Ear Barotrauma: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention

Written by Regina Boyle Wheeler

• What Is Ear Barotrauma?
• Ear Barotrauma Symptoms
• Ear Barotrauma Causes and Risk Factors
• Ear Barotrauma Diagnosis
• Ear Barotrauma Treatment
• Ear Barotrauma Prevention
• More

Ear barotrauma, also known as airplane ear, is that clogged-up, sometimes painful feeling you get in your ears when the air pressure changes quickly.

It’s the biggest health problem for people who fly. And it can be especially painful for babies and young kids because their ears aren’t fully developed.

Ear barotrauma also can happen when you ride in an elevator or drive in the mountains. It can happen in the water, too. Scuba divers call it “ear squeeze.” As a diver goes deeper underwater, the pressure in the middle ear (the part behind the eardrum) is “squeezed” by the increasing pressure of the water from outside.

The middle ear is an air-filled space formed by bone and the eardrum. It is connected to the back of the nose by a tunnel called the eustachian tube. Outside air passing through the eustachian tube keeps the pressure in the middle ear equal to that of the outside world. If the eustachian tube malfunctions and there’s a pressure difference across the eardrum, pain or ear squeeze happens.

Common symptoms include:

• Stuffed feeling in your ears
• Muffled hearing because your eardrum can’t vibrate and make sound the way it should
• Ear pain

If you hear a “pop” in your ears, that’s a sign your eustachian tubes are open. If they stay blocked, your middle ear can fill with clear liquid to try to balance the pressure. If your eustachian tubes are closed, it can’t drain. In this case, more serious symptoms can happen:

• Extreme ear pain
• Dizziness called vertigo
• A busted eardrum — fluid or blood leaking from your ear is a sign
• Hearing loss

With a mild case, your symptoms should go away shortly after you get back on land. If they don’t or if your symptoms are serious, see your doctor.

Your ears are especially sensitive to changes in air and water pressure. Still, most people don’t get ear barotrauma. You may be at risk if you have a problem with your eustachian tube where it doesn’t open normally. Reasons that may cause this include:

• Stuffy sinuses
• A cold or other infection
• Allergies
• The shape and size of your ear canal
• Tobacco smoke or other irritants
• Hormonal changes, such as pregnancy

You’re at a higher risk of ear barotrauma if you’re around loud explosions in the military or scuba dive without proper gear.

If you feel pain, the doctor will ask you a series of questions. These questions not only help diagnose the ear squeeze, they may detect other potential injuries.

• Did you have problems clearing the ear?
• Did the symptoms begin during descent or ascent?
• How long did the symptoms last?
• Is there a history of ear or sinus infections?

Regardless of why you feel the pain, your doctor will look inside your ears with a tool called an otoscope. They’ll check to see if there’s fluid behind your eardrum or if it’s damaged. If it is, it may take weeks to heal and you might not hear very well. Usually, the only treatment is time.

If it isn’t better in 2 months, you may need an operation to prevent lasting hearing loss.

Go to a doctor right away if you feel like you’re spinning or falling (vertigo) and your symptoms happen right after flying or diving.

Mild symptoms of ear barotrauma usually last a few minutes. If they last longer, you may need treatment for an infection or another problem. Serious damage, such as a burst eardrum, may take a few months to heal. Sometimes you may need surgery to repair the eardrum or the opening into your middle ear.

For a mild case, you can usually treat your symptoms yourself.

• Try to “pop” your ears.
• Chew gum or hard candy.
• Drink water during flights. Swallowing helps keep the eustachian tubes open.

If yours happens when scuba diving, the treatment begins during the dive. If you have fullness or pain, do not go deeper. If ear clearing techniques don’t work, you must return to the surface. Always complete the decompression stops if necessary when returning to the surface.

If the eardrum ruptures, you might be disoriented or vomit, which may lead to panic. Panic may lead to ascending too rapidly. Your dive partner should carefully observe and assist, if needed, during the ascent, making sure all decompression stops are made. On the surface, no objects or eardrops should be placed into the ear. Keep the ear dry.

• Initial treatment involves oral decongestants and nasal spray to help open the eustachian tube. Antihistamines may also be prescribed if an allergy is a contributing factor.
• Pain medications are helpful, and eardrops to relieve pain may be used if the eardrum is not ruptured.
• A ruptured eardrum will need antibiotics by mouth to prevent infections.
• Hearing exams or audiograms may be needed if the eardrum is ruptured or hearing loss is present.
• If you have facial paralysis, your doctor might prescribe oral steroids.

