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    Jason8676's Avatar
    Jason8676 Posts: 102, Reputation: 8
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    #1

    Dec 1, 2007, 07:33 PM
    Clogged Feeling In Left Ear/Hearing Muffled
    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's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
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    #2

    Dec 1, 2007, 07:58 PM
    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's Avatar
    stonewilder Posts: 420, Reputation: 99
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    #3

    Dec 1, 2007, 08:23 PM
    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's Avatar
    N0help4u Posts: 19,823, Reputation: 2035
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    #4

    Dec 2, 2007, 06:32 PM
    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's Avatar
    Jason8676 Posts: 102, Reputation: 8
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    #5

    Dec 6, 2007, 07:30 PM
    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's Avatar
    stonewilder Posts: 420, Reputation: 99
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    #6

    Dec 6, 2007, 08:27 PM
    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.
    whynot57's Avatar
    whynot57 Posts: 7, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Mar 1, 2009, 08:08 PM

    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's Avatar
    nitsuj1231 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Jul 7, 2009, 10:39 AM
    I had the same thing happen to me today, all I did was put my pointer finger in my ear, nail facing forward me, and used a prying motion, it seemed to stretch the hole(sorry I'm not much of a medical person) to where the wax either broke up or something. Helped
    tankgurl's Avatar
    tankgurl Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Aug 19, 2009, 12:25 PM
    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 happened and the ENTs could't do anything except recommend surgery.

    Thanks.
    tankgurl's Avatar
    tankgurl Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #10

    Aug 19, 2009, 12:29 PM
    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's Avatar
    spiritcharms Posts: 230, Reputation: 30
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    #11

    Sep 17, 2009, 05:10 AM

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

    The reason I'm 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 I'm 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 couldn't 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 as my ears were itchy!

    Anyway, getting to the point, just this week I'm visiting my parents and my gum at 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 surprised I hadn't 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 ear wax!! And suggested I had my ears syringed.

    She told me that she wasn't going to give me antibiotics because she's certain I don't have an infection, I'm 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 it's the eustachian tube that's inflamed and not my glands, which again the gum inflammation 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 don't believe it!! I HAVE MY COMPLETE BALANCE BACK!! It was ear wax all along!!

    And the ENT specialists reckons it doesn't affect your balance?? Hmmn

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

    I'm hoping that my story will help someone, at least look into the more simple things and see what can be done about it.
    westlife1's Avatar
    westlife1 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #12

    Sep 26, 2009, 05:53 AM

    I have ehad a virus infection and today I have muffled ear on th e left were I can't hardly ear it's not blocked but I do get panic a lot with it what do I do I have tried olbas oil steam
    1989se's Avatar
    1989se Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Oct 6, 2009, 04:16 PM
    Hey I looked at your symptoms and it may be swimmers ear but after a couple of weeks it should have reduced clogness. Right now I'm recovering from a Ear infection and I know if it's a swimmers ear you would be able to tell it would hurt I most likely if it was. Get a q tip and don't go in your ear clean the outside to see if anything is there and see if its dark or light because 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 you've had it some time and your doctor will recommend you to them
    d5f4g6d465's Avatar
    d5f4g6d465 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #14

    Oct 27, 2009, 03:25 PM
    Your ear is swolen it will get better so you just have to wait 4 weeks
    rosemcs's Avatar
    rosemcs Posts: 325, Reputation: 47
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    #15

    Nov 6, 2009, 10:17 PM
    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 months. 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.
    dawgmeister's Avatar
    dawgmeister Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #16

    Dec 15, 2009, 08:35 AM
    You might want to find a clinic that has a sliding scale. It might be tough to find a specialist who does that. I'd check with some resources in your community. Maybe the doc will take payments? I wouldn't mess around too much with it though. It may lead to more serious problems.
    elizabetha's Avatar
    elizabetha Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #17

    Dec 15, 2009, 07:39 PM
    Have you tried a nasal saline spray? Also, decongestants are very helpful, as long as you don't have any heart or thyroid problems. Check the box first. Ask a pharmacist what to do before you are able to see a doctor, then they will hopefully be more help. It sounds to me like you have water in your ear, in the meantime, chew gum, drink hot tea or coffee, and try to yawn a lot. This helps to drain the eustation tube. Good Luck. Elizabeth
    qwqwdeq's Avatar
    qwqwdeq Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #18

    Jan 2, 2010, 07:13 PM
    Hi. My name is andrew, I'm 14 years old and I get a fuzzy stuffy feeling in my left ear and it very annoying. When there is no noise around, that ear rings like hell. I'm afraid I'm becoming deaf but I pray every night that its not the case. When I lay on my left ear I feel something moving behind my eardrum and it kind of tickles. This has been happening for a week now. I have problems hearing in that ear. I have problems sleeping because of it and I'm confused a lot. I'v had ear problems since I was 9 but on and off it will occur. When I yawn, swallow or try to inhale with a clogged nose, I feel pain in my left ear but I got used to it. Its kind of like a crackeling sound, kiinda like air moving or something. I'v tried the wax removal thing tonight but it didn't seem to help.. but that is just one dose. I'm not sure if I'm using it properly. I put it in my ear, leave it for 10 minutes then wash it out. I have visited a ent a few years ago and he prescribed a medicine to dry fluids behind my ear.. it worked but I guess it wore off. If anyone can help me id be vry happy. Happy new year
    jamespulaski's Avatar
    jamespulaski Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #19

    Mar 12, 2010, 08:11 PM
    I went in with the same thing and had a hearing test... it seem one ear hears 100% word discrimination and the other hears at 90%. The doctor says the brain sees this difference and creates that muffled, full, plugged feeling...
    x-tammy-x's Avatar
    x-tammy-x Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #20

    Mar 29, 2010, 11:35 AM
    My left ear is blocked right now... and whenever I walk on my left foot or move my head suddenly, I can hear a funny sound and when I yawn or sneeze there is some discomfort... From the internet, I have found out that if your ear blocks it is because of ear wax, and if you see your local GP then they can remove all of the ear wax. It also helps if you shower regularly and clean out your ears... But I have also read that you shouldn't use cotton buds to clean them out, because this could lead to an infection in the inner ear..

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