Plugged-up ears often are side effects of colds, allergies, impacted water or ear infections. The condition is usually temporary, say doctors at the Mayo Clinic. Treatment is usually not needed unless the condition lasts for more than a week or so, in which case you should consult a doctor. Otherwise, home remedies may help alleviate the discomfort of plugged-up ears.
Blowing
Plugged up ears typically happen when the tubes connecting the middle and outer ear become stopped up and do not open and close as they are supposed to do. Pressure in the ears is stabilized by the eustachian tubes when yawing or swallowing. When the tube is not working properly, the air pressure in the middle ear cannot become equalized to the outside pressure and results in a plugged-up feeling. A person with blocked eustachian tubes can take a deep breath, squeeze the nostrils and blow. The mouth should be closed as well. A popping sound indicates the treatment worked and the ears should be unplugged.
Prevention
People who are prone to swimmer's ear often present with symptoms that include plugged-up ears. The National Institutes of Health recommends that swimmers wear earplugs or try to swim on top of the water to prevent the condition. Earplugs also can be useful in the shower if the ears are very sensitive to water that can collect in the eardrum. Swimmer's ear also can be prevented and treated by mixing one drop of white distilled vinegar with one drop of alcohol and dropping the mixture into the ear after it gets wet. The concoction can dry out the ears as well as prevent bacteria from growing and causing infection on top of the plugged up swimmer's ear.
Warmth
Plugged ears often are the result of ear infections that have settled in the ear canal. While antibiotics can help to clear up an ear infection, many people eschew the medicines for ear infections, especially when they are common in their children. As long as there is no high fever associated with the infection, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that home remedies can be just as effective in may cases. Filling a hot water bottle and laying it on the ear can alleviate the pain of ear infections as well as provide the necessary conditions for healing. A cloth bag filled with warm salt can also used to soothe a plugged-up ear when laid on the area.
