Feeling of noise and stuffiness in the ear without pain: how to treat?

Ear pains can be very strong and cause a lot of unpleasant moments for a person. Ear congestion without pain is no less evil, because it gives completely unpleasant sensations, heaviness and noises in the head, distorts the perception of familiar sounds beyond recognition. Sometimes you hear a ringing in the ear, and your own voice seems strange. Particular discomfort occurs when both ears are involved in the pathological process. What can cause this?

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Epidemiology

Statistics on ear congestion are very extensive, considering the number of people traveling on airplanes, diving into the depths of water, and being subjected to head and nose injuries. Add to this seasonal rhinitis, colds and infectious diseases, and cases of hypertension, and we can talk about a multi-million army of people who have experienced such an unpleasant symptom.

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Causes ear stuffiness without pain

The reasons for ear congestion without pain are as follows:

• sulfur plugs;
• inflammation of the Eustachian (auditory) tube connecting the middle ear with the pharynx (tubootitis);
• deviated nasal septum;
• foreign body entering the ear;
• rhinitis and sinusitis;
• water in the ear;
• atmospheric pressure difference;
• impaired mobility of the temporomandibular joint;
• Meniere's syndrome;
• brain or auditory nerve tumor;
• the action of individual components of medical preparations.

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Risk factors

Risk factors include high blood pressure, hormonal changes due to pregnancy or menopause, head injuries that lead to impaired blood supply, and strokes.

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Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of ear congestion is determined by its structure. The ear has three sections: outer, middle and inner. The outer consists of the eardrum and the auditory canal. The boundary between it and the middle ear is the eardrum. It is not static, but vibrates all the time. The tympanic cavity and the Eustachian tube are the territory of the middle section. Sound, getting to this area, is repeatedly amplified and transmitted to the internal section, which is complex in its structure. Air from the larynx reaches the middle ear through the auditory tube and maintains a balance between the pressure in it and the atmospheric pressure. If this tube is blocked for one of the listed reasons, the balance is disturbed, the eardrum "sinks", sticks like a suction cup, air stops moving freely through the auditory tube, and ear congestion appears.

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Symptoms ear stuffiness without pain

Symptoms of ear congestion without pain immediately make themselves known. The first signs are the familiar feeling that water has gotten into the ear. Often, along with congestion, noise appears, but without pain. In severe cases, the familiar sounds that we expect to hear from any movements, movements (the same sound of an opening door) suddenly become unrecognizable. Your own voice is heard differently.

Ear congestion without pain after a cold

Ear congestion without pain after a cold occurs due to its residual effects. As a rule, a runny nose does not go away quickly, even if a person already feels well, there are mucus residues in the nasal passages, which prevents free circulation of air through the Eustachian tubes. Ear congestion without pain during a runny nose is explained by the same reasons. In addition to nasal congestion, frequent nose blowing is also added, increasing the pressure in the tympanic cavity.

Ringing and stuffiness in the ear without pain

Ringing and congestion in the ear in medical terminology is called tinnitus. If such a phenomenon is observed without pain and cold, then it is necessary to understand the causes of what is happening in order to identify possible serious pathologies that the ears signal. These symptoms can be caused by loud sounds: music, industrial noise, etc.; flying on an airplane, being under water (pressure drop); taking medications that are noted for ototoxicity (furosemide, gentamicin, streptomycin, etc.). In such cases, ringing and congestion pass after some time after eliminating the causative agent of this condition.

Long-term ear congestion without pain may indicate high blood pressure, hypertensive crisis. Dizziness, loss of coordination, spots before the eyes in combination with ringing in the ears - a terrible signal of possible multiple sclerosis. Hearing loss in one ear, its congestion, noise may indicate a tumor - neuritis of the auditory nerve.

Ear congestion without pain and swelling

Ear congestion without pain and swelling may be due to inflammation of the nasopharynx, progressing to the Eustachian tube, a bruise or head injury, diving under water. Swelling of the auricle may be caused by ultraviolet and radio irradiation, to which a person is exposed during instrumental examinations. Swelling of the auditory canal also occurs due to allergic reactions, blockage of it by foreign objects.

