Help with blocked ears...

[ctc917]

I know it seems like a strange question but here is goes: I had a cold last week and now its pretty much done but now my ears are blocked and I'm surpose to fly next Wed to Florida and I'm not looking forward to it at all. The last time I flew with a cold my ears were blocked for weeks. So I'm hoping someone out there might have some ideas: over the counter medicine any thing?

Thanks for the help

ctc917

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

First, make sure the fluid is not an infection. This happened to me this year. I had an infection for a while, but it did clear. What I didn't know was that the fluid and pain could last. I actually went to immediate care the day before we flew to make sure the infection was still gone.

Here is what I did. I took a benadryl the night before and a pseudofed 1 1/2 hours prior to take off. This did help a lot. Remember to drink water throughout your flight and take your tongue and push it up at the back of your mouth and swallow. This works like a yawn. My mouth hurts a lot while chewing gum but I did during take off and then again during landing.

Since I was still plugged when I got down to Disney I took one pseudofed a day in the am.

**Note if you have any medical problems or HBP, make sure your doc is okay with the OTC drugs.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[millerpjm]

Sometimes when my ears are blocked it is due to a sinus "thing" - you could try an OTC sinus remedy.

 

[HeatherC]

You could try Swim Ear which is basically alcohol. My sons ears get clogged quite a bit with allergies or swimming and this seems to do the trick right away.

It won't hurt you and you'll know right away if it is helpful or not.

Good luck!

 

[kimnvbva]

I had this problem this past summer! 6 weeks of being sick! It was horrible! My left ear was completely blocked and had to go to the doc twice. Both times I had ear infections and I couldn't hear out of either ear. The doc told me to get some Mucinex-D. You get it over the counter from your pharmacist. It is suppose to drain all of the fluids from behind your ears. It worked for the right ear. Left ear took forever. I kept trying to pop it and it finally did! You need to hold your nose and hold your breath. After a thousand tries it finally worked! Hope this helps!

 

[designermv]

I would do Mucinex-D, like a PP recommended, and also saline nasal spray. The saline spray is safe to use as much as you want since there are no medications in it. It will work very well to help open up your eustachian tubes.

Good luck!