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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A doctor can work out the likely cause of a blocked ear by video and treat it; wax removal and any examination of the ear are in person.
- Common causes: earwax, a cold or an allergy blocking the Eustachian tube, a flight or a dive, water after swimming, and ear infections. After a cold it usually clears within about a week; wax takes about 2 weeks to come out with drops.
- Self-care: swallow, yawn or chew, breathe out gently against a pinched nose, treat a blocked nose, soften wax with drops, and never use cotton buds.
- Get checked: a blocked ear that is not clearing with self-care, hurts, leaks fluid, or leaves you unable to hear properly needs a doctor.
- Emergency: a blocked ear with hearing that dropped suddenly needs urgent assessment. Call 112 if it comes with facial drooping, weakness or slurred speech.
Do not book a video appointment if hearing loss or dizziness comes with facial drooping, weakness, numbness, slurred speech or double vision, or if you have bleeding or clear fluid from the ear after a head injury: call 112 or go to an emergency department. If your ear feels blocked because your hearing dropped suddenly, without a cold or a flight to explain it, get medical advice the same day.
Can an online doctor treat a blocked ear?
Yes, usually. Most blocked ears are caused by earwax, a cold or an allergy, a flight, or water, and the cause is clear from how and when it started. A doctor can assess that by video, advise on the right way to unblock your ear, and treat an infection or a swollen nose when that is the cause. A video call cannot see inside the ear, so wax removal, an examination of the eardrum and hearing tests are in person, and a sudden drop in hearing needs urgent assessment.
How an online consultation helps with a blocked ear
- What is blocking it?: Wax, a blocked Eustachian tube, water, fluid or an infection, sorted from how and when it started.
- The one that cannot wait: Sudden hearing loss feels like a blocked ear, and it is checked for first.
- The right fix for the cause: Drops for wax, equalising for pressure, sprays for a blocked nose, and treatment for an infection.
- In person when it helps: Wax removal, an ear examination or a hearing test, and where to get them.
What the doctor checks in an online blocked ear consultation
The doctor checks the warning signs first, then how the blockage started. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: hearing that dropped suddenly, spinning dizziness, facial weakness, severe pain, a high temperature, or fluid, blood or pus from the ear.
- How it started: over days or weeks, or all at once, and whether it followed a cold, hay fever, a flight, a dive, a swim or cotton bud use.
- Your ear now: muffled hearing, fullness, popping, itching, ringing, pain, and one ear or both.
- Your nose: a blocked or runny nose, sinus pain or allergies.
- Your ear history: earwax problems, a hole in the eardrum, grommets, ear surgery, and hearing aids or earplugs.
- Your health: high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, pregnancy, and the medicines and drops you use.
Before the call, note which ear is blocked, when it started, and what you have tried so far.
Why does my ear feel blocked?
An ear feels blocked when something stops sound reaching the eardrum, such as wax or water, when the pressure behind the eardrum is wrong, or when the inner ear is not working properly. The way it started points to the cause:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Cause | What points to it | Online care | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earwax build-up | Muffling that builds up over days or weeks, usually in one ear, sometimes itchy | Partly online | Earwax build-up |
| A cold or an allergy (Eustachian tube dysfunction) | Fullness, muffling and popping with a cold, hay fever or a blocked nose | Treated online | Eustachian tube dysfunction |
| A flight or a dive (ear barotrauma) | Pain, fullness and muffled hearing that started on the way down | Treated online | Ear barotrauma |
| Water after swimming or a shower | A blocked, sloshing feeling straight after water got in | Handled online | This page |
| Outer ear infection (swimmer’s ear) | An itchy, then painful ear canal that hurts more when the ear is touched | Treated online | Swimmer’s ear |
| Middle ear infection | Earache and a high temperature, often with a cold | Treated online | Ear infection |
| Perforated eardrum | Sudden muffling after an infection, a blow or a loud bang, sometimes with fluid or blood | Partly online | Perforated eardrum |
| Ménière’s disease | Attacks of fullness with spinning vertigo and ringing | Assessed online | Ménière’s disease |
| Sudden hearing loss | Hearing that drops all at once or over a few days, with no cold or flight to explain it | Assessed online | Hearing loss |
Something stuck in the ear can block it too. Do not try to remove it yourself: it needs removing in person.
Why is only one ear blocked?
