Sometimes it feels like water in my ear but no water there. I feel like my ear is blocked! The feeling of having a blocked ear is very unpleasant. That is often a temporary and minor problem, but it can also be a symptom of a more severe disorder, especially if the sensation sets in for a long time. What are the causes of a blocked ear? We take stock.
While most of the causes of a blocked ear sensation are benign, it is essential to remain alert because the resulting hearing loss can sometimes be irreversible. That is particularly the case with sound trauma.
Table of Contents
Plugged ear: When feels like water in the ear but no water
It’s systematic: as soon as you take the plane or go to the mountains, your ears are blocked. Or you suffer from it after scuba diving. Nothing to worry about: many of us suffer from this phenomenon linked to pressure changes. It is enough to rebalance the pressures inside the ear to solve the problem.
Several methods, including the Valsalva maneuver, which we have all used at one time or another (often without knowing its name): firmly pinch the nose while blowing, mouth closed.
Chewing gum or yawning may also be enough. Another solution, if you have a tough time unblocking your ears: try a pressurizer (sold in pharmacies), which makes it possible to equalize the internal pressure with that of the external environment.
Plugged ear: earwax plugs
The wax or “ear wax” is a substance produced naturally in the ear canal to protect the ears and remove foreign bodies (bacteria, dust). A plug of earwax is a classic and not serious cause of blocked ears. Here are the different symptoms:
- generally moderate and progressive hearing loss
- buzzing, tinnitus, dizziness
- clogged ears feeling
- irritation, pain, or itching in the ear canal
Clogged ear: flu and other ENT infections
Many usually mild ENT infections, such as the common cold or the flu, can lead to a blocked ear sensation. The same can also be said of hay fever, of allergic origin. Why? Because these diseases lead to abnormally high production of mucus.
As it flows down the throat, it arrives at the level of the Eustachian tubes, which are connected to the inner ears. In response to the assault, these tubes become blocked, preventing mucus from reaching the ears.
Problem: When the eustachian tubes are blocked, air can no longer circulate, resulting in a pressure difference. Hence the feeling of blocked ears. Don’t panic: the ears unblock themselves as soon as the mucus stops being produced in mass. In the meantime, you can try a nasal decongestant to relieve yourself. Also, do not hesitate to see a doctor if the symptoms do not improve within 3-4 days.
Feels like water in the ear but no water: beware of otitis media and labyrinthitis
In addition to being blocked, are your ears very painful? Better to consult because it can be otitis (inflammation of the ear). Usually, otitis externa is mild as long as it is adequately treated. The doctor will probably prescribe antibiotic drops to put in your ears to treat it.
However, it can also be otitis affecting the middle ear. There again, if it is well treated (antibiotics), everything returns to order quickly, but, if not, it can give rise to various complications such as meningitis or labyrinthitis.
The latter corresponds to an inflammation of the labyrinth, a component of the inner ear. Without rapid and effective treatment, usually with antibiotics and cortisone, it can cause hearing loss to vary degrees. What should prompt you to consult as soon as possible: in addition to your blocked and sore ears, you also suffer from nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and loss of balance.
Plugged ear: a sound trauma involved
Clogged or whistling ears when leaving a concert or other boisterous place? If you notice no improvement after a few hours, consult a doctor very quickly. However, loud sounds can damage the cells of the inner ear to a greater or lesser extent. If your case requires it, you should go to the hospital for a few days. You have to receive treatment with corticosteroid infusions and vasodilators. The faster it is put in place, the better your chances of fully recovering your hearing.
A feeling of blocked ears? But where does it come from?
Head in cotton, difficulty hearing sounds, whistling, the feeling of having your head underwater, or wearing earplugs? So many symptoms that indicate blocked ears. Unlike tinnitus, the feeling of blocked ears can cause by various pathologies of the ENT sphere, such as a cold. It can also residual after a sound trauma.
Sound trauma and a feeling of blocked ears
If you have been exposed to loud noise, your heating system may have received a shock: this is called sound trauma.
During a concert, during a mission on a construction site, or during a hunting trip, loud, sudden, or repetitive sounds can damage the eardrum and leave a feeling of blocked ears. Indeed, beyond 90 decibels, sounds become harmful to our hearing.
A blocked ear sensation can therefore be the direct result of a sound trauma. In this case, it can damage your hearing for a long time.
In hearing loss with the sensation of blocked ears, it is essential to consult a hearing specialist. If the hearing loss is permanent, wearing a hearing aid may be the solution.
Causes of atrial pressure
When there is a difference in air pressure in the middle ear, the eardrum is slightly deformed inward or outward, causing an unpleasant feeling of pressure in the ear. If this happens on a plane or in a tunnel, it is enough to yawn, swallow or chew gum to equalize the ear pressure. But when the ventilation of the ear canals is insufficient, abnormal pressure persists.
