“How can I treat my daughter's hearing damage after a cold?”
My daughter has hearing damage after a cold. How can I treat my daughter's hearing damage after a cold?
1 Answer
Stewart Reed
Family Practitioner
1. Blow your nose (But do it gently)
It’s not like your ears are producing all of the excess fluid that causes blockages. Instead, it’s your nose and sinuses that are creating everything (you can curse and admire their productivity at the same time). But once your nasal passages run out of room, all excess mucus and fluid starts to go down your eustachian tubes–and your ears end up blocked. The (partial) solution may be to blow your nose.
This gets fluid out of your sinuses and, well, makes room. The more vacancy you produce in your sinuses and your nose, the less fluid will overflow to your ears. But there’s no need to force the issue and violently blow your nose. Be gentle and let your body do its thing.
2. Use a humidifier
It’s not just excess fluid that can cause buildup and congestion: it’s inflammation, too. When your eustachian tubes become inflamed, there’s simply less room for any fluid to go. Dry air can cause a significant amount of irritation to your nasal passages–and with that irritation is often a source of inflammation. This can quickly lead to blocked ears (and the accompanying discomfort).
Keeping a humidifier going can keep your air from getting too dry (locally, anyway). This can help your nasal passages feel better and limit inflammation.
3. Drink plenty of water
A runny nose won’t often be your primary problem when it comes to clogged ears. It’s a stuffy nose you need to watch out for. Your ears become blocked when fluid (excess or otherwise) isn’t able to drain as it’s supposed to. Drinking plenty of water may help your ears feel better when you have a cold.
When you stay hydrated, your nasal mucus does too. Drinking lots of water can help you thin out that nasal mucus, which in turn becomes easier for your body to drain. And the better your sinuses drain, the less congested your ears will feel.
4. Take a nasal decongestant
Sometimes staying hydrated isn’t enough (a cold can be amazing that way). When your stuffiness is persistent, it might be useful to consider taking an over-the-counter nasal decongestant.
Such decongestants can help fluids drain–and, as a result, help keep your eustachian tubes and ears clear. However, most such decongestants come with cautions against taking them for more than three days in a row (if you feel compelled to do so, you should talk to your doctor).
You may also want to stay away from decongestants if your nose is already quite runny.
5. Use a nasal spray
Using a nasal spray or nasal irrigation method can sometimes help get your mucus drainage system moving again, alleviating pressure on your ears. The effectiveness of these sprays will depend on the nature of your cold and your own comfort level with the methods. Many nasal sprays are, again, designed as decongestants, so their primary purpose is to get fluids running back the way they’re supposed to.
It’s not like your ears are producing all of the excess fluid that causes blockages. Instead, it’s your nose and sinuses that are creating everything (you can curse and admire their productivity at the same time). But once your nasal passages run out of room, all excess mucus and fluid starts to go down your eustachian tubes–and your ears end up blocked. The (partial) solution may be to blow your nose.
This gets fluid out of your sinuses and, well, makes room. The more vacancy you produce in your sinuses and your nose, the less fluid will overflow to your ears. But there’s no need to force the issue and violently blow your nose. Be gentle and let your body do its thing.
2. Use a humidifier
It’s not just excess fluid that can cause buildup and congestion: it’s inflammation, too. When your eustachian tubes become inflamed, there’s simply less room for any fluid to go. Dry air can cause a significant amount of irritation to your nasal passages–and with that irritation is often a source of inflammation. This can quickly lead to blocked ears (and the accompanying discomfort).
Keeping a humidifier going can keep your air from getting too dry (locally, anyway). This can help your nasal passages feel better and limit inflammation.
3. Drink plenty of water
A runny nose won’t often be your primary problem when it comes to clogged ears. It’s a stuffy nose you need to watch out for. Your ears become blocked when fluid (excess or otherwise) isn’t able to drain as it’s supposed to. Drinking plenty of water may help your ears feel better when you have a cold.
When you stay hydrated, your nasal mucus does too. Drinking lots of water can help you thin out that nasal mucus, which in turn becomes easier for your body to drain. And the better your sinuses drain, the less congested your ears will feel.
4. Take a nasal decongestant
Sometimes staying hydrated isn’t enough (a cold can be amazing that way). When your stuffiness is persistent, it might be useful to consider taking an over-the-counter nasal decongestant.
Such decongestants can help fluids drain–and, as a result, help keep your eustachian tubes and ears clear. However, most such decongestants come with cautions against taking them for more than three days in a row (if you feel compelled to do so, you should talk to your doctor).
You may also want to stay away from decongestants if your nose is already quite runny.
5. Use a nasal spray
Using a nasal spray or nasal irrigation method can sometimes help get your mucus drainage system moving again, alleviating pressure on your ears. The effectiveness of these sprays will depend on the nature of your cold and your own comfort level with the methods. Many nasal sprays are, again, designed as decongestants, so their primary purpose is to get fluids running back the way they’re supposed to.