Many causes affect one ear at a time. Earwax usually blocks one ear, an infection or a perforated eardrum usually affects one side, and sudden hearing loss often affects only one ear. A cold or a flight can block one ear or both. Hearing that keeps getting worse on one side needs a doctor to look at the ear.
How do you unblock your ear?
The fix depends on the cause. Nothing needs to go inside the ear except drops, and nothing should be forced.
After a cold, or with a blocked nose
- Swallow, yawn or chew gum: all three open the Eustachian tube.
- Use the Valsalva manoeuvre: breathe in, then breathe out gently with your mouth closed and your nose pinched until your ears pop. Sit down first, as it can make you dizzy, and never force it.
- Breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head.
- Try an autoinflation balloon, which you inflate with your nose, sold in pharmacies.
- A decongestant spray can clear a blocked nose, but use it for no more than 5 days at a time, and check first that it suits you.
After a cold, a blocked Eustachian tube usually clears within about a week.
After a flight
Keep swallowing and yawning, and use the Valsalva manoeuvre gently. Most blocked ears after flying settle with these steps. See a doctor if it has not eased after a few hours of self-care, or straight away for severe pain, bleeding or fluid from the ear, or a high temperature.
If it is earwax
Soften the wax with olive or almond oil drops, or drops from a pharmacy, used for several days while you lie on your side. The wax should come out by itself over about 2 weeks. See a doctor or nurse if it has not cleared after 5 days or you cannot hear properly. Do not use drops if you might have a hole in your eardrum.
If water is trapped after a swim or a shower
- Tilt your head so the blocked ear faces down.
- While it faces down, gently pull your earlobe in different directions to help the water drain.
- Dry the outer ear with a towel.
- If water remains, use a hair dryer on the lowest heat and speed, held well away from the ear.
Do not put cotton buds, fingers or anything else into the ear. If the ear becomes painful, itchy or starts to leak fluid after swimming, it may be swimmer’s ear, which needs treatment.
What not to do
- Do not use cotton buds, fingers, hairpins or keys in the ear: they push wax deeper and can damage the ear canal or eardrum.
- Do not use ear candles or ear vacuums: there is no evidence that they work.
- Do not force air into your ears hard.
- Do not put drops in an ear that might have a hole in the eardrum.
How long does a blocked ear last?
It depends on the cause. Most blocked ears clear within days to a couple of weeks:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Cause | Usual course | See a doctor |
|---|---|---|
| A cold or a blocked nose | Clears within about a week | If it has not cleared after 3 weeks |
| A flight | Usually eases with swallowing, yawning and equalising | If it has not eased after a few hours of self-care |
| Earwax, with drops | Wax comes out over about 2 weeks | If it has not cleared after 5 days, or you cannot hear |
| A middle or outer ear infection | Most middle ear infections clear within 3 days, sometimes up to a week | If earache has not improved after 3 days |
| A perforated eardrum | Usually heals within 2 months | If it has not started to improve after a few weeks |
| Sudden hearing loss | About half of people recover some or all hearing by themselves, usually within 1 to 2 weeks, but treatment works best early | Urgently: get medical advice the same day |
What happens if your ear will not unblock?
A doctor needs to look at it. An examination with an otoscope shows whether wax, fluid, an infection or a hole in the eardrum is the cause. Wax can be removed by irrigation or microsuction, and a hearing test and a pressure test of the eardrum show how well the ear is working. A Eustachian tube that stays blocked despite treatment is referred to an ENT specialist, who may offer grommets or balloon dilation.
Sudden hearing loss: the blocked ear that cannot wait
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a rapid loss of hearing from the inner ear, all at once or over a few days, usually in one ear. It often feels like a blocked ear, and people put off getting help because they assume it is an allergy, a sinus infection or wax. That delay matters, because treatment works best when it is started as early as possible.
- It affects an estimated 1 to 6 people in every 5,000 each year, most often adults in their late 40s and early 50s.
- Some people notice it on waking, or when they hold the phone to that ear, and some hear a loud pop just before.
- It can come with fullness, dizziness or ringing in the ear.
- About half of people recover some or all of their hearing by themselves, usually within 1 to 2 weeks.
- Steroids are the most common treatment, and treatment delayed by more than 2 to 4 weeks is less likely to reverse it.