You can prevent ear barotrauma by keeping your eustachian tubes open. Ways to do that include:

• Medicine. If you have a cold or allergies, take a decongestant about an hour before you fly. A nasal spray or an antihistamine could help, too.
• Earplugs. Special plugs designed for air travel can slow pressure changes and give your ears time to adjust.

If you’re a diver, try these things to protect your ears:

• Equalize your ears before your dive and while going down into the water.
• Go down feet first — it can make equalizing easier.
• Look up — extending your neck can open your tubes.
• Get back to the surface slowly if you feel pain — continuing your dive can injure your ears.
• Don’t dive if you have any sinus or upper respiratory symptoms.

Top Picks

Ear Barotrauma: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention

Written by Regina Boyle Wheeler

• What Is Ear Barotrauma?
• Ear Barotrauma Symptoms
• Ear Barotrauma Causes and Risk Factors
• Ear Barotrauma Diagnosis
• Ear Barotrauma Treatment
• Ear Barotrauma Prevention
• More

Ear barotrauma, also known as airplane ear, is that clogged-up, sometimes painful feeling you get in your ears when the air pressure changes quickly.

It’s the biggest health problem for people who fly. And it can be especially painful for babies and young kids because their ears aren’t fully developed.

Ear barotrauma also can happen when you ride in an elevator or drive in the mountains. It can happen in the water, too. Scuba divers call it “ear squeeze.” As a diver goes deeper underwater, the pressure in the middle ear (the part behind the eardrum) is “squeezed” by the increasing pressure of the water from outside.

The middle ear is an air-filled space formed by bone and the eardrum. It is connected to the back of the nose by a tunnel called the eustachian tube. Outside air passing through the eustachian tube keeps the pressure in the middle ear equal to that of the outside world. If the eustachian tube malfunctions and there’s a pressure difference across the eardrum, pain or ear squeeze happens.

Common symptoms include:

• Stuffed feeling in your ears
• Muffled hearing because your eardrum can’t vibrate and make sound the way it should
• Ear pain

If you hear a “pop” in your ears, that’s a sign your eustachian tubes are open. If they stay blocked, your middle ear can fill with clear liquid to try to balance the pressure. If your eustachian tubes are closed, it can’t drain. In this case, more serious symptoms can happen:

• Extreme ear pain
• Dizziness called vertigo
• A busted eardrum — fluid or blood leaking from your ear is a sign
• Hearing loss

With a mild case, your symptoms should go away shortly after you get back on land. If they don’t or if your symptoms are serious, see your doctor.

Your ears are especially sensitive to changes in air and water pressure. Still, most people don’t get ear barotrauma. You may be at risk if you have a problem with your eustachian tube where it doesn’t open normally. Reasons that may cause this include:

• Stuffy sinuses
• A cold or other infection
• Allergies
• The shape and size of your ear canal
• Tobacco smoke or other irritants
• Hormonal changes, such as pregnancy

You’re at a higher risk of ear barotrauma if you’re around loud explosions in the military or scuba dive without proper gear.

If you feel pain, the doctor will ask you a series of questions. These questions not only help diagnose the ear squeeze, they may detect other potential injuries.

• Did you have problems clearing the ear?
• Did the symptoms begin during descent or ascent?
• How long did the symptoms last?
• Is there a history of ear or sinus infections?

Regardless of why you feel the pain, your doctor will look inside your ears with a tool called an otoscope. They’ll check to see if there’s fluid behind your eardrum or if it’s damaged. If it is, it may take weeks to heal and you might not hear very well. Usually, the only treatment is time.

If it isn’t better in 2 months, you may need an operation to prevent lasting hearing loss.

Go to a doctor right away if you feel like you’re spinning or falling (vertigo) and your symptoms happen right after flying or diving.

Mild symptoms of ear barotrauma usually last a few minutes. If they last longer, you may need treatment for an infection or another problem. Serious damage, such as a burst eardrum, may take a few months to heal. Sometimes you may need surgery to repair the eardrum or the opening into your middle ear.

For a mild case, you can usually treat your symptoms yourself.

• Try to “pop” your ears.
• Chew gum or hard candy.
• Drink water during flights. Swallowing helps keep the eustachian tubes open.

If yours happens when scuba diving, the treatment begins during the dive. If you have fullness or pain, do not go deeper. If ear clearing techniques don’t work, you must return to the surface. Always complete the decompression stops if necessary when returning to the surface.

If the eardrum ruptures, you might be disoriented or vomit, which may lead to panic. Panic may lead to ascending too rapidly. Your dive partner should carefully observe and assist, if needed, during the ascent, making sure all decompression stops are made. On the surface, no objects or eardrops should be placed into the ear. Keep the ear dry.

