Ears Plugged From Cold Today

Inside your middle ear (the space behind your eardrum) is air. This air needs to be kept at the same pressure as the air outside your body for you to hear clearly and for your eardrum to vibrate properly. The regulator for this pressure is a narrow canal called the .

This combination of pressure changes and fluid creates that sensation of "fullness" or plugging. It creates a barrier that sound waves have trouble penetrating, resulting in muffled hearing. ears plugged from cold

When you catch a cold, the virus causes the mucous membranes in your nose and throat to become inflamed and swollen. Because the Eustachian tube connects to this area, it often gets swollen shut as well. Inside your middle ear (the space behind your

Thick mucus plugs tubes more easily. Drinking water thins mucus, helping it drain. This combination of pressure changes and fluid creates

Usually, plugged ears resolve on their own once the cold subsides. However, there are several ways to encourage the Eustachian tubes to open and relieve the pressure.