got a cold and my right ear kept going on and off, popping and unpopping, but its just popped now and is pretty sour, and wont go back to normal, plzzzzz help…
November 10th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Oh and if i put vodka on a cotten ball then put that in my ear will that work?
December 14th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Sounds like you have congestion. Basically your stuffed up and your eustachian tube not opening which regulates the presure in your ear. My ENT suggested I use Afrin Nose spray and take Sudafed when I flew (spray 20 minute before take off). But this sounds like a combination of a cold and a flight. My advice, take sudafed every 4 hours and use Afrin nose spray twice a day. Your ear will relax and pop in 1-3 days. The only other way is steroids from your doctor, but they take about the same time.
January 7th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Just push in the little flap by your earhole to close off all sound and you’ll feel it pop eventually :)
January 10th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Thank you! I just got off a plane with the same thing (flew with a cold and my right ear won’t pop). I so appreciate knowing it’ll go away, I was afraid I had caused permanent damage or something.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I went to the mountains this weekend, with a cold. On the way down it didn’t pop once. I woke up this morning thinking it would be gone… boy was I wrong. This sucks… it annoys me So badly… ive tried everything im going to go crazy… :(
January 28th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Fly every week for work and this was the first week that my right ear popped and won’t pop back — been this way for two days –Pharmacist recomended Benadryl — which I’ve been taking religiously but it hasn’t helped for squat.
Feel like have major blob stuck in throat as well, which isn’t helping the effort to swallow hard or sneeze.
Tried the nose blow trick about 20 times, no luck…
Blob in the throat and a blocked ear — can’t hear for squat and my head feels like its going to blow off — somebody PLEASE HELP!!
February 14th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I have the same problem going. Tomorrow will be a week, I did benadryl, Sudaphed, Nose spray, Allegra, (not all at once) and steroidal nose spray, I am DESPERATE……..can I put nose spray in my ear….desperate thoughts from a desperate person….I wanna scream!!!
February 14th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I’ve got the same problem for a few hours– but I’m still desperate! Desperate enough to google “pop ear won’t pop back” and find this site! I’ve just tried Mucinex since everyone here seems to say it’s because of mucus.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
OMG! I’m not alone! I have had the nastiest congestion since Sunday morning and now I can’t pop my ears. I tried to pop them last night a few times, only got some squealing (and my hopes up), but nothing permanent.
Went to the doc yesterday who gave me a nose spray, which does nothing but taste nasty, and told me to get a Neti Pot!! I had no idea what that was, but it’s like a little teapot that you fill with water and saline solution and pour it IN YOUR NOSTRIL until it comes out the other side!! LOL!! I did it. I didn’t work, but man did that ever feel bizarre. I’m going to try it again tonight, if not to help, just to gross my husband out.
Anyone try any ear drops? Or that bulb thing they use to clean wax out of childrens’ ears?
February 23rd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Same exact thing here. Went skiing while sick with a cold in high altitudes in CO, and upon descent, neither ear popped until late that night. Flew back to sea level the next day, and haven’t had me ears pop since the flight a week ago. Tried the netti pot, full regimen of decongestants and nasal sprays, breathing steam, yawning, gum, etc. No Dice. I’ve tried ear candles, but the problem isn’t the actual ear being congested, it’s sinus congestion pressing on the ear canal I think. Anyone better yet?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:04 am
same for me - my right one just wont go. strange how always seems to be the right one…
February 26th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Me too - 1 week now - was both ears now just the right…
I had a sore throat before getting on the plane, at descent the sore throat seemed to push up into my ears.
Had two goes at acupuncture - one go at cranial osteopathy, every over the counter drug I was recommended, antibiotics, but its still blocked….
Was supposed to fly to LA for a meeting yesterday, had to cancel - its horrid and insane…
Did some-one who posted above find a CURE!?! beyond waiting?
My doctor said it could take 4-6 weeks to ‘pop’ - is she crazy - I work in a recording studio - what am I supposed to do?
PLEASE HELP
March 28th, 2008 at 6:26 am
Same thing happened to me went on holdays just under two weeks ago had a sore throat and my ears blocked on the descent and are still blocked. I have this problem alot but they clear after an hour or so this time the right one is especially blocked. Went to two doctors they prescribed anti-biotics “augmentin”, rhinocort spray, vicks inahler and friars balsam. Done all this for a fews days and still blocked seems to get worse when I drink alcohol so I am going to stop that. Tried a squillion times to hold my nose and blow but that is dangerous as it can blow your ear drum. My doc said it will take two weeks yo clear after the medication it has been 5 days and still waiting if anything it is getting worse.
Last resort is they make a samll incision in the ear to release the pressure but it is ancient technology and not recommended.
