The human nasopharynx is connected to the ear cavity by a special canal, which is called the Eustachian or auditory tube. Air moves through this channel and the mucus accumulating in the tympanic cavity exits. In a he althy state, the auditory tube regulates the pressure from inside the ear cavity and equates it with respect to atmospheric pressure. If suddenly the air space ceases to pass freely through the auditory tube, the pressure is lost, and during this period the person begins to feel discomfort and stupor. How to treat ear congestion during and after a cold? We'll talk about this later.
Reasons
When a person has discomfort in the ear area, in rare cases it goes away on its own and does not have any serious consequences. But sometimes such congestion can be a symbol that a disease is developing. That is why it is recommended to consider several reasons why a pain sensation in the ear area may appear.
- When a person is ill with a cold or flu, he often encounters the fact that the ear is blocked. It often happens on one side. In rare casescan lay both ears at once. The fact is that between him and the nose there is a connection that cannot be broken. Since the ear is connected to the throat and to the Eustachian tube, this design helps maintain optimal pressure in the nasopharynx. At the moment when inflammation of the mucous membrane occurs (for example, during a viral illness), air is blocked, which, in turn, can lead to temporary hearing loss. Basically, the hearing loss in this case disappears after the patient recovers.
- Another common cause of congestion is sudden changes in blood pressure. Those people who suffer from hypertension, in case of dizziness, congestion in the ear, need to stabilize their pressure.
- Ear congestion can also occur as a result of swimming in the sea or taking a bath. This is due to the appearance of sulfur plug.
- If a person has sharp pains in the ear area, he has experienced a migraine, itching and a high fever, this can symbolize a serious illness. The most common diseases with these symptoms are considered to be otitis media, allergies, inflammation of the Eustachian tube, or even a brain tumor.
As soon as the patient has one of the above symptoms, this signals that it is necessary to pay attention to the state of their he alth. In almost all cases, doctors recommend immediately contacting a specialist, not letting the situation take its course. After all, this can lead to serious consequences. If it is otitis media, then it does notwill pass. Medical treatment is required under medical supervision. And in the worst case, inflammation of the auditory nerve can occur, leading to death.
Symptoms
If a patient has severe ear congestion at the moment when he has a cold, then the active development of otitis media begins. This disease is characterized by abundant discharge, severe pain, as well as the following manifestations:
- there is noise, ringing, hum, all this is given in the temporal cavity;
- there is a feeling of heaviness and an unbearable headache;
- body temperature rises;
- a tingling sensation appears in the ear area, a person experiences discomfort at the time of chewing and swallowing;
- pain is observed in the temple or given to the cheek;
- various parts of the face go numb;
- hyperthermia appears around the auricle;
- unpleasant pain occurs at the moment of pressure on the sink;
- hearing loss occurs.
In order to prevent serious consequences, it is necessary to diagnose ear congestion from a cold in time. The next step is immediate treatment. This disease should not be left to chance, because it can lead to very serious consequences.
Diagnosis
That feeling in the ears that arose as a result of the disease, in any case, requires an appeal to the appropriate doctor. Such a state mayaccompanied by an increase in temperature, cause dizziness and severe headaches. This indicates that intoxication is occurring, and an infectious disease specialist is urgently needed.
In order to diagnose the disease, the doctor conducts an external examination of the shell. So he reveals the affected area. If otitis media or another disease is suspected, a blood test is prescribed. All this is necessary to identify the pathogen.
Audiometry is performed to determine hearing acuity. It is carried out using a special apparatus. The result, which is obtained during the examination, allows us to conclude what condition the middle ear is in.
Otoscopy is an examination of the ear canal. During the procedure, the effectiveness of its work is assessed, and the area of inflammation is determined. This manipulation is the most effective, it allows you to determine the disease in a patient at any age.
Medicated treatment
As soon as it was established that the patient's ears are blocked after a cold, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment. But how to get rid of ear congestion with a cold? How to treat this disease? First of all, in order for the patient to feel much better, it is necessary to get rid of the mucous discharge from the nasal cavity. To eliminate liquid discharge from the nose, you must first blow your nose, and then proceed to rinse.
To treat ear congestion for colds andrinse your nose, you will need saline. This liquid is self-prepared. You can also buy it ready-made in a pharmacy. For the washing procedure, you will need a regular syringe without a needle. It is filled with saline. After that, you need to tilt your head to one side and pour a portion of the liquid into one nostril. The procedure is repeated on the other side. After the liquid has entered the nose, it must be blown out.
At this point, you should pay attention to whether there is pain or congestion in the ears began to increase at the time of washing. If this is the case, then the procedure must be terminated. To eliminate nasal congestion, you will need to use only vasoconstrictor drops.
This was a procedure that can be done at home. Next, you will need to go to a specialist who will advise on the medical treatment of stuffy ears after a cold. Therapy continues with the use of not one, but a whole complex of drugs.
It is important to remember that in no case should you use drugs on your own without consulting a doctor. After all, you do not know exactly which drug will be effective in a particular case. The wrong medicine can harm he alth or aggravate the disease. In order to start drug therapy, first of all, it is necessary to visit a qualified specialist. He will be able to conduct a full examination, make a conclusion. Only after that a treatment plan is drawn up.
If as a result of the surveyit was found that the cause of the painful condition is an infectious inflammation, then basically the doctor prescribes a standard treatment regimen. In this case, vasoconstrictor drops, solutions, tinctures made on the basis of sea water are used. If the patient has intolerance to the drugs prescribed by the doctor, then in this case the medical specialist amends the treatment regimen, changes the drugs to others. He also prescribes ear drops and ointments, which will help speed up the removal of swelling, as well as to eliminate pathogens.