If your ear feels blocked and your hearing dropped suddenly, without a cold, a flight or water to explain it, get medical advice the same day. The hearing loss page explains the tests and the treatment.
Which blocked ear treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment follows the cause. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocked ear with a cold or hay fever | Equalising, steam, a decongestant for a few days, and treatment for the nose | Yes | If it has not cleared after 3 weeks |
| Blocked ear after a flight | Equalising, and a decongestant if it suits you | Yes | For severe pain, bleeding or fluid, or if it does not settle |
| Gradual muffling that sounds like wax | Softening drops | Partly | For wax removal if drops do not work |
| Water trapped after a swim | Draining and drying the ear | Yes | If pain, itching or discharge follows |
| Blocked ear with earache, a high temperature or discharge | Assessment for an ear infection | Yes, to assess | If the eardrum needs to be seen |
| Blocked ear that will not clear | An ear examination and hearing tests | Partly | For otoscopy, wax removal, a hearing test or an ENT opinion |
| Hearing that dropped suddenly | Urgent assessment | Only to assess | Urgently: get medical advice the same day |
Not sure what is blocking your ear? A doctor can tell you in one consultation what will clear it.
See available times →Treatment options for a blocked ear
What you can do yourself
- Match the fix to the cause: equalise for pressure, drops for wax, drain and dry for water.
- Treat a blocked nose: steam, plenty of water, and a decongestant spray for no more than 5 days if it suits you.
- Keep taking your hay fever treatment if allergies are behind it.
- Keep your ears dry after swimming, and wear earplugs or a swimming cap if you swim often.
- Leave your ears alone: no cotton buds, fingers or objects.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. Treatment depends on the cause: the doctor may prescribe a steroid nasal spray when a swollen nasal lining keeps the Eustachian tube blocked, antibiotic or steroid ear drops for an ear canal infection, and antibiotics for a middle ear infection when they are needed. Sudden hearing loss is treated urgently in person, usually with steroids. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Cotton buds, which push wax deeper and can damage the ear. Ear candles and ear vacuums. Decongestant sprays for more than 5 days, which make a blocked nose worse. Waiting for a sudden loss of hearing to clear by itself.
Special situations
Hearing aids and earplugs
Hearing aids and earplugs push wax back into the ear canal, so blockages are more common. Regular checks for wax help.
Swimmers and divers
Dry your ears after every swim, and use earplugs, a swimming cap or swim moulds to keep water out. Diving with a blocked nose is dangerous and can cause severe ear barotrauma: descend and ascend slowly, and do not dive while your ears or nose are blocked.
High blood pressure, heart problems and pregnancy
Decongestants are not suitable for everyone. Ask a pharmacist or the doctor first if you have high blood pressure, heart or circulation problems, diabetes, an overactive thyroid or glaucoma, or take other medicines. It is not clear whether any decongestant is safe in pregnancy, so use one only if a doctor or pharmacist advises it.
A blocked ear while travelling in Europe
Flights, mountain roads and swimming are the usual holiday causes. Plan to equalise on every descent, pack the nasal spray or allergy treatment that suits you, and dry your ears after swimming. A doctor by video can help wherever you are staying.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When a blocked ear is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: a blocked ear from a cold, an allergy, a flight or water, advice on wax drops, treatment of an ear or nose infection when it is the cause, and deciding whether you need an examination.
In-person care: wax removal, an examination of the eardrum, hearing tests, objects stuck in the ear, a blocked ear that will not clear, and any sudden loss of hearing.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- hearing loss or dizziness with facial drooping, weakness, numbness or tingling in an arm or leg
- slurred speech, double vision or sudden loss of vision with hearing loss or dizziness
- bleeding or clear fluid from the ear after a head injury
- numbness, weakness or breathing problems after a dive
Get medical advice the same day for:
- sudden hearing loss in one or both ears
- hearing that has got worse over the last few days
- a blocked ear with severe pain, a high temperature, or fluid, blood or pus from the ear
- swelling or redness behind the ear
- spinning dizziness with a blocked ear
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your ear: say which ear is blocked, when and how it started, and whether you had a cold, a flight or a swim before it, and mention any change in your hearing.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
A blocked ear can have more than one cause. Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Earwax build-up can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about blocked ears
How do I unblock my ear at home?
