When To See A Doctor For Sinus Pain
If your sinus symptoms are not getting better with at-home treatments, and if your sinus symptoms last longer than seven to 10 days, you should see a doctor for treatment. Allina Health has many convenient care options for care, from online visits to walk-in care, to help you get better fast.
If you have frequent or reoccurring sinus infections, you may want to see an ear, nose and throat for your treatment options.
How Can A Sinus Infection Cause An Ear Infection
Does a sinus infection cause an ear infection? Or is it the other way around? Actually, sinus and ear infections stem from the same root causes: viral infections and bacterial infections. Once an infection takes root in the sinuses, its easy for it to spread to the middle ear and cause an ear infection. Having these two infections at the same time means youve signed up for all the symptoms of a sinus infection, plus the additional symptoms of ear pain and/or clogged ears.
While these common causes can make diagnosing your ailment more difficult, they also make treating one infection akin to treating the other. Awareness of the common causes of sinus infections and ear infections, then, can make you less susceptible to getting both infections at once. Lets examine these causes now.
How To Alleviate Ear Pressure
Ear pressure can be an uncomfortable feeling when one or both of your ears feel clogged. Ear pressure occurs when the eustachian tube becomes partially or completely blocked as a consequence of common colds, allergies, or sinusitis. When the eustachian tube gets blocked, sounds may become muffled and you may experience pressure, pain, or fullness in your ear.
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Common Factors That Lead To Clogged Ear
Your ear canal is like a door of open opportunities to foreign objects and intangible particles that make their way in and cause problems some of which can be painful, too.
A few factors that commonly cause your ears to become clogged up are:
1. Wax buildup
Generally,earwax is protective in nature. But, when it hardens, the ears become clogged and cause pain, ringing, etc. Too much accumulation of earwax is responsible for the ear clogging. There are various earwax drops & removal kit available in the market which you can use to get rid of it.
2. Dirt Particles
External particles, dirt, and insertion of foreign objects like cotton swab cause the ear to clog. The insertion of these objects damage the inner cells of the ear. And you may suffer from hearing related problems.
3. Air pressure
You may experience ear clogging while scuba diving, climbing mountains or on an airplane. You can also call it Ear Barotrauma or Airplane ear. As sometimes Eustachian tube cant equalize the pressure due to change in altitude or pressure. This causes clogging of ears.
4. Sinus problems
A common cold, flu, allergies and various factors responsible for sinus infections block the nasal passage and it leads to Eustachian tube blockage. As a result, you feel as something is clogged in your ear.
5. Ear Infections
Otitis Media, an ear infection occurs when fluid starts to build up in the middle ear and harmful microbes start to grow. This causes the sensation of ears blockage.
What Is A Sinus Infection
Your sinuses are air gaps within your skull that sit behind your cheekbones and forehead, connected to your airway via your nose. Sinus infections can be either bacterial or viral, with both types causing similar symptoms. They usually happen if your sinuses are congested and swollen due to things like allergies or a cold, and can sometimes result in short- or even long-term hearing loss.
Sinusitis can be either acute or chronic . The more long-term or severe the infection is, the more likely it is that chronic sinusitis will develop, which can impact your hearing.
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Why Can Sinus Infections Lead To Ear Congestion
Ear congestion isnt really the outer ear becoming blocked, its just another name for Eustachian tube blockage.
The main symptoms include a feeling of pressure or fullness in the affected ear or ear pain. You may also experience dampened noises and difficulty in hearing. Hearing loss is rarely the first symptom of sinus infection and ear congestion.
Its important to remember that these symptoms are of ear congestion, but not necessarily caused by a sinus infection. Other causes include simple infections like the common cold or allergic reactions such as hay fever.
How To Treat Allergy
Remember Never attempt to scratch an ear itch by putting something inside your ear canal such as a hair pin or cotton swab. Instead, if you experience itchiness the best way to treat it is to wipe your outer ear gently with a warm, damp washcloth and dry it thoroughly.
A specialized Ear Nose and Throat doctor will be able to diagnose whether your hearing issues are being caused by allergies. If this is the case, there are several different ways to treat the root allergies causing ear issues. You will likely conduct an allergy test, either in the office or at home, to determine your specific allergies. The suggested treatment from your doctor will depend on the type and severity of your allergies.
Oral Medications
Over the counter antihistamines can counteract the bodys reaction to an allergen and relieve symptoms temporarily, reducing swelling and potentially alleviating hearing loss for a short time. This can be an effective approach for seasonal or temporary allergies but requires taking oral pills every day and can lose its effectiveness over time.