For example, if the inflammatory process in the ears has led to otitis media, then the treatment regimen below is prescribed:
- A drug that will eliminate unpleasant, painful sensations.
- An antibacterial drug that removes inflammation, for example, Normax.
- If a patient is diagnosed with chronic otitis, then in this case the doctor prescribes "Otofu".
- If the patient has severe shooting pains, otitis media was determined, in this case the doctor prescribes Otipax.
You can remove ear congestion in case of a cold with the help of heat treatment. This approach to eliminate discomfort in the ears is quite dangerous, so you should not do the procedure yourself. This is possible only on the recommendation of a doctor.
The essence of the procedure is that it is necessary to create dry heat. This is done with a compress. The presented procedure can be performed only if there is nohigh fever, suppuration, and perforation of the eardrum.
In the event of one of these contraindications, doctors categorically prohibit the use of the presented technique. If the patient complains of an elevated temperature, it is necessary to drink Nurofen, and only if it has exceeded 38 degrees. It is strictly forbidden to use compresses for warming up in the presence of such a condition, this has an extremely negative effect on he alth.
Treating these unpleasant symptoms during pregnancy
During the period of bearing a child, women may experience an unpleasant sensation in their ears. This symptom may appear as a result of a cold or a common cold. There are cases when the appearance of congestion in the ears in pregnant women is normal. In this case, there is a pressure drop. Most often, pregnant women complain of congestion in the right ear, the cause of which is a cork. To eliminate the provoking factor, you must contact the ENT. This is a doctor who will gently remove the wax plug and wash the ear with a special tool without any pain.
Nasal congestion in pregnant women also appears as a result of pressure drop, which, in turn, leads to swelling of the mucosa. However, doctors do not recommend the use of vasoconstrictor drops. These drugs are dangerous during the period of bearing a child. Sometimes for pregnant women who suffer from stuffy ears, an excellent treatment isregular chewing gum. At the time of the chewing process, pressure stabilizes and congestion disappears.
If, nevertheless, a pregnant woman manages to get sick, her nasopharynx becomes inflamed, unpleasant sensations appear in the form of congestion, and headaches begin.
In this case, the woman should immediately contact a specialist who will conduct an examination and observation. Based on the information received during the diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe a course of treatment that will be harmless to the child. Pregnant women need to be very responsible about the need for timely treatment, because any complications can affect not only the he alth of the mother, but also the he alth of the unborn baby. Self-medication is very harmful and dangerous for any person.
Folk treatment
Fortunately, it is possible to relieve ear congestion with a cold not only with the help of pharmaceutical products. Traditional medicine knows several secrets. One of the most popular recipes is warm s alt wrapped in a waffle towel and applied to the ear. Such warming must be done before going to bed until the congestion passes.
To get rid of discomfort, you can also use olive oil. Before using this tool, it must be heated in a water bath. After that, warm oil is collected in a pipette and instilled into each ear. After the oil has been dripped into the ear, it must be closed with cotton and a warm handkerchief wrapped around it. In such an unusual compress, it is recommendedwalk about 30 minutes.
Traditional medicine recommends using this compress 3 times a day until full recovery occurs. Often you can find alternative treatment with an antibiotic. As such a drug, a clove of garlic is taken. Juice is squeezed out of it, 3 drops of camphor oil are added there. The resulting liquid must be applied to cotton wool and installed in the ear canal. Leave the remedy for 20 minutes. The medicine warms the sink well, reduces inflammation.
Special massage and exercises
Sometimes ear congestion remains if the rhinitis has already passed. This means that the disease is not completely cured. It is necessary to continue to rinse and bury the nose. What to do with congestion in the ears with a cold and after without pain? In order to reduce the inflammatory process and normalize the pressure in the Eustachian tube, it is advisable to massage the outer ear and jaw.
To correctly perform it, you need to gently rub behind the ear in a circular motion clockwise for a couple of minutes. Then it is also necessary to develop the jaw. In conclusion, it would not hurt to massage the wings of the nose, bridge of the nose and temples well. If your ears are stuffed up with a cold, blowing up balloons and moving your jaw to mimic chewing can help overcome the problem.
Quick improvement often leads to a special exercise. It is necessary to draw in as much air as possible, pinch your nose with two fingers, exhale through the nasal passage and swallow several times. Formed in the earshigh air pressure, a typical pop will be heard, and the congestion will end. After a while, it may appear again if rhinitis and inflammation in the Eustachian tube are not eliminated.
Can I warm my ears when stuffy?
Of course, the process of warming up is distinguished by a huge number of positive therapeutic properties that contribute to a better and faster healing of a person. However, not every time you can use this remedy for ear congestion with a cold and after without pain. Let's analyze when the presented procedure is allowed and when not, so as not to worsen the patient's condition.
When can I?
Heating shown at:
- Otitis externa if the healing phase begins.
- Catarrhal otitis occurring in the cavity of the middle ear during the healing period.
- At the initial stages of the formation of the inflammatory process, provided that the main root cause that provoked suppuration has been eliminated.
When not?
Warming up is harmful in the following situations:
- Purulent inflammation. The warming process expands blood vessels, and also significantly improves blood microcirculation. In this case, it will negatively affect the patient's condition, i.e., the threat of bacteria spreading and invading the general bloodstream increases several times.
- Tumor. If the doctor suspects that a neoplasm is located in the area of inflammation, in this case, any heating will be harmful, since under the influence of the heat of the cellneoplasms will multiply rapidly, which will lead to a deterioration in the condition.