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Ear congestion without pain in a child

Small children are big fans of putting various objects in their nose and ears. A blocked ear without pain in a child gives a reason to check for a foreign body in it. Another reason may be a sulfur plug. It is also possible that water got in during bathing. A defect of the nasal septum, which the parents are unaware of, cannot be ruled out. In any case, it is inevitable to contact an otolaryngologist, since hearing is an important organ of perception of the world, without which the child will be doomed for the rest of his life not to know or to hear poorly the variety of sounds.

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Complications and consequences

Such a seemingly unimportant problem as ear congestion can lead to serious consequences and complications if left unattended. This could be partial or complete hearing loss.

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Diagnostics ear stuffiness without pain

Diagnosis of painless ear congestion is based on otoscopy - a doctor's examination of the patient's ear canal and tympanic septum for swelling, redness, and fluid discharge. To confirm the suspected diagnosis, additional instrumental examination and analysis are used.

If an inflammatory process in the ear is suspected, a general blood test is performed. Increased ESR and leukocytes will confirm the assumption. It is possible to sow the flora isolated from the ear and nasopharynx.

Standard instrumental diagnostics include video endoscopy of the ear, nasopharynx, ear microscopy, hearing acuity testing with an audiometer, tympanometry - examination of the middle ear, the degree of mobility of the eardrum, the conductivity of the auditory ossicles using different sound pressure. Other diagnostic methods are also possible: CT and MRI of the brain and temporal bones, ultrasound of the neck vessels.

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Differential diagnosis

The task of differential diagnostics is to establish the correct diagnosis, recognize and confirm one of the possible causes listed above.

Treatment ear stuffiness without pain

Treatment of ear congestion without pain depends on the established diagnosis. Thus, therapy for inflammation of the nasal sinuses and nasopharynx is based on the use of antibacterial agents, rinsing the nasal cavity, and, if necessary, puncturing the maxillary sinuses. If a foreign body gets into the ear, it is removed. The external auditory canal is washed to remove the sulfur plug. External otitis is also treated by rinsing it and treating the walls with antibacterial and antifungal drugs. Therapy for other types of otitis involves the use of vasoconstrictor nasal drops, blowing, prescribing antibacterial drugs, and pneumatic massage of the eardrum. In case of damage to the sound-perceiving apparatus (sensorineural hearing loss), catheterization of the auditory tubes and vascular therapy are performed. The feeling of congestion in the ears, characteristic of high blood pressure, is relieved by using drugs to lower it.

Medicines

The use of drugs for ear congestion without pain includes primarily ear drops, as they give a quick and effective result. There are several types for the treatment of otitis: antibacterial (normax, levofloxacin, ciprolet, etc.), combined, including glucocorticoids (anauran, otofa, okomistin), anti-inflammatory non-steroidal (otipax, decasan, chlorhexidine bigluconate).

Normax is used both to treat ear infections and to prevent them after removing a foreign body from the organ. For each specific case, the doctor makes individual prescriptions. The recommended dose is 2-3 drops in the ear up to 6 times a day, but if necessary, it is allowed to drip at intervals of 2-3 hours. Side effects were rarely noted in the form of allergic reactions. Use with caution for children under 12 years of age. Contraindicated for pregnant women and during breastfeeding, as well as with hypersensitivity to the components of the product.

Anauran - the norm for children is 2-3 drops 3-4 times a day, adults are recommended a double dose, but less often - 2-3 times. Use during pregnancy and lactation is possible with the permission of a doctor. It is not prescribed to children under one year. There are isolated cases of side effects in the form of redness and peeling of the ear canal, which disappear after stopping the use. The course of treatment is a week.

Otipax - disinfects, relieves pain, reduces inflammation. Dose - 4 drops in the ear canal 2-3 times a day for no more than 10 days. Contraindicated in case of perforation of the eardrum, hypersensitivity to the drug, causing allergic reactions.

In case of earwax plug, ear drops are used to soften the secretion: a-cerumen, remo-vax.

Remo-vax - before instillation, it is necessary to warm the bottle in your hands. Lying on your side, instill 20 drops of the drug into the ear, then massage and cover with a cotton swab for at least 20 minutes, or you can leave it overnight. After this, you need to rinse the ear with warm water. Not prescribed for ear pain, fluid discharge from the ear, perforation of the eardrum.