• Initial treatment involves oral decongestants and nasal spray to help open the eustachian tube. Antihistamines may also be prescribed if an allergy is a contributing factor.
• Pain medications are helpful, and eardrops to relieve pain may be used if the eardrum is not ruptured.
• A ruptured eardrum will need antibiotics by mouth to prevent infections.
• Hearing exams or audiograms may be needed if the eardrum is ruptured or hearing loss is present.
• If you have facial paralysis, your doctor might prescribe oral steroids.

You can prevent ear barotrauma by keeping your eustachian tubes open. Ways to do that include:

• Medicine. If you have a cold or allergies, take a decongestant about an hour before you fly. A nasal spray or an antihistamine could help, too.
• Earplugs. Special plugs designed for air travel can slow pressure changes and give your ears time to adjust.

If you’re a diver, try these things to protect your ears:

• Equalize your ears before your dive and while going down into the water.
• Go down feet first — it can make equalizing easier.
• Look up — extending your neck can open your tubes.
• Get back to the surface slowly if you feel pain — continuing your dive can injure your ears.
• Don’t dive if you have any sinus or upper respiratory symptoms.

Top Picks

Ringing in the ears – symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Contents

• Mechanism of the phenomenon
• Causes
• Common combinations of symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Treatment of tinnitus
• Relief measures

We often ignore problems with our health, until they cause us severe discomfort and persistent pain. Therefore, many do not pay attention to the obsessive whistle that they constantly hear. What does this ringing in the ears mean? Is it possible and worth it to endure or should one immediately turn to lore?

Contents

Mechanism of the phenomenon

In the professional community, tinnitus is called tinnitus. This phenomenon never occurs by itself, but is a clear symptom of many pathologies and conditions. Ringing can be single or combined with other negative auditory manifestations: crackling, humming and buzzing.

Not every tinnitus can indicate a pathological condition of a person. In a room devoid of sounds, any healthy person will hear a characteristic noise. “Ringing silence” is a manifestation of a transient hum, which is absolutely normal and physiological. In a normal environment, we do not notice it because of the abundance of noise around.

If the ringing accompanies you constantly, the symptom may indicate a pathology – both in the auditory organs, and in the nervous and skeletal systems.

To understand why the ears are ringing, you need to understand the structure of the auditory organ:

1. Sound (or rather, air vibration) acts on the eardrum, forcing it to vibrate.
2. The vibration of the tympanic membrane is transmitted to the malleus, anvil and stapes located near it, which also begin to move.
3. Their vibrations are transmitted to the snail filled with liquid and having special cilia on the surface.
4. The fluid moves under the influence of vibrations, forcing the cilia to move.
5. Cilia transmit a nerve impulse to the brain, where it is processed and perceived by us as sound.

A failure may occur in one of these steps and cause the patient to hear a steady, maddening ringing that is not actually there.

Causes

Noise

A common cause of ringing is loud noises. Sharp unbearable noise, watching a movie in a cinema, going to a nightclub or a concert often lead to an overstrain of the conductive nerve endings. In order for the ringing to pass, it is enough to sleep or spend some time surrounded by quiet, unobtrusive sounds.

But ringing in the ears due to loud noise does not always go away without a trace. People who work for a long time in noisy industries, or patients who are fond of loud music or using headphones, over time note that rest no longer contributes to relief from discomfort. Along with the onset of deafness, they hear a constant hum and think about how to get rid of the ringing in their ears.

See also: How to relieve stuffy ears at home?

Otosclerosis

This age-related change, which is noticeably “younger” today, occurs when spongy bone tissue begins to grow on the surface of the dermis inside the ear. Regardless of which direction this formation begins to spread, it will still have a detrimental effect on the functionality of the organ.

At first the patient will hear ringing in the ear, and then gradually his hearing will noticeably decrease.

Substances

The cause of ringing in the ear is sometimes the abuse of certain substances: caffeine, nicotine and quinine. Frequent smoking, passion for energy drinks, coffee and even strong black tea can cause changes in the vessels, which will affect the internal parts of the auditory organ.

Puffiness

Patients with ARVI often note that their ear is blocked and ringing in it. This is due to the fact that stagnant mucus or swelling block the lumen of the auditory tube. A stuffy nose and ear canal cause a difference in pressure, causing the eardrum to bulge inwards. Unable to move from sound vibration, this film remains in place, and the patient, meanwhile, hears only a physiological ringing in the ear.

High blood pressure

A sudden increase in blood pressure or hypertension in a patient can lead to spasm of the posterior auricular artery. At the same time, the ringing is characterized by a special tact – it is not constant, but seems to duplicate the heartbeat, pulsates.