A feeling of continuous pressure in the ear is often linked to a lack of ventilation in the eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube (or auditory tube) is a narrow canal that connects the middle ear and the nasopharynx. During swallowing, the eustachian tube opens for a short time, then closes to help equalize the pressure.
What if your children have ear sensations?
The origin of a ventilation disorder of the ear canals can vary: in children, it often results from enlarged tonsils (or polyp, in common parlance). However, it is usually due to a narrowing of the cartilaginous or bony area of the eustachian tube in adults.
During a cold, the eustachian tube may be abnormally swollen. That is why atrial pressure is more common in winter. In addition, if nasal breathing obstructs for some time due to a cold or a fractured nasal septum, ventilation in the middle ear reduce. It causes a feeling of pressure in the ear.
What to do if water enters the ear?
Those who have CSOM in the middle ear cannot swim in the water as much as they want. Because if water enters the ear, the infection will increase.
Even put cotton in both ears during bathing. Those who regularly swim or love the swimming pool can take a cotton swab to their ears before taking a bath. Do not swim in dirty pools or swimming pools.
Keep soap and shampoo away from ear piercings. If you have a habit of poking your ears unnecessarily with a cotton bird, get rid of it. That can lead to ear infections while removing earwax. Many times the eardrum can also leak.
And there is no need to remove earwax. It is made in such a way that the dirt comes out automatically. If there is a lot of earwax that fills the ear canal, makes it difficult to hear, seek medical help, but still try to avoid using cotton buds.
How to remove water from the ear?
Water can enter the ear. Don’t be afraid. We learn a lot naturally when we are young. As I learned when the water in the ear. As soon as water entered the ears, the rabbis would ask them to tilt their ears and shake them. At the same time, he used to say to cut his teeth. But it is scientific.
- With the palm, press hard on the ear canal and leave it for a while to remove the hand. The water will come out by acting like a vacuum.
- Now lean towards the ear where the water has entered. However, those who have ear problems such as middle ear infections do not go. Again do not try to exhale too loudly through the nose. But it can cause problems in the eardrum.
- If water got into the ears as a child, we would put mustard oil inside the ears, and after a while, the ears would tilt, and the water would come out automatically. You can do this, but olive oil will work better than mustard oil. Put three / four drops of olive oil on the ears for ten minutes. Now lean towards the ear where the water has entered. The water will run out.
- You can also work with a hairdryer. Air the hairdryer to the ear that has got water in it. If there is water, it will evaporate. However, do not give too close to the ear. Do not give too long.
- Soak a towel or thin cloth in hot water and hold it to your ears. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do these four or five times. Then lie down on the side where the drink has entered.
- Keep inhaling the steaming water through the nose for tens of minutes. Keep your head tilted for a while. Leave it for a while with three / four drops of hydrogen peroxide and lie down on your side.
- Even after doing so much, if the water does not come out or the ear feels heavy. Or there is a problem with the ear, go to the doctor without delay. Do not neglect. The doctor will check your ears to see if there is water.
FAQ on feels like water in the ear but no water
1. What to do if water enters the ear
Do not worry if water enters the ear. Instead, hold it with the palm by pressing hard on the ear canal. Leave it like that for a while and remove your hand. This method is the vacuum method. That will quickly get water out of the ears.
2. How does an earwax plug form?
In regular times, except in a few people who naturally produce much more earwax than the average (unknown cause), a plug forms without exceptional circumstances such as frequent use of cotton swabs: this stimulates the production of earwax and “cups” the one. Here at the back of the ear, hence the plug. Another common cause of plugging: a simple swim, the water being able to “swell” the earwax.
It is better to consult a doctor to extract the plug: if necessary, it can soften it by distilling a little lukewarm liquid in the ear before removing it piece by piece.
3. Why this feeling of the blocked ear?
Among the most common causes of a blocked ear sensation are:
- Otitis
- A plug of earwax
- Cold
- A sudden change in pressure, on airplanes or when diving – also called barotrauma.
- Sound trauma
4. What is ear pressure?
Unpleasant pressure in the ears is a sensation that everyone is familiar with. When it occurs while driving at altitude or during the takeoff or landing phases of an airplane. It is a harmless phenomenon link to variations in atmospheric pressure. However, sometimes the ear pressure can persist. It manifests by discomfort or pain.
A feeling of numbness or pressure in the ear, and hearing loss. If these sensations do not go away over time, or if they do not eliminate by swallowing or yawning, there may be a problem with ear pressure equalization or inflammation in the ear. In this case, your ENT doctor will analyze your symptoms and prescribe an appropriate treatment.
Conclusion on feels like water in the ear but no water
In many cases, water gets into the ears while swimming or taking a bath under the shower. However, if a large amount of water does not enter your ear, it’s not a problem. That is because wax inside the ear absorbs a small amount of water.
However, if too much water in the ear can be a problem, they may have a problem with water in the ear. So be careful if water enters the ear. Those who have such problems should take preventive measures so that water does not get into their ears.
