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!

Wondergirl

A swab will push wax down deeper. I suggest you have your doctor take a look with his otoscope. I'm betting it's not cancer but just something sitting there that you haven't been able to remove. Or there may be a break in your eardrum that is allowing fluids to leak deeper. Also, you've been messing around with it so much that maybe there's an accumulation of stuff there.

(Once when I was sunbathing in my backyard while lying on the grass, a little ant crawled into my ear, moved around for a day or two, drove me nuts, and finally died there. I had to go to the doctor who dug him out with long skinny tweezers.)

stonewilder

I have a problem with compacted wax in my right ear and I have too have my ear to clog up at times. First things first....don't use swabs in your ears. As the doctor told me all that dose is push the wax deeper into the ear canal. Swimmer's ear and the earwax stuff never helped me. Use a few drops of peroxide while laying on your side. Wait for the bubbling to stop then put a tissue over that ear and let the liquid run out while laying on the opposite side. Try that for a few days and chew gum. If after a few days this doesn't help, stop being such a typical man and just go to the doctor! I'm sure it's not likely to be cancer.

N0help4u

the peroxide is good and warm oil for ears works too. It is best to use them after you get out of the tub because your ear wax will be softened some after a bath or shower.

Jason8676

Hello,
Thanks for the rapid responses to my question! My ear has finally cleared up!!!! I was in Wal-Mart this morning looking at the decongestant meds as I was about to purchase a box as a last resort to combat the problem before seeing a doctor. All of a sudden, I felt this itch inside my left ear. I rubbed back and forth on the outside of the ear vigorously to alleviate the itch. When I did, the clogged feeling went away and I could hear everything loud and clear! Seems it was just a wax problem after all. I used good ol' hydrogen peroxide several days prior and it seemed to work quickly(bubbling as soon as I applied it to the affected ear), yet the clogged feeling remained and my hearing was still muffled. I keep pinching myself hoping this isn't a dream because I'm so happy to be hearing at full strength again. The first thing I did after I got home was listen to some music. Tchaichovsky's Fourth Symphony never sounded more beautiful and crisp!

stonewilder

Were you that guy running through Wal-Mart screaming, "I can hear, I can hear, It's a miracle!!!"? LOL Glad it's better now and thanks for letting us know the out come.

ear_remedy

It sounds like it was not wax build up in the outter ear, but instead an often misunderstood and misdiagnosed swelling and fluid retention in the eustachian tube or inner ear.

This often creates a clogged ear feeling as well as the pops and gurgles and sloshing you describe. It commonly causes muffled hearing issues too.

The reason it seemed better in the shower is the heat from hot water and steam reduces swelling (thats why a hot shower helps sore muscles).

There are several things you can try if this clogged inner ear happens to you again -as it likely will. It seems once you start having blocked ear, it is more likely to occur again. It is usually brought on by a cold or allergy flare up or sinus infection, it is not caused by an ear infection but it *can cause an ear infection* to occur due to the retained mucus sitting there for so long (some people have the clogged ear for months!).

To unclog your ear you need to reduce swelling in the eustachian tube so the fluid being retained can drain. It drains down your throat or can be blown out of the nose. For my home remedy that has long instructions on how to unclog ears, go to my website www.earadicator.com - clogged ear remedy. The instructions are way too long to post here. You can buy the stuff you need at the store and do it at home.

The trick is you DO NOT put anything in your outter ear, as it cannot pass thru your ear drum, and the problem lies behind the ear drum.

whynot57

Hi Jason:

If you feel that the apointment will turn ugly then I suggest you go there even more. Your head and ears are very delecate and intricate parts of your body.

The reason I say go and see about it is some times we worry for nothing in the end. But one day I lost hearing over night and went to see my GP. He sent me immediately to the ENT.

I got to the ENT and she took one look and said you need surgery. After asking why she said if you don't get surgery you will die. I asked why. She said you have a Clustiatoma cyst in your ear and it can be causeing all kinds of problems. We have to remove it so you will be fine and have no more troubles.

After surgery she told me that she had to remove the eardrum completely and remove the chain of bones as they were rotting through the cranium. Also she added if I had not gone sooner I may have died.

I am fine now and even after surgery and removal of the ear drum and replacing it with a newly made eardrum from my own temporal skin . I could hear. She even removed the stapis. I hope I spelled that correctly. All she had left to work with was the tiny nerve ending coming out where the stapies was previously.

She is amazing. I don't know where you are but if you can get hold of an ENT you are better off when it comes to ear problems.

Take care.

I hope it helped and not frightened you.

nitsuj1231

i had the same thing happen to me today, all i did was put my pointer finger in my ear, nail facing foward me, and used a prying motion, it seemed to stretch the hole(sorry im not much of a medical person) to where the wax either broke up or something. helped

tankgurl

I hope people are still on this thread. I have an inner ear clog in the eustachian tube as confirmed by my GP doctor. There's no infection anymore, it was caused by a cold and ear infection but everything went away except the ear clog. My doctor tried 2 anitbiotics and a steriod, then recommended I see an ENT. The thing is I don't have insurance and don't think I can afford the ENT. I've also had ear problems before, about 3 years ago which let to me having sinus surgery. So right now I am frustrated and am trying to figure out my next step. I did try the "www.earadicator.com - clogged ear remedy" like 10 times in one night and no help. I also tried Afrin, but no help. Any advice would be great. I just don't want to spend all the money going the ENT route, when years ago the same thing happend and the ENTs could't do anything except recommend surgery.

Thanks.