Still waiting patiently and will let you know if the concotion I am using is helping.
David
March 29th, 2008 at 8:19 am
4-6 weeks?! No way! I am having the same problem right now. I flew yesterday and have had a headcold for the past week or so.
My right ear won’t pop and like everyone else I have tried everything (gum, yawning, blowing while plugging my nose, decongestants, etc.). This morning I took Claritin and Robitussin so maybe that will work. If it take 4-6 weeks I will go insane. I can deal with maybe 3-5 days, but next Friday I have to fly again so I hope I’m not sick by then!
April 14th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Five days for me, in the right ear. I hold my nose and blow and get the worst transistor squeal you can imagine. Not sure if that can blow your eardrum out or what! Doc put me on Rescon and Amoxicillin (as it started at the end of a sinus infection).
April 15th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
went 2 the doc yesterday for the 2nd time (for the left ear not popping) (yea, flew to vegas while sick, but it was vegas, how could i not go) gave me allegra and some other nose spray stuff, the first time he gave me zithromax z pack. (grrrrreeeaaat, get over the cold and get allergies!!) i told him i wanted a referral to a ear nose and throat doc - he said that i have to wait for it to pop itself. im making the appointment tomorrow for the ent, my friend told me they put a hole in your eardrum or something, sounds scary but i want this to go away, the sound of my heartbeat is really getting on my nerves. remember this guys, ear nose and throat specialist!
April 16th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Man I have had this problem for months now, talk about driving you nuts. I am one of those won’t go to the doctor unless I’m dying types but this has got to go. I am making an apointment with an ENT, hopefully something comes of it. I can hear my back crunch when I walk, my heart beat when I am working out, an echo inside my head, really quite freaky. The worst part of it all is hearing myself breathe, makes me want to hold my breath when on the phone, then I run out of breath and can’t talk right. Really sucks, hope everyone finds a cure….. I’ll let you know if I get this fixed.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Just arrived home to LA from Vegas with mild head congestion before getting on the plane. Same problem, right ear won’t pop completely although it seems to be getting better. I have been able to relieve some of the pressure by tilting my head back, twisting it slightly away from the right ear, and blowing gently with my mouth and nose closed. I also get that crazy shrill squeal but it is accompanied by a dramatic release of the pressure. So far, i’ve been able to get the squeal twice and it seems to be going away. Good luck to the rest of you and thanks for putting all of this info on the net!!!
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I have the same thing! But i wasnt flying or anything. I started with a cough/runny nose/sore throat. then one night at 5am i woke up to an earache, took medicine, got better, went to sleep, then next morning that weird feeling in left ear. been here like 3 days so far. :P
putting my finger on the round sticky out part thingy on my ear and moving the finger up and down feels good. hope it works! :)
May 1st, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I’m having the same problem. I flew yesterday with a cold, and when I landed both ears were clogged and would not pop. Today, the right ear popped but the left has not. I’m going crazy. I’ve used some nose spray, but no luck. Not sure what to do next.
May 4th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
My ear aint popped since wed, then assoon as i come on this website (5 days later) i had my little finger in the opposite ear to the one that was blocked, poking around, and it just popped :)! Dunno if it just popped naturally or if the finger in the other ear helped, or even just reading this website! Its all good now tho, i feel sorry for everyone else tho, hearing yourself breath constantly for 5 days is so annoying!
Peace!
May 8th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
you guys think you have it bad. well on march 27, 2007 i got a bad sinus infection and strep throat and ever since, my ear hasn’t popped. been to multiple docs and no one knows what’s wrong. i kinda hope its Meniere’s Disease like that person said so at least they will be able to solve it!
May 17th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Mine left year has been like that for 2 years. First the buzzing then the thintis set in. I have the Meniere,s disease. Cant hear nothing and it was my good ear. Been to every specialist .Nothing. Thanks R. Flynn
June 9th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I havnt been on a plane but my left ear has been popped for 3 days now and its driving me crazy. I went to the doctors todays and she said try chewing upside down, hand nose blowing and warm water in the ear. none have work and the last one made it worse
June 12th, 2008 at 8:25 am
You should try plugging your nose (like you’re going to jump in a pool)and then blow out, you’ll feel the inside of your ear puff up and then just keep blowing they should pop shortly after that!
Also for wax build-up in your ears you should try beeswax sticks. They’re just a piece of beeswax wrapped with a hollow center, you put one in your ear the light it (sounds scary but it’s not) then blow it out right away. The beeswax burns down and somehow it pulls wax out of your ears. It feels amazing and you can hear so clearly after!
