Please Help?!
Question:
Please Help?
Im suffering from a bad head cold and its about gone. I have been getting terrible blocked ears beacuse of the cold. Now they are fine but am getting a presured feeling in my ears why is this ???
P.S the presured feeling is there when my nose is not blocked ?
Answers:
This is caused by a blockage in your Eustachian tube. This little tube connects your throat to your middle ear. When all the "gunk" (snot, phlegm, and other nice substances) from a cold builds up within the Eustachian tube, it can cause ear "fullness", decreased hearing, and even ear pain.
The blocked tube has no outlet. The eardrum (tympanic membrane) blocks fluid/air from coming out your ear. And the "gunk" blocks it from draining down your throat. Thus, a bit of air is trapped in the tube causing your discomfort. Your nose plays no part in this. When the "gunk" finally goes away, the tube will open back up, and all will be well.
On a side note, this is why people with an upper respiratory tract infection can have severe ear pain when flying. The pressure differences encountered when flying reak havoc, as that trapped air expands and puts a ton of pressure on your ear drum (painful!).
This is also why yawning or chewing gum can help "manipulate" the tube to prevent air from building up when taking off in an airplane...and you feel and hear your ear "pop"
A decongestant, like sudafed, could help you.