Allergy Drops or Shots
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How To Unclog Ears
In cases where you might be experiencing problems in either one or both your ears and which are minor, then here are some few simple natural remedies that can help you easily unclog your ears and get relief quickly, without damaging your ears:
1. Yawn
Having a blocked ear can sometimes make your hearing unclear. You can decrease the air pressure and pop open your blocked ears by yawning a couple of times until youre able to hear clearly.
2. Swallowing
Ear clogging is due to the blockage of Eustachian Tube. Swallowing automatically enables the muscles to work and open the eustachian tube.
It connects the middle ear to the back of the nose. Chewing gum and sucking or chewing candy can activates the function of the Eustachian tube properly. This unclogs your ear.
3. Warm Compress
Warm compress is one of the natural treatments for unclogging your ears that is commonly associated with cold or sinus congestion as well as getting quick relief from earaches.
The heat from a warm compress will help loosen congestion, unclog the ear and also help in easing the pain. Soak a washcloth in warm water leaving out the excess water and then hold it over the ear for about 15 minutes.
This helps in easy drainage of fluid from the ear canal and relieves you from pain as well.
Alternatively, you can use a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth and apply it for a few minutes on the blocked ear. The pressure will open up the clogged ear, while also reducing ear pain.
4. Steam
Inflamed Gums Sore Throat And Earache
When a tooth has decayed or is infected, pain and inflammation can radiate throughout the area, causing inflamed gums, sore throat, and earache symptoms. Infections and abscesses can often cause ear pain, leading the patient to suspect an ear infection. Conversely, an earache can also lead to tooth pain. If you have inflamed gums, a sore throat, or an earache in addition to symptoms listed above on this page, we recommend getting in to see us as soon as possible. Infections can spread quickly, and in addition to being incredibly painful, can also be incredibly dangerous.
Check out what Virginia had to say about us on .
Dr. Gretzula and her staff are fantastic. Ive been a patient for years and always have a positive experience. Had a very large filling replaced yesterday and no pain. None. Zero! I highly recommend her and her staff.
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Can A Sinus Infection Mess With Your Hearing
Sinus congestion and hearing loss The most common form of hearing loss due to a sinus infection is caused by severe congestion and sinus blockage specifically, sinus blockage of the Eustachian tube, a small section of your ear that helps regulate pressure. Fluid in the Eustachian tube can cause muffled hearing.
Tips To Prevent Sinus Infections
In order to avoid ear pain and temporary hearing loss due to clogged ears as a result of sinus infections one must prevent sinus infections. Here are some tips to help you prevent sinus infections and avoid the complications associated with it.
- Control your allergies.
- Keep hydrated, which keeps mucus thin.
- Reduce alcohol consumption, which can worsen mucus.
- Minimize exposure to people with cold or flu.
- Always wash your hands and avoid germs.
- Avoid chlorinated swimming pools.
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Have Some Olive Oil Drops
Olive oil is one of the best natural remedies for relieve ear congestion. Due to a build up of wax inside the ears, you can use olive oil to soften ear wax. Then you can easily remove it.
- Heat some pure olive oil. Put a few drops of the lukewarm olive oil with a dropper in the affected ear.
- Keep it for 10 minutes to soften the earwax. Tilt your head to remove the earwax and oil with ear buds. Do this gently as it is a delicate organ.
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How To Unclog Ear With Garlic
Garlic is an amazing food that finds multiple uses. From flavoring your dishes to boosting your digestive health, garlic is all around. This is not all this root has some potent properties that make it an excellent home remedy for treating congested ears. Here is how you can use it.
How to use?
- Put it in your blocked ear for a minute and then drain it out
Benefits of Garlic
Garlic has antibacterial properties that fight off the infection in your ear and help clear the build-up. Warm garlic oil when poured in the ear helps the wax to loosen. Thus, the wax clogging your ear comes out when you drain the oil.
Precautions
Check the oil before pouring it in your ear. It should be warm, neither hot nor cold.
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Congestion In Ears But Not Nose: What Could It Be
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The sinuses are a system of hollow, air-filled spaces located on either side of your nose and above/between your eyes. Since the ears, nose and throat are all interconnected, inflammation in the sinuses can lead to problems elsewhere in the ENT region. For instance, ear congestion often occurs in combination with nasal congestion. However, it is also possible to experience congestion in the ears but not the nose. In this article, well look at a few potential reasons why this might occur.
The team at Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Specialists draws on more than 50 years of experience to skillfully treat sinus-related issues of all sorts. To find out more about our Willow Grove ENT & allergy specialists, call our office at 215-659-8805.