June 15th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Nick, thanks for your message! My left ear hasn’t popped in 3 or 4 days and I thought I was going to go insane! I’ve tried sudafed, holding my nose and blowing, q-tips, all to no avail. When I’m in a car driving up a tiny hill, the pressure in my ear builds up. During the last few days, going up 3 feet in altitude is worse than any plane ride I’ve taken. I didn’t even have a cold. I have no idea what triggered my blocked ears. Just now after reading your post, I took a turkey baster and flushed hot water in my ear several times. Then I pushed the little ear flap in and out a bunch of times to help drain the water. Then I tilted my head in the direction of the blocked ear to allow to drain while pulling my ear canal open using my fingers on my cheek. My ear popped but would unpop immediately. After pushing the ear flap over and over and letting it pop and unpop, the unpopping became fewer and far between. Then at one point I noticed that it popped, but didn’t unpop again. I left my head tilted to the side to drain to make sure that it was going to stick this time. I continued to stretch open the ear canal by pulling on my cheek by the ear. It’s been 10 minutes now and my ear seems to be back to normal! (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself…) I know you said that using warm water didn’t work for you, but I’m singing Hallelujah as we speak! Thanks again!
June 25th, 2008 at 9:08 am
i have a cold and alot of mucus and i was listening to music on my ear phones and my right ear popped it feels annoying and uncomfortable and it wont pop back, i tried the nose trick and nothing.. only my left ear popped and nothing happens on my right ear and i cant hear anything on it, im going to try to drink something hot and yawn see if it pops back
June 26th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Any success Roger? I have the same problem.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
well I poured honey in my ear and then really hot salt water And keepit there for thirty to sixty seconds it may feel strange in the process but it really soothes yer ear
July 5th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I’m going through this myself. Been 9 hours. I can’t imagine you poor souls that have had this sympton for months or even YEARS! I am going to try Benadryl, and unlike most of the previous posters, I will let you folks know if it works or not.
July 6th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Immediately after my first post I tried drinking orange juice while resting my neck on the chair and leaning my head back. It helped for a moment, which is the first time I’ve “felt my ear move” in 9 hours. If nothing else the orange juice should help with my cold!
I also just tried leaning my head off the end of the bed and exhaling (breathing out) through my nose while inhaling (breathing in) through my mouth. Had a decent amount of success with that as long as I stayed upside down.
—-
Now in the morning of day 2. I took some Robatussin last night, and it didn’t seem to do much. I woke up today with my cold worsened, and my ear still unpopped. It will unpop temporarily if I do the activities mentioned above.
More than 24 hours later and still unpopped. The drugs seem to help a little. I bought Sudafed and Vicks Nasal Decongestant spray. Hopefully just a matter of time now, I will let you folks know.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! i know exactly how all of you feel. i am 16 years old. this happened to me when i had a cold, and my family and i took a trip to disney world. the sinus pressure in the plane ride made me feel horrible. when we landed, my ears had been completley blocked.i couldn’t hear anything. all i could hear was myself breathing, chewing, swallowing, and my heartbeat. i thought it would go away in a few days, or on the plane ride back. MY EARS DIDN’T POP FOR NEARLY FOUR WEEKS!!!!!!! I HAD THOUGHT THAT I HAD GONE DEAF!!! I tried everything, warm water, the blowing in your nose, nothiing worked. then one day about four weeks later, i sneezed very hard and i felt a painful squeel in my ears. i tried to blow with my mouth shut and it finally had another painful squeel, AND I COULD HEAR AGAIN!!!!!!!! AFTER FOUR WEEKS, IT FINALLY WENT AWAY!!! but now, the same thing happened to me again, and that is why i am here now.
July 10th, 2008 at 2:58 am
hey all. Am out to dinner with mates and had this issue. Have a mild cold. Fixed issue by holding ear flap in for 2 or 3 mins, then holding nose and popping ears WHILST still holding flap. Feel much better. Good luck all.
August 17th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
burping/hiccuping helps.. but its momentary relief. in the meanwhile, keep reading up on people’s hilarious suggestions - beats feeling miserable!
and check this out too - http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/17/SPAD12CS4V.DTL
August 19th, 2008 at 9:00 am
to andrew from February 3rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm…
what the fuck is “go find a black guy and get some marijuana and smoke it.” suppose 2 mean?
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I had the same question/thought… why do you have to find a black guy to find some pot? All the people I know that smoke weed are white dudes.
My ear has been blocked for a week - It became blocked when I used the Neti Pot. I want to scream at my friend who strongly encouraged me to use it even though I wasn’t feeling like I should. I’d already been sick for 2 weeks with sinusitis…
It’s great to read all the home remedies. I’m afraid to hold my nose and blow though. I just try to blow my nose and wow - I get the squelch and it hurts! And it doesn’t do anything to unblock my ear. I’m going to try the warmed up olive oil and the heating pad. That sounds safe.