How to unblock a blocked ear depends on the cause. For a cold or after a flight, swallow, yawn, chew and breathe out gently against a pinched nose. For wax, use softening drops for several days. For water, tilt your head, pull your earlobe gently and dry the outer ear. Never use cotton buds.
Why does my ear feel blocked?
Usually because of earwax, a cold or an allergy blocking the Eustachian tube, a flight or a dive, water after swimming, or an ear infection. A sudden drop in hearing can also feel like a blocked ear, and it needs urgent assessment.
What does a blocked ear feel like?
A blocked ear feels full, plugged or muffled, as if you were underwater or had cotton wool in it; your own voice may sound loud or echoey, and there can be popping or crackling when you swallow. Wax tends to build up gradually, a cold or a flight blocks the ear with pressure that eases when the ear pops, and an infection adds pain, itching or discharge. Hearing that drops suddenly, with or without ringing, is the one pattern that needs urgent assessment.
Why is only one of my ears blocked?
A blocked ear on one side is common: earwax, infections and a perforated eardrum usually affect one ear, and sudden hearing loss often affects only one ear too. Hearing that keeps getting worse on one side needs a doctor.
How do I unblock my ears after a cold?
Swallow, yawn and chew, use the Valsalva manoeuvre gently, breathe in steam, and treat the blocked nose, for example with a decongestant spray for no more than 5 days if it suits you. It usually clears within about a week.
How do I unblock my ears after a flight?
For ears blocked after a flight, keep swallowing and yawning, and use the Valsalva manoeuvre gently. Most cases settle with these steps. See a doctor if it has not eased after a few hours, or straight away for severe pain, bleeding or fluid from the ear.
How do I get water out of my ear?
For an ear blocked by water, tilt your head so the ear faces down, gently pull the earlobe in different directions, and dry the outer ear with a towel. If water remains, use a hair dryer on its lowest heat and speed, held well away from the ear. Do not put anything into the ear.
How long does a blocked ear last?
How long a blocked ear lasts depends on the cause: about a week after a cold, a few hours after most flights, and about 2 weeks for wax to come out with drops. A perforated eardrum usually heals within 2 months.
What happens if my ear will not unblock?
A doctor needs to examine a blocked ear that will not clear to see whether wax, fluid, an infection or a hole in the eardrum is the cause. Wax can be removed by microsuction or irrigation, and a hearing test shows how well the ear is working.
Can a blocked ear be serious?
Usually not. The exception is sudden hearing loss, which can feel like a blocked ear and needs urgent assessment because treatment works best early. A blocked ear with severe pain, discharge or a high temperature also needs a doctor.
Should I use cotton buds to unblock my ear?
No. Cotton buds push wax deeper into a blocked ear and can damage the ear canal or the eardrum. Ears clean themselves, and drops are the safe way to soften wax.
How can I prevent a blocked ear?
Never put cotton buds into the ear, because they pack wax against the eardrum; if you make a lot of wax, a few drops of olive oil keep it soft. On flights, stay awake for the descent, swallow, yawn or chew, and treat a blocked nose before you fly; after swimming, tilt your head and dry the outer ear, and wear earplugs if water often gets stuck. A blocked ear that keeps coming back is worth a check for the cause.
Can a blocked ear make you dizzy?
Yes. Earwax, a blocked Eustachian tube and ear barotrauma can all cause mild dizziness. Spinning dizziness with hearing loss needs urgent assessment, and dizziness with facial drooping, weakness or slurred speech needs 112.
Can an online doctor help with a blocked ear?
Yes, usually. A doctor can work out the likely cause of a blocked ear by video, advise how to unblock it, and treat an infection or a swollen nose. Wax removal, an ear examination and hearing tests are in person.
- Earwax build-up, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 5 January 2024.
- Ear infections, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 16 January 2025.
- Hearing loss, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 30 May 2025.
- Perforated eardrum, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 19 April 2023.
- Sudden deafness, NIDCD, US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, updated September 2018.
- Ear barotrauma, MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, reviewed 29 April 2026.
- Eustachian tube dysfunction, Patient.info, updated 30 March 2026.
- Decongestants, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 3 November 2022.
- Preventing swimmer’s ear, CDC, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed 28 May 2025.
- Earwax, MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, reviewed 29 April 2026.
- Earwax build-up, HSE, Health Service Executive (Ireland), reviewed 16 April 2026.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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