Vitamins

Vitamins strengthen human immunity and help reduce susceptibility to pathogens causing inflammatory diseases. In case of ear congestion without pain, vitamin therapy is successfully used in case of sensorineural hearing loss (B vitamins).

Physiotherapy treatment

Treatment regimens for ear pathologies that cause ear congestion include the use of physiotherapeutic methods. Thus, for otitis, UHF and microwave therapy, medicinal electrophoresis, and ultraviolet radiation are prescribed. Sensorineural hearing loss is treated in combination with such physiotherapeutic procedures as electrophoresis and Darsonville currents. A common procedure in otolaryngology is pneumomassage of the eardrum, the action of which is based on alternating high and low air pressure.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for painless ear congestion can be used after making sure there are no serious causes that require drug therapy. In this case, bee products will come to the rescue: grind 30 g of propolis and pour 100 g of 70% alcohol, leave for a week, strain, moisten a turunda and put it in the ear; you can prepare a mixture of honey with horseradish juice and drip a few drops into the blocked ear at night. Onion juice, combined with vodka in a ratio of 4:1, will also bring relief if you drip 2 drops in the morning and evening. If a foreign object gets into the ear, sometimes a small bug, use a few drops of heated vegetable oil, then rinse the ear with warm water from a syringe.

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Herbal treatment

Geranium leaves are used to treat ear diseases with herbs (crushed and placed in the ears), calendula flower tincture is used both for instillation and for compresses. Lavender, St. John's wort, and mullein also have medicinal properties. Their infusion, in combination or separately, can be used for instillation in the ears when congested.

Homeopathy

Among homeopathic remedies for congestion and noise in the ears, the following are recommended: belladonna 3 (dilutions), nux vomica 3, pulsatilla 3, calcarea carbonica 6, aurum muriaticum 3 and silicea 6. The homeopath will determine the dosage individually. The following preparations can be purchased in pharmacies:

Asinis is effective for inflammation of the middle ear and Eustachian tube. It is a transparent liquid with a faint smell of horseradish. The drug is taken orally three times a day either in pure form or diluted in water. In children from 3 to 5 years old, 3-4 drops at a time are enough, 5-12 years - 5-7 drops, the rest - 10 drops. There are no side effects and contraindications.

Vertihoheel is indicated for vascular atherosclerosis, Meniere's disease, arterial hypertension, air travel - conditions that cause ear congestion. Transparent liquid for intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous injections. Depending on age, a single dose ranges from a quarter of an ampoule for the youngest (1-3 years) to a whole ampoule for adults. No negative effects on the body have been identified.

Gaimorin is aimed at treating sinusitis, sinusitis, which can result in ear congestion. It is available in the form of homeopathic granules. For small children, the granules are dissolved in water, for teenagers and adults, they are absorbed under the tongue 20 minutes before meals or an hour after. A single dose of 3 to 5 pieces up to 6 times a day during treatment. For prevention, one time is enough. The duration of treatment can be 1-3 months.

Sclero-gran — tinnitus, hearing impairment as a result of atherosclerotic changes in the cerebral vessels — these are the indications for using the drug. The granules are intended for resorption under the tongue. They are not prescribed to children due to the lack of safety studies; adults are recommended to take 5 pieces per day at one time. Pregnant and lactating women should refrain from taking it. A side effect in the form of an allergy is possible. Diabetics should take it with caution due to the presence of sugar in the composition.

Surgical treatment

The need for surgical treatment may arise in case of purulent otitis - this is a shunt of the eardrum, although this condition is not painless. Curvature of the nasal septum also requires surgical intervention. Surgery is also indicated for neuritis of the auditory nerve. Hearing loss due to otosclerosis may require stapedectomy - replacement of the auditory ossicle with a prosthesis.

Prevention

The main preventive measures to avoid ear congestion are to avoid hypothermia and promptly treat ear and nasopharyngeal diseases. It is important to follow the rules of hearing organ hygiene and not to use matches or metal pins to clean it. If you have high blood pressure, you should take medications that lower it.

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Forecast

The prognosis for ear congestion without pain is positive if the problem is identified and treated in a timely manner. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, stroke means disappointing prospects for eliminating this deficiency.

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