Most of us have experienced ear pressure at least once in our lives. The feeling of pressure can go away very quickly, but it can also remain longer and painful. The pressure often has harmless causes such as a blocked ear, pressure conditions or a cold. In other cases, diseases such as sudden hearing loss or inflammation can also be behind it. In adults, the chronic ventilation disorder of the ears often leads to middle ear surgery. (1)
That's why it's important to always pay attention and not lose sight of the signals from our ears. In this article, we talk about important questions around the topic of how to get rid of pressure in your ears. At the end we have collected some tips and tricks for you so that you can get rid of your ear pressure faster. However, we must emphasize that our tips are not necessarily sufficient in the case of chronic pressure on the ears. In that case, you definitely need to see your doctor.
the essentials in brief
- Ear pressure is a completely normal phenomenon when the external air pressure changes rapidly. But it can also be caused by various diseases that cause stress and even neck pain.
- Ear pressure can be quite harmless. But you have to be careful because it can also be a symptom of more serious illnesses such as tinnitus or inflammation.
- You can get rid of pressure on the ears by methods without home remedies and also with home remedies.
Definition: what is ear pressure?
Ear pressure occurs when the external air pressure changes significantly within a short period of time. Such a situation can occur, for example, when flying or diving. The external constant pressure changes and the pressure in the middle ear can no longer adapt to the external pressure as quickly. the tympanic membrane; a thin membrane that separates the middle ear from the outer auditory canal gets a noticeable pretension, what we actually call ear pressure.(2)
The so-called Eustachian tube also plays an important role in ear pressure. This tube is the only physiological connection between the middle ear and the environment. Their task is to establish the balance between the middle ear and the environment. This tube can fulfill this function through opening and closing mechanisms. The Eustachian tube is generally closed; it only opens when the pressure conditions change.(3)
Background: What you should know about the pressure on the ears
Equalizing pressure in the ear is essential if you want to have a successful day. Without it, it's difficult to focus and the uncomfortable, continuously squeezing feeling can cause concern. In the following, we clarify for you the most frequently asked questions regarding pressure on the ears.
When does pressure develop on the ears?
Pressure on the ears can arise suddenly in many situations. As a rule, however, we can say that the pressure occurs due to the lack of ventilation in our auditory tube. In this case, the pressure equalization to our middle ear does not work sufficiently effectively. (4)
In the following list we have collected some situations that can put pressure on your ears.
- tunnel
- Flight
- elevator
- Dive
- water in the ear
- A cold
- too much earwax
- Stress / Cortisol
Pressure conditions play an important role in the first four. In the case of a cold, earwax and water in the ear, congestion is more likely to be the cause. On the other hand, when it comes to stress, it is the psychological pressure that is responsible, which is often felt on a physical level.
How can I prevent ear ventilation in toddlers?
There are many situations where the pressure on the ears appears all of a sudden. In a tunnel, for example, there's not much you can do about it. But here the pressure is something natural and completely harmless. There are many ways to get rid of them quickly.
On the other hand, there is another type of ear pressure that is caused by stress. It has been scientifically proven that children who are in childcare early on or are separated from their parents often experience sudden problems in their ears as they produce excessive stress hormones. (5)
The higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol children have, the more likely they are to develop ear problems. (Image source: Andriyko Podilnyk / Unsplash)
Chronic stress weakens the immune system . Ensuring a stress-free environment for children is essential in many ways. Pressure in the ears early can lead to permanent hearing problems later on.
In a completely different situation, for example in aviation, you can prevent ear pressure with your baby with a pacifier. As a result, it swallows more and avoids the pressure on the ears when landing.
What is the best way to deal with pressure on the ears without any remedies?
