Hello,
For the past several months I have experienced a clogged feeling in my left ear. As a result, hearing out of the affected ear is muffled. Also, when I am walking and I put pressure on my left foot, I hear a slight, muffled "pop" or "thht" sound in the ear. Sometimes when I am standing still and I move my head in any direction, I'll hear a muffled "rubbing" sound. Up until several months ago, I have had no problems with this ear. It seems to have started while showering one day when I noticed my ear would clog and then clear up. My ear finally clogged again and since then has not felt the same. I've tried over-the-counter drops for Swimmer's Ear and earwax removal yet this annoyance remains. There is no pain in the ear yet when I have tried cleaning it out with a cotton swab, the inner ear is sensitive and there is some discomfort. I have been thinking about seeing a doctor but for some reason I have a feeling it is going to turn ugly and what was originally thought as ear wax or something relatively minor will turn into a medical crisis(like cancer). Any thoughts as to what may be going on will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

tankgurl

Also wondering how bad it is to go swimming when your inner ear is clogged? I have went already not swimming too deep and there's no pain but I think my ear felt a little worse after.

spiritcharms

When you all mention 'clogged inner ear' do you mean clogged up with ear wax?

The reason im asking is i have had anxiety and balance problems for the last 10 years now. The balance thing has been causing me to walk like im drunk! holding onto things,always having to lean or sit down before i fall down. The doc came out to see me as he thought i was suffering from vertigo, anyway i wasn't!

i went to see an ENT specialist and there was nothing wrong, a little bit of wax in my ears but couldnt find anything for my balance issues. I said to them that surely ear wax could knock your balance off and they told me no and refused to syringe my ears.

when i first fell ill with panic attacks/anxiety, i was in a right state bouncing into walls and alsorts. my mum at the time put ear drops in each ear for me as it seemed to be the only relief i could get for a short period of time as my ears were itchy!

anyway, getting to the point, just this week im visiting my parents and my gum at the the back was hurting and felt inflammed, i had pain in my right ear, same side as the gum pain and it felt like my glands were swollen in my neck on the same side as the painful ear and gum. so my first thought was i have an infection and probably from my wisdom tooth trying to errupt, in other words 'teething!' pain.

so i went to my parents doctors this week, and she checked my ears and said she was suprised i hadnt been losing my hearing, she said this whilst looking in my left ear and i told her that i do get a loss of sound but its my right ear and popping noises, hissing etc.... she said that both ears were jam packed with with ear wax!!! and suggested i had my ears syringed.

she told me that she wasnt going to give me antibiotics because shes certain i dont have an infection, im just teething as my wisdom tooth is trying to come through, but the clogged ear wax is obvioulsy causing the pain in my right ear and its the eustachian tube thats inflamed and not my glands, which again the gum inflamation is pressing on the clogged ear wax which were in clumps!!! and affecting everything.

also the back of my throat was slightly red but no infection.

so basically, i have been using warm olive oil three times a day in each ear for 5 days to help loosen the wax and i got my ears syringed yesterday....... and i dont believe it!!!! I HAVE MY COMPLETE BALANCE BACK!!! it was ear wax all along!!!!

and the ENT specialists reckons it doesnt affect your balance??? hmmn

something so simple, ive had to suffer with that for 10 years of feeling like im dying and something seriously wrong with me and not being able to function from one day to the next!!

im hoping that my story will help someone, at least look into the more simple things and see what can be done about it.

westlife1

i hav ehad a virus infection and today i have muffled ear on th e left were i cant hardly ear it snot blocked but i do get panic a lot with it what do i do i have tryed olbas oil steam

1989se

Hey i looked at your symptoms and it may be swimmers ear but after a couple of weeks it should of reduced clogness. Right now im recovering from a Ear infection and i know if its a swimmers ear you would be able to tell it would hurt i most likely if it was. Get a q tip and dont go in your ear clean the outside to see if anything is there and see if its dark or light beccause dark could be something totally different, Honestlyi do not think you have anything to worry about BUT if you do decide to get it checked out go straight to a hospital or better yet ear noseand throat doctor because youve had it some time and your doctor will recommend you to them

goosen

I suspect the best thing to do... is jump up
and then jump down... Do it to the beat
'cause you need to go downtown...

When downtown, step into a clinic and get
them to clean it out... Dancing may not
help the ear, but it sure does wonders
for the lower body muscles.

d5f4g6d465

your ear is swolen it will get better so you just have to wait 4 weeks

rosemcs

The last four years, my ears started getting wax build up that would clog them after taking a warm shower. This would happen every six months. At first, I tried a few different ear wax removal drops, but the drops would get stuck behind the wax!! By the end of the week, it would turn into an infection!! So, now, I know when it happens, I just go to urgent care. They flush it with water in a lavage. ENT used a pick, but it came right back 6 mos. later and they were very expensive. I don't have allergies or colds...it just happens after the warm shower...quite a pity. Maybe I should wash my hair in cold water.