Medicines

A number of medicines have tinnitus as a side effect. In particular, taking antibiotics that include gentomycin, as well as medicines containing aspirin, can cause temporary hearing loss.

As soon as you stop taking the culprit drug and it is completely removed from the plasma, the obsessive noise will also disappear.

Injuries

If the causes of tinnitus are injuries of the head or only the auditory organs, then its character will be pronouncedly pulsating, and sometimes resemble a whistle. This pathology is accompanied by hearing loss of varying degrees, as well as headaches, dizziness, nausea. With severe swelling of the brain, vomiting and severe coordination disorders may occur.

Any of these symptoms following a head injury should be seen by a specialist as soon as possible.

Atherosclerosis

This disease is characterized by narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels due to the growth of cholesterol plaques on their walls. Impaired blood flow causes a characteristic noise – a ringing appears in the ears.

Ringing may be constant or occur occasionally, intermittently. Often it is accompanied by dizziness, patients have a headache.

Read also: Causes of constant ringing in the ears

Neoplasms

Acoustic neuroma can cause ringing in the right or left ear. The tumor grows and begins to put pressure on the area where the cochlea is located and affect it. As a rule, if ringing in the left ear or right ear due to a neuroma, the noise will be heard in only one organ of hearing. It will not be very pronounced at first and resemble a squeak or even the sound of sea waves.

Growing, the tumor begins to compress the brain stem and other parts of the auditory organ, which causes dizziness, impaired coordination and hearing loss.

Otitis media

Inflammation of the inner ear is a common cause of ringing. The swelling that accompanies the pathological process, as well as the accumulating fluid, reduce the mobility of the malleus and stirrup and keep them in a state of constant vibration. This causes false noise in one ear.

In addition to the above causes of tinnitus, it can manifest itself in:

1. Meniere’s disease;
2. diabetes mellitus;
3. thyroid dysfunction;
4. sulfur plug;
5. anemia;
6. osteochondrosis;
7. overwork;
8. schizophrenia.

As you can see, there is a fairly wide list of diseases and conditions that accompany tinnitus, their treatment should be timely and under the supervision of specialists.

Frequent combinations of symptoms

Dizziness + ringing

Such symptoms can be caused by:

• Changes in the movement of nerve impulses after injuries, with atherosclerosis and inflammatory processes in the internal parts of the auditory organ;
• changes in vascular patency with increased pressure, atherosclerosis and the influence of medicines and certain substances;
• Overexertion of nerve fibers due to stress or fatigue.

Dizziness + ringing + visual symptoms

If dizziness gets worse when moving the head, the patient experiences pain in the neck, feels a knock in the temples and ringing in the ears, the appearance of stars in the eyes is often noted, then it is worth making an appointment with a neurologist. This set of symptoms, which means that a person has osteochondrosis of the cervical region, is a good reason to contact a neurologist.

If the ringing appeared abruptly, accompanied by a rumble, dizziness and darkening in the eyes, such an attack may indicate a pressure surge.

Ringing + tachycardia + dizziness

If the ringing appears in combination with dizziness, pre-syncope, a person has a faster heartbeat, he sweats profusely, and the limbs freeze during such attacks, then such symptoms will mean that the culprit is vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Dizziness + ringing + lethargy

If you have dizziness and ringing that does not go away, accompanied by lethargy, persistent unwillingness to work, severe irritability, as well as sudden changes in appetite and weight, then such a spectrum of symptoms will signal the exhaustion of the nervous system and the occurrence of neurosis and depression.

Read also: Squeaking in the ears: causes and treatment of an unpleasant symptom

Diagnosis

Having determined which disease the general symptoms belong to, immediately contact the right specialist in order to start getting rid of the noise and its root causes as soon as possible.

If the noises are intrusive, but you have not identified specific symptoms, make an appointment with a general practitioner to go to a specific narrow doctor. The doctor will listen to you, examine you and redirect you to the specialist who should help you: tell you what causes tinnitus, what to do and how to treat the disease accompanied by this symptom.

Treatment of tinnitus

The treatment of this specific symptom will be to eliminate its root cause.

1. If the symptom is caused by taking medications, they are replaced with others or they wait until the end of the course, observing the patient in dynamics.
2. Ringing in the ear caused by vascular problems is treated by a surgeon. This therapy is very long-term, but very important. Perhaps the doctor will reveal a serious pathology in you thanks to the noise in the auditory organs and prescribe a course of drugs and measures to cure the disease.
3. If stuffy ears and noises in them due to stress or other neurological pathologies, a course of sedatives will help you, in serious cases, the doctor may prescribe strong antidepressants.
4. In case of VSD, the neurologist will prescribe you treatment in the form of vascular strengthening drugs.
5. If the cause of ringing in the ear is an inflammatory process, the ENT will prescribe you a complex antibacterial treatment, which must be strictly followed so that otitis media does not become chronic.

