When you’re sick with a cold or sinus infection, that plugged, muffled feeling in your ears comes from swollen tissue blocking the small tubes that connect your middle ear to the back of your throat. These tubes, called Eustachian tubes, normally open briefly when you swallow or yawn to equalize air pressure on both sides of your eardrum. Inflammation from a viral or bacterial infection causes the lining of these tubes to swell, trapping air and fluid inside the middle ear. The good news: several simple techniques can coax them open again.
Why Your Ears Feel Blocked When You’re Sick
Your body responds to infection by releasing inflammatory signals that cause tissue swelling throughout the nose and throat. That same swelling affects the Eustachian tube lining, and because the tube is narrow to begin with (roughly the width of a pencil lead), even mild inflammation can seal it shut. When the tube can’t open, air pressure in your middle ear drops relative to the outside world. Your eardrum gets pulled slightly inward, producing that familiar fullness, muffled hearing, and sometimes a dull ache.
This is different from water trapped in the outer ear canal after swimming. The pressure imbalance is happening behind your eardrum, which is why shaking your head or tilting it to the side won’t help. The fix involves getting air back through the Eustachian tube or reducing the swelling that’s keeping it closed.
The Valsalva Maneuver
This is the technique most people think of when they want to “pop” their ears. Pinch your nostrils closed, close your mouth, and gently blow as if you’re trying to push air out through your nose. You should feel a slight pop or shift in pressure in one or both ears. The key word is gently. You’re trying to nudge the Eustachian tube open with a small increase in pressure, not force it.
The human eardrum can rupture when pressure exceeds about 35 kPa (roughly 5 psi), and vigorous, repeated attempts raise the risk of injury. If a gentle effort doesn’t work after two or three tries, stop. Blowing harder won’t help and could damage the eardrum, especially if there’s already fluid or infection behind it. You should also skip this maneuver entirely if you have significant ear pain, drainage from the ear, or suspect you already have a middle ear infection.
Swallowing and Yawning Techniques
Swallowing activates the muscles that pull the Eustachian tube open, which is why your ears often pop when you eat or drink. You can take advantage of this by sipping water frequently or sucking on hard candy. Chewing gum works the same way. Each swallow creates a brief opening that can let trapped air escape.
A more targeted version is the Toynbee maneuver: pinch your nose closed and swallow at the same time. This creates a slight vacuum in the back of your throat that pulls the Eustachian tube open differently than the Valsalva approach. Some people find it more effective, especially when there’s a lot of congestion. Try both and see which gives you relief.
Forced yawning can also help. Even a fake yawn stretches the muscles around the Eustachian tube enough to briefly open it.
Steam and Warm Compresses
Steam inhalation has been used for decades to help congested mucus drain more easily. The theory is that warm, humid air thins mucus and may help it clear from the Eustachian tube opening. While clinical evidence on steam for colds is mixed (some studies show improved nasal airflow, others don’t), many people find subjective relief. A hot shower, a bowl of steaming water with a towel draped over your head, or a facial steamer can all deliver warm moisture to your nasal passages.
A warm, damp washcloth held against the affected ear for 10 to 15 minutes can also ease discomfort. The heat increases blood flow to the area and may help relax the tissue around the tube opening. This won’t pop your ear on its own, but it can make the swallowing and breathing techniques more effective by loosening things up first.
Nasal Decongestant Sprays
Over-the-counter nasal decongestant sprays containing oxymetazoline or similar ingredients shrink swollen nasal tissue within minutes, which can indirectly open the Eustachian tube by reducing congestion near its opening. Stanford Medicine’s ear institute notes that these sprays work well for decongestion but should only be used for up to three days in a row. Beyond that, your body adapts to the medication, and stopping it can cause rebound congestion that’s worse than what you started with.
Interestingly, a randomized controlled study on infants with colds found that nasal phenylephrine drops did not improve abnormal middle ear pressure compared to a placebo. The placebo group actually showed a slightly larger improvement. This suggests that topical decongestants may help you breathe more easily through your nose without directly fixing the pressure behind your eardrum. They’re still worth trying as part of an overall approach, but don’t rely on them alone.
Oral decongestants containing pseudoephedrine work systemically, meaning they reduce swelling throughout your entire respiratory tract, including the Eustachian tube lining itself. These are generally more effective for ear pressure than nasal sprays, though they can raise blood pressure and cause jitteriness.
Mechanical Devices
If your ears stay blocked for days, a balloon-based device can help. Products like the Otovent use a small balloon that you inflate through one nostril. The controlled pressure gently forces air up through the Eustachian tube. Another device, the EarPopper, delivers a steady stream of air into the nose while you swallow, combining two pressure-equalizing mechanisms at once.
In a randomized trial of children with persistent fluid behind the eardrum, the EarPopper group saw an average hearing improvement of about 11 decibels over seven weeks, compared to less than 4 decibels in the control group. Compliance was over 90%, and the only reported side effect was brief ear discomfort immediately after use. These devices are available without a prescription and are particularly useful for people who get repeated episodes of Eustachian tube dysfunction.
A Step-by-Step Approach
For the best results, combine techniques rather than relying on just one:
- Start with steam. Spend 10 to 15 minutes in a hot shower or breathing over a bowl of hot water to loosen mucus and reduce swelling.
- Use a nasal spray if needed. Apply a decongestant spray to each nostril (only if you haven’t already used one for three consecutive days).
- Wait 10 minutes. Give the decongestant time to shrink the tissue.
- Try swallowing techniques. Sip water, chew gum, or do the Toynbee maneuver (pinch nose, swallow) several times.
- Try a gentle Valsalva. If swallowing alone doesn’t work, pinch your nose and blow gently. Stop after two or three attempts.
When Blocked Ears Signal Something More Serious
Ear fullness during a cold typically resolves within a few days to a week as congestion clears. If the blockage persists beyond two weeks, or if you develop a fever, severe pain behind the ear, sudden hearing loss, or any discharge from the ear canal, you likely have a middle ear infection rather than simple Eustachian tube congestion. Acute middle ear infections involve trapped fluid that becomes infected with bacteria, causing swelling, redness, and sometimes pus buildup behind the eardrum.
Ear infections in adults are less common than in children but tend to be taken more seriously because they can occasionally signal underlying problems. Facial weakness or paralysis on the same side as the affected ear is a red flag that needs immediate attention. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, the popping techniques above won’t resolve the underlying infection, and attempting a forceful Valsalva maneuver against an already inflamed or weakened eardrum increases the risk of perforation.