Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAltitude ChangesForeign Object in the EarEarwax BuildupSinus CongestionEar InfectionsMeniere’s DiseaseCholesteatomaAcoustic NeuromaChronic Otitis MediaTMJ DisordersSurgical ProceduresWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Altitude Changes
Foreign Object in the Ear
Earwax Buildup
Sinus Congestion
Ear Infections
Meniere’s Disease
Cholesteatoma
Acoustic Neuroma
Chronic Otitis Media
TMJ Disorders
Surgical Procedures
When to Seek Medical Care
Ear pressure can be an unpleasant sensation. You might notice fullness, stuffiness, muffled hearing, or pain within your ear.
It happens when the ear’seustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of your nose and helps balance pressure, becomes blocked or stops working as it should.Illnesses, altitude changes, and wax buildup are possible culprits ofear pressure.
This article discusses the causes of ear pressure, how to relieve the discomfort, and when to see a healthcare provider.
Nes / Getty Images
Rapid altitude changes, like when you fly or ride an elevator, can put stress on your middle ear andeardrum. As a result, your eustachian tube can’t equalize the pressure in your middle ear with the air around you.You might feelpain, pressure, fluid buildup, dizziness, or temporary hearing loss.
Treatment
If you experienceear pressuredue to altitude changes, it might help to:
Aforeign object in your earcan cause pain, ringing in the ear, or hearing difficulties.Some examples of objects that could get lodged in your ear include:
If you think there’s a foreign object inside your ear, it’s best not to try to remove it yourself. Never poke or prod the object, which could push it deeper into your ear.Seek help from a medical professional who can safely remove the object.
Earwax buildupis another possible cause of ear pressure. When wax collects, it can cause a blockage against the eardrum. If your ear canal gets plugged up with earwax, you may notice an earache, cough, loss of hearing, infections, or other issues.
A healthcare provider canremove earwaxmanually. At home, you can place a few drops of plain water, a saline (saltwater) solution, orhydrogen peroxidein your ear and tilt your head to let the wax drain out. There are also over-the-counter ear drops that help break up the wax. Never remove earwax with a cotton swab; this approach can push the wax deeper into the ear.
Sinus congestion causes mucus to collect in your sinuses, leading to ear pressure or pain. You may develop sinus congestion if you have a viral infection, asinus infection, or allergies.
Ways to ease symptoms of sinus congestion at home include:
Some infections of the ear can lead to ear pressure. There are different types ofear infections.
Middle Ear Infection
Symptoms might include ear pain, trouble hearing, and drainage from the ear. Antibiotics are sometimes used to clear a middle ear infection.
Fungal Infection
Treatment options include antifungal medicines, ear drops, creams, or ointments. Cleaning the fungal debris from the ear canal and keeping the ear dry can also help fight fungal infections.
Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s earrefers to an outer ear and ear canal infection. An infection (like the common cold) or swimming in water that contains bacteria can cause it.
Symptoms may include ear pain, hearing loss, itching, or drainage from the ear. Antibiotic ear drops, oral antibiotics, or steroids are treatment options.
Meniere’s diseaseis a condition that causes dizzy spells known as vertigo. The condition usually only affects one ear, and symptoms include hearing loss, ringing in the ear, or pressure.
There’s no cure for Meniere’s disease, but healthcare providers often prescribe medicines to help withvertigo. A healthy diet low in salt may also help alleviate symptoms.
Cholesteatomais an abnormal growth or cyst that gets trapped behind your eardrum. It can cause ear drainage, hearing loss, ear pressure, dizziness, pain, and frequent ear infections.
A healthcare provider will surgically remove the growth or cyst.
Acoustic neuromasare noncancerous tumors that develop on a cranial nerve that leads from the brain to the inner ear. They can cause symptoms such as one-sided hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness, ear pressure, and loss of balance.
If the tumor is small or is not causing symptoms, a healthcare provider may monitor it. Other treatment options for acoustic neuromas are surgery or radiation therapy.
Chronic otitis mediarefers to ear infections that keep coming back. A hole in the eardrum that does not heal in six weeks is considered chronic ear infections.
You may need to take antibiotics for several months for chronic otitis media. A healthcare provider can suction the fluid; surgery to repair the eardrum is sometimes necessary.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disordersaffect the joint that runs along the sides of your jaw. TMJ problems may cause pain in the ears, jaw, cheeks, head, neck, and teeth.