There are many ways to relieve pressure on your ears that you can use to relieve the uncomfortable feeling. We have included a small table below so that you can get an overview of the different methods to relieve pressure on the ears. You can do this yourself without using any means.
| Tip | execution |
|---|---|
| Swallow, yawn, chew | You can start these maneuvers at the start of a flight. This allows you to ensure that ear pressure is avoided when landing. Swallow more often with confidence. A candy can help you with that. Chew gum or yawn occasionally, regardless of whether you're tired. This prevents your eardrum from bulging outwards, which leads to ear pressure. |
| Valsalva method | This practical method is very popular with many and helps to equalize the pressure in the ear. The Valsalva method is all about driving the air from the mouth and nose into the ear. However, it is important to know that blowing the air too hard can be dangerous. This can damage your organs due to increased blood flow, so be careful with this.(6) |
| Frenzel method | This method is a bit more difficult, so it is advisable to practice it. With this method, you don't have to stop your breathing, and your heart doesn't suffer from exertion. You have to imagine lifting a heavy weight. Pinch your nostrils together with your thumb and forefinger. Meanwhile, let out a throaty-sounding K-sound. Focus on doing the method correctly.(7) |
| Toynbee method | This method is very simple. Here you have to keep your mouth shut, pinch your nostrils and swallow several times as you do so. This opens your eustachian tubes, which are responsible for equalizing pressure in your ear.(7) |
So we can see that we have many different options, even without having to use other means, to get rid of the pressure on our ears. It's also important that you choose the method that suits you best. For example, we wouldn't recommend the Valsalva method if you don't feel when you're blowing too hard. This can do more harm than good. So be careful!
Is pressure on the ears dangerous?
Pressure on the ears can have harmless causes but can also be dangerous. Especially if you fly often or like to dive, there is a risk that your eustatic tubes will no longer be able to adapt to the pressure difference between the environment and your air-filled body cavities such as your middle ear, lungs, stomach, etc. that quickly arise. Then the so-called barotrauma occurs; translates to hyperbaric injury.(8)
Diving can be dangerous to the ears due to the risk of overpressure injury. (Image Source: Marvin Meyer / Unsplash)
The faster the pressure change, the more likely it is that barotrauma will occur. Barotrauma in your middle ear can lead to a rupture or perforation in your eardrum.(9) If you have one of these in your middle ear, it can cause otitis media, dizziness, nausea, and ringing in your ears.(10)
In this case, it is essential to consult an ENT doctor, as the problem is curable in the early stages, but after a while it can also lead to hearing problems.
Can the pressure on the ears be caused by neck pain?
Yes, neck pain can cause a range of other disorders including earache; Putting pressure on the ears.(11) Our ears are very sensitive organs. Tension in the neck muscles due to incorrect neck posture can lead to all kinds of ear problems. So if you have chronic neck pain along with your ear pressure, it is advisable to fix the problem as soon as possible.
Perhaps the way to equalize the pressure in your ear is quite simple. Watch your neck and remember that it is very close to your ears. So it's no wonder they can cause problems for each other.
Get rid of pressure on your ears: The best tips & tricks for equalizing pressure in your ears
We have now clarified the most important questions for you. But how do you best get the pressure on your ears, we have put together some tips and tricks for you. They can help you to act more efficiently against your ear pressure.
Each has different methods and home remedies that are effective.
It's best to try them all and find out for yourself which of them works best for you. Do not forget! We are all individual. So don't be disappointed if a method or remedy worked for your friend but not for you. Keep trying! Our bodies are very different and do not react in the same way to the different interventions. However, this does not mean that methods and means against the pressure on your ears will not help you. Stay positive and take advantage of the variety of different methods and home remedies.
Tip 1: Get rid of pressure on your ears without home remedies:
As we touched on in an earlier paragraph, there are several methods you can use to relieve pressure on your ears. If you are on an airplane, it is important that you consciously start swallowing, yawning and making light chewing movements during the flight. With this you can prevent the unpleasant pressure in your ears when landing on an airplane.
Pressure in the ears is a completely normal phenomenon when flying. Our middle ear can no longer adapt so quickly to the rapidly changing external pressure. (Image source: gratisography/Pexels)
It's also important to remain calm when you have a pressure in your ears. Rest and the various methods together will help you to quickly equalize the pressure in your ears again.
Tip 2: Get rid of pressure on your ears by using home remedies:
So far we have written a lot about how to get rid of the pressure in your ears without using home remedies. In the next step, we would like to use a table to show you what options you have if the methods without home remedies didn’t quite help.