August 31st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
My son (21) has a cold and 2 days ago sneezed and his ear “popped”, he hears a hissing noise and it is beginning to cause headaches, and can’t hear well. Is this the same as the airplane type pressure issue?
Thanks for all your ideas, I’m less worried and will try some of these ideas
August 31st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Thanks for ideas everyone-did not know where to turn-got something to try now.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Omg, Ive had this problem since yesterday when i flew back from Sweden with a pretty bad cold. Ive had it before when i flew to greece, pain on the descent and then blocked ears, but it popped right after the landing back then.
Its only been 24 hours for me, my left ear is half-blocked, or so it feels, and the right one seems completely shut. Im going mental at hearing my own heartbeat all the time, i tried so many things but it doesnt seem to work.
Do you think it will open when my cold is gone? The thought of putting up with this for weeks makes me depressed.
September 1st, 2008 at 11:31 am
Update: right ear popped today, i was so happy.. Then it unpopped 5 minutes after lol. Its not stuck anymore though, and i can hear something again!
I think its just a matter of time
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 am
please help me , this is day 5 have tried EVERYTHING TO POP MY EARS AND NANTE,…..I HAVE NEVER HAD EARACHE LIKE THIS BEFORE…..ON ANTIBIOTICS NOW EBCASUE OF IT……HELLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
September 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am
sorry about the blockage, mine is in the right ear. I have just come back from hols, with a cold. I also suffer from Meniers. It feels as if 90% of my hearing has gone. My ear aches as well. I tried putting olive oil in. no luck. I can’t hear my mp3 player properly. Well I am 67, what can you expect. No short cut, just let it come back on it’s own. :)
September 18th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
my ear will not pop i put water in it and it will not pop i wish it will how do i get it to pop in a day or by my self?????????????????????? can you tell me how
September 20th, 2008 at 8:01 am
im 16 years old this happened ta me two years ago when i got a cold and got very congested. i could hear myself breathe, my heartbeat, chew, and hearin background noises like in a restaurant was just hell. it was my right ear that i couldnt hear out of. i went ta the doctor and everythin. he told me that i have a chance of loosin 30% of my hearin in my right ear so i freaked out. eventually my ear popped but instead it was my eardrum that burst and my ear drained with a blood and like puss it was quite disgustin but… i got my hearin back and it went away. and so now here i am in the present. ive had another cold for the past 3 weeks… and last night i went ta sleep and randomly woke up at 6:00 in the mornin today and discovered the nightmare had started all over again… my right ear had popped and wont pop back again. so im freakin out again cuz im a musician … and i love my hearin more than anythin and i dont want some doctor tellin me ill loose my hearin in my right ear. i hate this. its annoyin. someone needs ta find an amazin cure for this cuz its torture… lol :(
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 am
Yeah I have had a cold for a week or so now and my ear just felt like it got pressure. It hadf like an echo after awhile and ive tried messing with it with a qtip, sneezing, flushing it out with water, nothing! HElP ME! It’s drivin me crazy!
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I think you have hit on some brilliant SEO here.
People seem to be searching a lot for how to make their ear pop.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:27 am
omg my ears are like blocked for about 4 days now and at the start i was in bad pain my ears my head n i went to doctors he gave me sudafed to take hasnt worked then went again to doctors he gave me antibiotics hasnt worked eather :( im sik of feeling like this i feel deaf its annoyin no1 noes how i feel :( I need help
September 24th, 2008 at 7:41 am
i’ve got the same thing but i’m only at the 24 hour mark right now. i had a cold, and it was pretty much gone, then yesterday my ear popped and the pressure hasn’t released since. i wasn’t on an airplane or anything. i had 3 beers over several hours last night, but that really isn’t out of the ordinary. i can get the squeal by pinching my nose and blowing, but it doesn’t help, and my yawning muscles are beginning to get sore. this better go away soon. i’m a teacher, i’m gonna be speaking and listening to people speak all day. :(
September 24th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Its been quite a while since i posted, but i just wanted to let you know, IT WILL BE OK.
I know it drives you nuts to not hear anything properly, and that constant sound of your own breathing or heartbeat, but eventually it will pop. My left ear took 3 days, but my right ear only popped properly after a week so please, be patient even if it takes longer.
Good luck all of you!
September 26th, 2008 at 8:07 am
TomS, thank you so much for the advice. I google “can’t pop ears” and got to this site, and the only thing that worked was to hold the little flap down on one of my ears for a minute and bingo! THANK YOU!
September 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE MY EAR ON THE, YOU GUESSED IT ON THE RIGHT SIDE!!! LOL!! WON’T %^$&*$ POP!! I’M ABOUT TO GO NUTS!!! WHAT IN THE HECK DO I DO??? :-(