Hum Your Way To Sinus Pain Relief
Some people report that humming for one hour improves sinus pain, says Das. Researchers in Sweden have found that humming can keep your sinuses clear. How could that be possible? Humming may increase both airflow through your sinuses and the level of nitric oxide in your sinuses. The combination of nitric oxide and airflow may reduce your risk of sinusitis. So if you have a common cold or allergies, want to prevent a sinus infection, and know a happy tune that you dont mind hearing for an hour, you may want to try a little humming.
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Treatment & Mitigating Measures
If symptoms of otic or sinus barotrauma, or discomfort, occur in-flight then action is required, depending on the stage of the flight profile , the severity of the trauma, and also depending on whether the patient is a crew member or passenger. Solutions may include: an immediate return to the departure aerodrome a reduced cruising altitude pressurisation management and, continuation to destination with the application of first aid. Most critical for severe cases will be the need to control the descent in stages, allowing the patient time to equalise their ears frequently. The most crucial stage is the last few thousand feet of altitude.
An badly affected crewmember should be removed from duties. There can be some leeway if one of only two pilots is affected, depending on the severity of pain but discussions will need to cover the potential symptoms of degraded hearing, performance and possible dizziness and imbalance.
All cabin and flight crew are regularly trained in first aid and the use of the first aid equipment on-board. This will include the use of nasal decongestants to assist in freeing up the Eustachian tubes and ostia, usually in connection with the Valsalva method of ear popping. They will also be familiar with the use of analgesics to relieve some of the associated pain.
Blockages resulting from allergic reactions may be relieved through decongestants and antihistamine, but ultimately the source of the allergy will need to be addressed.
Treating Outer Ear Infections
The outer ear should be carefully cleaned. That should be followed by the application of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory medications on your ear.
Antibiotics may be prescribed if your doctor determines that the infection is bacterial.
If the infection is fungal, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal medication.
If you have a viral infection, you may simply need to tend to the irritation on your ear and wait for the infection to resolve itself. Depending on the type of virus involved, more specialized treatment may be necessary.
To help prevent an ear infection of any kind, follow these tips:
- Make sure you dry your ears completely after swimming or taking a shower.
- Try quitting smoking, and limit or avoid secondhand smoke when possible.
- Manage your allergies by avoiding triggers and keeping up with allergy medications.
- Wash your hands thoroughly, and try to limit contact with people who have colds or other upper respiratory problems.
- Make sure your vaccines are up to date.
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What Are Other Possible Reasons Your Ear Feels Clogged
You can have ear congestion even if you dont have a respiratory infection. Here are some other common reasons your ear feels clogged:
Its easy to confuse allergies with an upper respiratory infection because the two share similar symptoms. However, allergic reactions are caused by an immune system attack on generally non-threatening substances like food, pollen, or mold, so those associated symptoms should be treated a little differently than, say, those from a cold caused by a virus. In addition to sneezing, sinus pressure, and a runny nose, you may also experience itchy, watery eyes, which can help distinguish allergies from a cold or flu. Allergies also cause nasal inflammation and tissue swelling at the very back of your nasal passage, so you may have ear pressure for the same reason as many respiratory infections.
If youre feeling oddly intense pressure in your face, you may be dealing with the telltale sign of a sinus infection, which can occur after a cold or when allergies flare up because all that fluid buildup in your nasal passages can cause germs to flourish, setting up the perfect environment for an infection to take hold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sinus infection symptoms can include ear congestion or pressure in addition to pressure around your eyes and nose, postnasal drip, cough, fatigue, and sometimes a fever, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Treatment And Medication Options For Sinus Infection
Up to 70 percent of people with acute sinusitis recover without prescribed medications.
Treatment for acute sinus infections focuses on relieving symptoms, such as by:
- Drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest
- Flushing out the sinuses with a saline nasal wash like a Neti Pot or a saline nasal spray
- Inhaling steam several times a day
- Using a humidifier
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Cleaning Inside Your Nose
You can clean the inside of your nose using either a home-made salt water solution or a solution made with sachets of ingredients bought from a pharmacy.
To make the solution at home, mix a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into a pint of boiled water that has been left to cool. To rinse your nose:
- wash and dry your hands
- stand over a sink, cup the palm of one hand and pour a small amount of the solution into it
- sniff the water into one nostril at a time
Repeat these steps until your nose feels more comfortable . You should make a fresh solution each day. Don’t re-use a solution made the day before.
Special devices you can use instead of your hand are also available for pharmacies. If you choose to use one of these, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions about using and cleaning it.
The Surprising Connection Between Sinus Infections And Ear Infections
Its 2018, and the Texas weather still cant make up its mind. The fluctuations in temperature, air pressure, and air moisture are causing sinus misery from Galveston to Conroe. As if dealing with one type of infection isnt hard enough, sinus infections and ear infections can often occur at the same time. Read on to understand the relationship between these two pain-causing companions.
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