Clogged Ear: What It Could Be

A clogged or plugged ear usually means something is blocking the canal or something is stuck behind the eardrum. Earwax impaction is the leading candidate — StatPearls reports it in up to 6% of the general population, 10% of children and more than 30% of older adults — followed by trapped water, a blocked eustachian tube, and pressure changes.

Main causes of a clogged ear

• Earwax impaction: wax accumulates past the point where the canal clears itself. The AAFP lists earache, a plugged or full feeling, partial hearing loss that keeps getting worse, tinnitus, itching, odor, discharge and even cough among its symptoms.
• Water trapped in the ear canal, after swimming or a shower.
• Eustachian tube dysfunction: a cold, allergy, upper respiratory infection, bacteria or virus blocks the tube; negative pressure develops and mucus collects behind the eardrum.
• Pressure changes while flying, diving, or moving quickly in altitude.
• Ear infection, outer or middle — and fluid can remain behind the eardrum for weeks or months after the infection itself has cleared.
• Hearing aids and earplugs: StatPearls notes impaction is often seen in people who wear them routinely, and that repeatedly inserting objects into the canal can accelerate wax production.

Why cotton swabs make it worse

The ear canal is shaped like an hourglass. A swab reaches past the wide outer part and pushes the wax into the narrowing, which is exactly where a blockage does the most damage to hearing — The AAFP puts hearing loss at the top of the symptom list for impacted cerumen, and attributes much of it to cleaning attempts. There is also the blunt risk: a swab pushed too deep can injure the eardrum or the ear bones. MedlinePlus states it without a qualifier — never try to clean the ear by putting any object, such as a cotton swab, into the ear canal. The old rule of thumb says it best: nothing smaller than an elbow goes in the ear.

Ear candling does not work, and the FDA has said so

Ear candles are 10- to 15-inch hollow, cone-shaped candles of wax-impregnated cloth, inserted into the ear canal and lit at the far end. The AAO-HNSF answer to whether they are a safe option for wax removal is simply no. There are no controlled studies or other scientific evidence supporting their safety or effectiveness for any claimed use, and the reported injuries are the predictable ones: burns, blockage of the canal by the candle’s own wax, and perforation of the eardrum. The FDA judged them an imminent danger to health and has pursued product seizures and injunctions against manufacturers and sellers since 1996.

Congestion, cabin pressure, and how to equalize

• After a cold, sinus infection or allergy flare: the congested eustachian tube stops equalizing pressure, and the ear sounds muffled until the congestion settles. If the runny nose is chronic rather than seasonal, see allergic rhinitis symptoms.
• After flying or diving: MedlinePlus recommends swallowing, yawning, chewing gum or sucking hard candy during takeoff and descent, and the Valsalva maneuver — pinch the nose, take a mouthful of air, blow gently against the pinched nose, then swallow. Babies cannot pop their own ears, so offer a bottle or pacifier and avoid letting them sleep through the descent. Anyone flying with allergies should take their medication at the start of the flight.

Clogged ear and tinnitus together

Ringing often arrives with the plugged feeling, and wax is a common shared cause of both. When the two appear together it is worth investigating them as one complaint rather than two — see tinnitus causes.

What to do about a clogged ear

1. Keep objects out of the canal, swabs included.
2. Tilt the head and gently pull the earlobe to drain trapped water.
3. Yawn or swallow after pressure changes.
4. Soften the wax rather than digging at it — the AAFP lists mineral or almond oil, glycerin, commercial drops, or detergent drops such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.
5. Do not irrigate on your own if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, an ear tube, eczema in the canal, or a weakened immune system. Ask before putting anything in.
6. Treat the underlying cause — the congestion, the allergy, the infection.

If you get repeated impactions or wear hearing aids, StatPearls suggests a checkup and routine preventive cleaning every six to 12 months.

When to see a doctor

• It persists for days without improvement
• Severe pain, or pain that arrives with the blockage — see ear pain causes
• Drainage or fever, which points at infection; see ear infection symptoms
• Noticeable hearing loss, or hearing that keeps getting worse
• It keeps coming back with no clear cause
• Dizziness, or swelling behind the ear

This content is informational and does not replace a medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. See also ear pain causes and ear infection symptoms.