Measures to alleviate the condition

In modern realities, it can take quite a long time until the moment of visiting a specialist, and until then you need to somehow relieve annoying obsessive symptoms:

• Tinnitus can be removed by listening to soft music – calm melodies will ease your condition a little.
• If you have a blood pressure monitor at home, take your blood pressure first. If it is noticeably increased, and you have a prescription from a therapist or a cardiologist, take a pill to normalize it.
• Before visiting a doctor, a salt-free diet should be followed. Sodium can aggravate your condition, and ringing in your left ear or right ear will only get worse.
• If you have taken drugs containing aspirin, stop using them. Other possible provocateurs that cause ringing in the ears and head should also be excluded: coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks and nicotine can become the cause of this symptom.
• Move more often, do exercises, dispersing the blood.
• Avoid excessive noise – do not turn on the TV and car radios loudly, when working in production, if permitted by the TB, use noise-absorbing headphones or earplugs.

Pressing on the ears from the inside: causes and noise in the head, why pressure and sensation, feeling of heaviness

Contents

• Why is pressure felt in the ears?
• What causes high blood pressure?
• Treatment
• Preventive measures
• Diagnosis

Contents

Why do I feel pressure in my ears?

Ears are not only an organ of hearing, but also an organ of the vestibular system. The inner ear maintains the body’s balance in space. This body in its entirety is a delicate and well-established system. A person picks up sounds and can recognize their volume, distance and frequency.

There are several reasons for the feeling of pressure on the ears from the inside:

• Circulatory disorders in the cervical spine and head. In this case, a person will feel pressure in both ears, dizziness, headache, fainting are also possible.
• Inflammatory processes in the head. Infections can cause the mucous membranes to thicken and become inflamed, resulting in a feeling of a foreign body in the ear or increased pressure.
• The presence of sulfur plugs, water, foreign objects in the ears. The patient will experience a decrease in the threshold of hearing.
• Treatment with some groups of antibiotics causes deafness and a feeling of “bursting” pressure from inside the ear. This effect is called ototoxicity.
• Listening to loud music for a long time on headphones or at a concert. Then the pressure in the ears and head is a protective function of the body.

As we can see, such a feeling can disturb a person for various reasons, but the main task of specialists is to identify them and remove pressure.

What causes high blood pressure?

The person feels stuffy in the ears or feels pressure in the ear for a variety of reasons. The provocateur of this symptom can be otitis media, eustachitis, malignant or benign tumors in the ear, as well as malfunctions of the blood vessels passing through the cavity of the middle and inner ear.

Similar symptoms accompany the following pathologies:

1. Acute or chronic purulent otitis at the preperforative stage. The explanation is simple: a viscous substance in the form of mucus and pus accumulates in the middle ear. Since the secretions cannot leave the ear through the auditory tube, they remain inside, and the person complains of pressure.
2. ICP syndrome (persistent increase in intracranial pressure that does not completely equalize).
3. A disease characterized by the growth of bone tissue and impaired functionality of the ear. Pathology is called otosclerosis and requires immediate treatment.
4. Increased total arterial pressure.
5. Accumulation of myelin sheath cells forming a benign tumor. It is called auditory neuroma and is formed in the cells of the nervous tissue.
6. Increased secretion of ear exudate and its accumulation in the ear canal. This phenomenon is called an ear or cerumen plug.
7. Changes in the state of blood vessels due to age. A prime example of this is atherosclerosis.
8. Viral or infectious diseases in which the Eustachian tube is included in the cold process.

As a rule, all diseases that occur in the body affect the auditory organ. This is expressed precisely in an increase in pressure, because of which we feel congestion and discomfort.

It is important to remember that the sensation of pressure in the ears often does not occur on its own. It is accompanied by a number of other symptoms, among which:

• Severe migraines. As a rule, pain and pressure in the head occurs on the same side as the affected ear. However, this is not a prerequisite. Pain can be of varying intensity and localization.
• Dizziness, sometimes leading to nausea and disorientation in space. This is due to dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus.
• High ear sensitivity to all external sounds. The patient may experience discomfort even from the usual, quiet noises.
• General disturbance of sound perception.

This is important! Do not underestimate the danger of the conditions listed above. Despite the fact that ear pressure does not cause pronounced discomfort to a person, this symptom should not be present in a healthy ear.