TMJ discomfort will often go away on its own. However, you may require medications, surgery, injections, physical therapy, or an oral mouth guard. To help ease symptoms, eat soft foods, massage your jaw muscles, and apply heat or ice when needed.
Surgical Procedures for Chronic Ear Pressure
Some medical procedures can help treat chronic ear pressure.
Myringotomy
Myringotomyis a surgical procedure that creates a hole in your eardrum to allowfluidin the middle ear to drain out. A small tube is often placed into the hole to help encourage drainage. This procedure can help treat persistent fluid buildup in the ear.
Ear Tubes
Ear tubesare small tubes surgically placed in the eardrum to help drain fluid. They are often inserted as part of a myringotomy procedure. Most ear tubes will fall out on their own after 12–36 months.
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Summary
Many factors, including illnesses, altitude changes, a foreign object, wax buildup, or something else, can cause ear discomfort and pressure. Usually, medications, home remedies, or even surgical procedures can help relieve the pressure. See a healthcare provider if the pressure becomes extremely painful or lasts long.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.St. Louis Children’s Hospital.Medical animation: ear pressure.ENT Health.Ears and altitude (barotrauma).Mingo K, Eleff D, Anne S, Osborne K.Pediatric ear foreign body retrieval: A comparison across specialties.Am J Otolaryngol. 2020 Mar-Apr;41(2):102167. doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.01.010Earwood JS, Rogers TS, Rathjen NA.Ear pain: Diagnosing common and uncommon causes.Am Fam Physician. 2018 Jan 1;97(1):20-27.Harvard Health.Got an ear full? Here’s some advice for ear wax removal.Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015 Mar 4;2015:0504.KidsHealth from Nemours.What’s earwax?.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Sinus infection.Harvard Health.What to do about sinusitis.Schilder AGM, Chonmaitree T, Cripps AW, et al.Otitis media.Nat Rev Dis Primers.2016;2(1):16063. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.63Anwar K, Gohar MS.Otomycosis; clinical features, predisposing factors and treatment implications.Pak J Med Sci.2014 May;30(3):564-567. doi:10.12669/pjms.303.4106Mount Sinai.Swimmer’s ear.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Ménière’s disease.Mount Sinai.Ménière disease - self-care.Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Cholesteatoma.UC Irvine Health Department of Otolaryngology.Ear infection or cholesteatoma?Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma).Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic otitis media.The TMJ Association.TMJ basics.The TMJ Association.I’ve got TMJ now what?.UVA Health.Myringotomy: Ear tubes.Nationwide Children’s.Ear tubes.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital.Medical animation: ear pressure.ENT Health.Ears and altitude (barotrauma).Mingo K, Eleff D, Anne S, Osborne K.Pediatric ear foreign body retrieval: A comparison across specialties.Am J Otolaryngol. 2020 Mar-Apr;41(2):102167. doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2019.01.010Earwood JS, Rogers TS, Rathjen NA.Ear pain: Diagnosing common and uncommon causes.Am Fam Physician. 2018 Jan 1;97(1):20-27.Harvard Health.Got an ear full? Here’s some advice for ear wax removal.Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015 Mar 4;2015:0504.KidsHealth from Nemours.What’s earwax?.American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Sinus infection.Harvard Health.What to do about sinusitis.Schilder AGM, Chonmaitree T, Cripps AW, et al.Otitis media.Nat Rev Dis Primers.2016;2(1):16063. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.63Anwar K, Gohar MS.Otomycosis; clinical features, predisposing factors and treatment implications.Pak J Med Sci.2014 May;30(3):564-567. doi:10.12669/pjms.303.4106Mount Sinai.Swimmer’s ear.National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Ménière’s disease.Mount Sinai.Ménière disease - self-care.Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Cholesteatoma.UC Irvine Health Department of Otolaryngology.Ear infection or cholesteatoma?Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma).Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic otitis media.The TMJ Association.TMJ basics.The TMJ Association.I’ve got TMJ now what?.UVA Health.Myringotomy: Ear tubes.Nationwide Children’s.Ear tubes.
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Harvard Health.What to do about sinusitis.
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Mount Sinai.Swimmer’s ear.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Ménière’s disease.
Mount Sinai.Ménière disease - self-care.
Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Cholesteatoma.
UC Irvine Health Department of Otolaryngology.Ear infection or cholesteatoma?
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma).
Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic otitis media.
The TMJ Association.TMJ basics.
The TMJ Association.I’ve got TMJ now what?.
UVA Health.Myringotomy: Ear tubes.
Nationwide Children’s.Ear tubes.
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