We all know the feeling of blocked ears – cottony feeling on the inside, difficulty hearing…But, what you might not know is that most causes of ear blockage are relatively easy to treat. If you are dealing with blocked ears, try a natural cure like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil, or one of our reader-contributed suggestions.
We use the term ear blockage to refer to the feeling of stuffiness or congestion in your ears. The feeling is typically caused by inflammation or a blockage in the tubes that connect your middle ear and the back of your throat. The causes of ear blockage vary and range from wax buildup to cold congestion and even hearing issues.
Treatment for ear blockage depends largely on the cause of your condition, which is one of the biggest reasons it is important to consult your doctor prior to treating naturally. With many cases, though, you can successfully clear ear blockage with natural remedies. Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and mineral oil are three of the best treatment options; however, there are a number of others as well.
Vinegar is an effective ear remedy for a variety of symptoms associated with ear blockage. The liquid can help relieve itchiness and discomfort, prevent infection, and remove excess ear wax. In most cases all you need to do to treat your blocked ear is tip your ear to one side and use a dropper to drip vinegar down the side of your ear canal. Fill your ear with the vinegar and let it soak for 5 minutes, then gently pull on your ear lobe, and tip your head the opposite direction to remove all of the vinegar.
Hydrogen peroxide is a standing remedy for treating ear infection, soothing pain, and relieving ear blockages. This remedy helps remove ear wax, treat infection, prevent colds and flu, and heal infectious issues. To employ this remedy, tilt your head to one side and then drop two to three drops of the peroxide into your ear. Wait until the bubbling stops and tilt your head to the other side to remove the hydrogen peroxide. Gently cleanse your ear with water and dry it with a soft towel.
Mineral oil is another effective remedy for blocked ears primarily due to ear wax. This treatment helps soften the wax in your ears, making removal much easier. To use this treatment option, use an eyedropper to gently squirt a few drops of mineral oil into your ear. Apply the oil for 3 to 4 days, and the wax should be softened enough to make removal easy with a cotton swab or q-tip. Be sure to avoid pushing the earwax in deeper and never dig out hardened wax with a sharp or pointed object.
In addition to these remedies, try using a vaporizer to relieve congestion, eating hot foods to relieve inflammation associated with your sinuses, or adding one of your own remedies to our list to help others. Continue reading below for many more recommendations from our readers to help blocked ears!