Delay in contacting a doctor can result in the development of many complications, as well as partial or complete deafness.

Pressing on the ears

Although almost all patients describe the complaint as a generalized “pressing on the ears”, the symptoms of the pathology differ for different cases. Some people have a feeling that the ear canal is clogged with cotton, others report that one ear is blocked, and the other does not bother them at all. Sometimes there is a feeling that on the one hand it was laid more than on the other.

The most common complaints of this nature are: pressure in the ears and on the head, pressure on the ears and headache. There is a feeling that the head is swelling and bursting, it seems that something is stretching the eardrums from the inside, pressing on them. Most patients in this condition suffer from pain, nausea, tinnitus, various additional sounds (ticking, buzzing, ringing). A person begins to hear the so-called phantom sounds, for example, the whistle of a kettle or a phone ringing.

See also: Why does it hurt in the ear when chewing?

Discomfort and painful sensations make the patient irritable, cause constant anxiety, sleep problems. Pain in the head can be barely noticeable, localized in the temples, the back of the head, or so strong that even simple movements cause suffering to the patient. In addition, dizziness may occur, accompanying symptoms appear: the inability to tolerate loud sounds, rejection of strong light, distortion of what is heard.

The doctor cannot immediately determine why he is pressing on his ears, since many pathologies lead to the development of such a problem. These are both diseases of the ear itself, and other disorders in the body, or even a combination of them. Often such complaints occur against the background of hypertension.

Common causes

Find out what diseases and pathologies can cause pressure in the ears from the inside.

• Migraine is the most common and most common cause of inner ear pressure. Manifestations of migraine are extremely unpleasant and, in addition, are also prolonged. Increased intracranial pressure can also cause a feeling of squeezing in the temples, near the ears.
• Otosclerosis . This disease is characterized by increased growth of spongy bone tissue in the inner ear. This overgrowth, if present, is sure to produce a sensation of pressure and fullness in the auditory organs.
• Atherosclerosis of vessels located in the brain. This pathology of lipid metabolism in the blood vessels may well cause a feeling of pressure. Vascular diseases leading to the appearance of this symptom can be different: in addition to atherosclerosis, aneurysm and other pathologies are possible. Almost all diseases of the vessels located in the neck and head can lead to a persistent or periodic feeling of pressure in the temples. The so-called neuroma, or tumor of the auditory nerve, sometimes also causes the described symptom.
• With hypertension (high intracranial pressure), it goes without saying that this pressure will also be felt in the ear area. Diseases of a catarrhal nature, as well as sinusitis, can also cause this symptom.
• Otitis media in the acute or chronic phase can also lead to this problem. Inflammatory processes, possibly of an infectious nature, may be one of the possible causes of this symptom. Otitis or other diseases can cause inflammation. Most often, if this is the reason, a feeling of pressure from the inside in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ears will occur already at the last stage of the disease, when purulent otitis media will lead to perforation (rupture) of the eardrum. In this case, the feeling of squeezing will also be accompanied by severe pain in the ears.
• Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae. In this case, the feeling of pressure occurs due to microtrauma of the blood vessels, which leads to osteochondrosis.

Hypertension

Pressure on the ears may be caused by hypertension. This is one of the most likely causes of this problem.

Hypertension is an increased pressure in the vessels, hollow organs and cavities of the human body. This disease can provoke damage to blood vessels, organs of the circulatory system.

Pressing pain in the ear is one of the most striking symptoms of this disease. Others include nausea, headache, and loss of consciousness. But the main distinguishing feature is a persistent increase in blood pressure.

Otosclerosis

Pressure in the ears, of course, may indicate problems directly with this sense organ. A disease such as otosclerosis characterizes progressive hearing loss. It is most often provoked by a malfunction of the auditory ossicles located in the middle ear. The disease has a number of symptoms such as a hum in the head, impaired coordination of movements and impaired hearing.

Dense wax plugs

Many people experience sudden ear congestion. There is a feeling of the presence of cotton wool, which simply delays sounds. Sulfur plugs are to blame for this.

The most common cause of their occurrence is inaccurate cleaning of the external auditory canal. In the process of sulfur accumulation, congestion is formed. And the accompanying symptoms of the problem are coughing and nausea. A person may feel pain, but it should not be particularly critical. If the patient has formed sulfur plugs, then congestion is characterized by an echo of his own voice in his head.

Sinusitis

Due to prolonged rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, hypothermia, a person’s sinuses become inflamed. At the same time, the natural ways of outflow of mucus from the nose are blocked, pus accumulates in the nose. A thick fluid fills the sinuses, provoking a violation of nasal breathing, leading to swelling of the auditory tube.