It is very relevant if it is possible to first treat the pressure on the ears with natural home remedies. Nasal sprays, pain-relieving medication should be used when natural methods have not worked.
| home remedies | use |
|---|---|
| Inhale/steam bath | Take a pot of hot water and put chamomile flowers in it. After that, all you need is a cloth over your head and you can inhale for 10 minutes. You can do this process multiple times a day. |
| rinse | You can use a syringe to put lukewarm water or salt water in your ear. But be careful not to use too much water. |
| almond oil, olive oil | Warm up some oil and put a few drops of it in your ear. After 5 minutes, you can rinse it out with lukewarm water and see how well the wax in your ears has been dissolved. |
| onion pouch | First you cut the onions into small cubes and warm them up to body temperature. Then you put them in a cotton cloth or socks and gently squeeze them so that the onion juice can escape. You leave it on your ears for about 20 minutes. You can repeat it multiple times a day.(12) |
When you have a cold , ear congestion can cause ear pressure. A steam bath and inhalation with chamomile can be very helpful in this case and relieve the pressure in the ears. This activates the mucus seal and helps prevent inflammation.
Flushing is important if, for example, your ears are stuffed with excess earwax and are pinching. To relieve ear pressure. A little vegetable oil can also solve a constipation. Of the oils, almond and olive oil are best suited for earwax removal. A well-known trick for ear pain is to use onions. The essential oils of the onion have an antibacterial, antiviral, expectorant and metabolism-stimulating effect.(12)
Joker: Get rid of pressure on the ears with the use of nasal spray
There are many who put nasal spray in their ears. But is it good or not? In the following table we have collected a few pros and cons for you on the subject of getting rid of pressure on the ears with the use of nasal spray.
| Per | cons |
|---|---|
| pain relieving | can be addictive |
| frees the ear trumpet | kills the germs in the ear |
So we can say that nasal spray can often help you unclog your ears and relieve your pain or pressure. On the other hand, nasal spray has such disadvantages as addiction or killing of ear germs. You can decide for yourself whether it's worth it. Nasal spray is not called nasal spray by accident and not ear spray.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that there are many options if you don't want to go straight to the doctor with the pressure on your ears. In such cases as flight, tunnel, elevator, etc., the pressure is quite normal and harmless. In these cases, you can safely trade on your own using the methods we introduced to you earlier. You can try out for yourself which one works best for you. We're all different, so we can't guarantee any method will work for you.
If you have a cold or too much earwax, you can also use a variety of home remedies that can help clear your ears. Of course there are unfortunately cases where the pressure in the ears has a more serious cause. In that case, you can no longer avoid going to the doctor. You must keep in mind that early action can even prevent deafness. Our ears are very sensitive organs, so we need to take extra care of them.
References
- private Dr. Med. Ch. Klingmann (2020): Ventilation disorders in the ears (tube ventilation disorders)
- E. Zwicker (1959): About the threshold of ear pressure for different sound events
- Kerstin Michaela Lücke (2012): Middle ear pressure measurement in a long-term test and elevator provocation test in patients with Meniere's disease
- dr rer.nat. Geraldine Nagel (2021): Pressure on the ears (ear pressure)
- Bischoff, A. Acute otitis media (2019): You can often wait with antibiotics. ENT News 49, 43
- DB St. John Roosa (1889]: Text-book of practical ear medicine
- Rico Gaube (2020): Methods for pressure equalization in the ears, vacation without pressure, ENT chief physician Prof. Bödeker from the Helios Hanseklinikum Stralsund reveals methods for pressure equalization in the ears.
- K. Koppenhagen: Koppenhagen K. (1989) Hyperbaric Injury (Barotrauma). In: Dittmer H. (eds) The emergency away from the routine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
- J. Wenzel; CM. Muth (2002): Physical and physiological basics of diving
- Apotheken Umschau (2006): Eardrum injuries, eardrum rupture
- Monika Kaderli (2017): The neck and its connections
- dr Angela Fetzner (2018): The secret of healthy and happy children - holistic prevention, strengthening, healing
