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Unbearable Ears!

Hello
I wanted to ask this question on here because everyone i ask looks at me like i am weird when i tell them, even ENT doctors dont seem to know what to do.
Anyways my problem is with my ears, especially when I have a head cold. I dont mind the nasal congestion that much or the sore head or throat.. its the ears i cant stand.. when i have a cold my ears feel horrible, they feel very pressured inside and blocked. I also cannot hear very well, or if I can hear, sounds are distorted, and sometimes feel unbearably loud to me... usually i clear my ears my moving my jaw/swallowing...This probably sounds strange but when i move my jaw it keeps my ears clear most of the time- i need to do this going down hills in a car, etc... but when ive the cold its not so simple. In fact when i try to clear them, the jaw movement actually makes them worse and makes them even more blocked! Its like a huge blockage and pressure going up the side of my face right into my ear... it depresses me so so much that i dread the cold and do everything in my power to stop myself getting one. No one else seems to have concerns with their ears like this with a cold... i feel so powerless too as ive tried decongestants etc and I dont eat a lot of dairy anyway so as to cut down on the mucus... i hope someone can give me some insight or help so i dont feel so alone. Thanks in advance!!
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Avatar universal
Hi,

Well the good news is, your not weird, or else we both are!!! :) I also suffer from ear pressure and always feel as though there is an underwater sound in my ears which gets worse when I'm congested. I often try the "valsalva maneuver", which the previous comment referred too, however it usually does not work when I really congested. I was talking to a friend of my parents and he use to have the same symptoms and years ago had surgery to place "tubes" in his ears. These tubes fit inside the Eustachian tube to keep them open and unblocked. He says it was the best thing he ever did. I however am so afraid of surgeries I don't know if I could have it done myself.
I use and swear by a nettie pot. http://www.nettiepot.net/
Hope this helps
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello and hope you are doing well.
There are tubes called 'Eustachian  tubes' which connect the middle ear to the throat, this balances the air pressure in the ears. This tube can get  blocked due to infections of the throat, which can give lead to a feeling of fullness in the ears. This can also result in infection of the ears. The blocked ears can be opened up by the valsalva maneuver, where air is blown into the cheeks against a closed nostrils, this sometimes helps to open up the tubes. Steam inhalations can help clear the tube. Also, try warm salt water gargles.
Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
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