Symptoms of sinusitis:

• Nasal congestion.
• Difficulty blowing mucus.
• Swelling of the face.
• Nasal voice.
• Pain in the forehead, bridge of the nose, under the eyes, above the eyebrows, in the teeth.

As soon as you lie down or bend over, you get the feeling that a thick hat is pulled over your head, pressure in the ears, noisy throbbing in the head.

Purulent otitis

Otitis most often appears as a complication of sinusitis, sinusitis, colds. An infection from the nose enters the middle ear, provoking the development of an inflammatory process. The patient accumulates pus, which gradually presses on the eardrum. At the same time, hearing is disturbed, extraneous noises, ringing occur. Patients note that pressing pain in the ear is sometimes replaced by sharp shootings of such intensity that it is impossible to hold back the cry.

Read also: Ball in the earlobe – causes and treatment

Other causes

There are still a huge number of factors that cause this problem. The onset of a symptom may be caused by long-term medication. These are most often antibiotics and ototoxic drugs.

Pressure on the ears can be caused by listening to loud music, wearing headphones all the time, and talking on the phone for long periods of time. If the situation is not corrected in a timely manner, this can lead to a significant hearing loss.

Inflammatory processes can also be a fairly common cause of this phenomenon. A lump in the throat and pressure on the ears are satellites of the defeat of this interconnected group of organs. Symptoms are caused by infectious diseases.

The tympanic membrane is the most sensitive to this process. It is this part of the ear that takes the whole blow in the form of purulent secretions and liquids. They accumulate and cause damage to the eardrum.

Treatment

Find out how and how to treat earache and other unpleasant symptoms.

The first thing to do if you experience pressure from the inside of your ears is to go to the doctor. As we have already established, the causes of such pressure in the ears can be different, therefore, the treatment, as you know, is also different. When the cause of the symptom is eliminated, the latter, as a rule, goes away on its own.

First you need to visit an ENT specialist who will examine the ears for inflammation, otitis, colds and other factors that affect the general well-being. The presence of injuries of the tympanic membrane, its possible perforation, various pathologies of the internal auditory organs can also be detected at this stage. It may also turn out that the feeling of fullness in the ears is caused by a banal sulfur plug, which the doctor can immediately remove. It is likely that this method will already return to normal health, and the feeling of pressure will disappear.

The ENT doctor will also conduct a special examination – an audiogram, which will help to identify existing problems with auditory perception. After an examination and an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment for this diagnosis.

Typically, complex therapy includes:

• taking internal medications;
• ear drops;
• antihistamines;
• painkillers;
• physiotherapy.

Treatment varies depending on the cause of the illness, and may also include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, cold medications, vitamins, and other medications. If the cause is serious enough and cannot be eliminated with medication, an appropriate operation may be prescribed.

It is necessary to follow all the doctor’s instructions exactly in order to prevent the development of a chronic disease or any complication. If the ENT doctor failed to identify the cause of internal pressure in the ears, then you will have to undergo a complete comprehensive examination of the body: pass the necessary tests, and visit doctors of other specializations.

Treatment of the problem

Often a person is faced with the fact that his ear is blocked. What to do? At home, you can only exacerbate the problem. In order not to permanently lose your hearing, it is better to consult a specialist. He, having analyzed a number of symptoms, will make a diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

The doctor will check whether there is inflammation, damage to the eardrum or other diseases using various examination methods. The most modern diagnostic methods include:

• otoscopy;
• audiometry;
• tympanometry;
• radiography;
• MRI;
• complete blood count;
• blood pressure measurement.

Treatment usually consists of several stages. First of all, the patient must undergo a medical course consisting of antibiotics, vitamins, antispasmodic and restorative agents. Secondly, this problem cannot be eliminated without physiotherapeutic procedures. Their goal is to eliminate the main symptom – pressure on the ears.

Many people are interested in the question, if the ear is blocked, what to do at home? But here it is better not to hesitate and immediately use the services of a doctor, as there are diseases that are very difficult to diagnose. Perhaps it is the early treatment that will help to avoid serious problems in the future.

How is pressure treated today?

Depending on what caused the patient to have such a symptom as a feeling of squeezing and increased pressure – the individual characteristics of the body, concomitant pathologies or ear inflammation, treatment will be selected.

In order to effectively equalize ear pressure without allowing any complications, diagnosis and therapy are carried out on a case-by-case basis. Taking into account factors such as the duration of these symptoms and the general well-being of the patient, the doctor decides on conservative treatment or surgical intervention, which will help to quickly get rid of the disease.

Having diagnosed the pathology that caused the disturbing symptoms, they can prescribe the following treatment:

1. Medicines that lower blood pressure (antihypertensives). They are also good at relieving congestion.
2. Antibacterial therapy. It is used in acute and chronic otitis to relieve inflammation.

See also: Squeaking in the ears: causes and treatment of an unpleasant symptom

In the case of a neuroma of nerve cells in the ear, there is a high probability that the doctor will have to resort to surgical methods of treatment.

Another way to get rid of the problem is radiation. However, it is rarely used due to wide side effects. Radiation therapy is only indicated when the tumor is difficult to reach with a scalpel or is large.

If it presses on the ears due to a seasonal cold, then no particularly serious treatment is required here. Often, therapy consists in prescribing drugs aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disease.

As soon as its main manifestations can be eliminated, the patient ceases to be disturbed by discomfort in the ear. However, severe forms of colds can lead to a lot of complications, which will be difficult to cope with without antibiotics.

The pressure caused by a wax plug in the ear is restored by getting rid of the plug. This is done either mechanically, or sulfur is dissolved by special means. It is recommended to get medical advice before getting rid of the cork.

Note! The whole complex of measures aimed at the treatment of atherosclerosis consists of correcting the diet, fighting bad habits and a radical change in lifestyle in general. In addition to this, the patient is prescribed a number of drugs that lower the level of lipids in the body.

Medications

Medications are prescribed depending on the disease affecting the person.

• In case of hypertension, Captopril will help to reduce pressure and eliminate tinnitus. Nootropic drugs that strengthen blood vessels and normalize blood flow (Vazotropil, Cinnarizine) can also be prescribed.
• If a patient suffers from osteochondrosis, complex therapy is indicated: applying anti-inflammatory ointments to the neck, shoulder girdle (Diclofenac, Ketoprofen), taking Noofen to improve blood supply to brain tissues, to strengthen blood vessels – a drug based on natural components of Ginkgo bilobo.
• When it presses in the ears from the inside due to sinusitis, it is necessary to undergo special procedures to cleanse the nasal passages from accumulated pus: cuckoo, Yamik catheter, suction of mucus with a syringe after piercing the nasal septum. It is also necessary to take antibacterial drugs to relieve the inflammatory process.
• Purulent otitis is also treated with antibiotics, the patient needs not only to take drugs inside, but also to drip antibacterial drugs into the ear canal.
• In atherosclerosis, it is necessary to take blood-thinning drugs (Aspirin), drugs that reduce blood clots (Wobenzym).
• Migraine may not respond to treatment, constantly appearing in a person’s life, but attacks can be extinguished with the help of painkillers. The headache is eliminated, the feeling of fullness in the ears disappears.

In addition, massage, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed: electrophoresis, paraffin treatment, magnet.

Preventive measures

A very large number of diseases are accompanied by this problem. Pressure on the ears is a concomitant symptom of various processes. And a person who has encountered such a problem at least once tries by all means to avoid a repetition of the situation. Even for those who have never suffered from excessive pressure in the ears, it is useful to adhere to general rules. Of course, it is necessary to lead the right way of life. As much physical activity as possible is recommended. A healthy diet is also not to be ignored.

Avoiding bad habits, such as excessive drinking and smoking, will reduce the risk of these symptoms. It is also worth carrying out the prevention of colds, because it often entails problems with the organs of this group. An important point is hygiene. Cleaning your ear canals properly and gently will help keep your ears healthy.

People with frequent ear congestion should avoid deep sea diving and air travel. And if you still had to fly, then at least you should not sleep on the plane.

It is better to anticipate the problem in advance. But it still happens that something presses on the ears from the inside. Causes and treatment will be prescribed only by the appropriate specialist. Do not self-medicate.

Diagnosis

Before proceeding with the active therapy of pathology, it is necessary to identify the initial cause that led to such a condition. The patient should visit a therapist, an otolaryngologist, a neuropathologist, a cardiologist. And if necessary, a surgeon and an oncologist.

In addition to the interview and examination, you will be assigned various research methods:

• Complete blood count. Gives information about the presence of inflammatory reactions in the body.
• Swabs from the mucous membranes of the nose and throat to identify the pathogen. This event is held for the best selection of antibiotics for sinusitis, sinusitis.
• Ultrasound with dopplerography of the vessels of the neck and head. Allows you to find deviations in the development and functionality of blood vessels that feed the brain. Possible atherosclerotic deposits are also identified. Blood flow is seen in both directions.
• CT and MRI. These studies may be prescribed if the previous methods are not informative or did not reveal any deviations. Head computed tomography findings can reveal even the smallest tumors, such as neurinoma (a neoplasm on the auditory nerve).