Clogged ear is also called by other names like plugged ear, ear fullness and closed ear, which is one of the prominent effect of severe cold and flu. The Eustachian tube inside the ear is the region that connects the ear to the throat and it allows the excess of fluid from the ear to drain into the throat. Due to some reason, the fluid gets blocked up forcing the middle ear to get infected with virus or bacteria causing swelling and pain. Clogged ear is formed due to many reasons like building of was inside and infection.
Causes :
Ear canal has number of hair follicles inside and the glands produce a special fluid like wax called cerumen. This wax is responsible for protecting the ear from dust and bacterial infection. Further it serves as a shield for preventing irritation of ear canal when water enters into it accidentally. The excess of wax is often pushed out of the opening of the ear while washing. However for some people excess of wax is produced which would harden the ear canal thus blocking it. When you try to take the wax out, you may push it deep inside causing clogging ears.
When you are traveling by air, you may have felt blocking of ear when the plane takes off or lands. This is due to variation of pressure inside the ear and outside (in the atmosphere). This kind of blocking of ear will automatically get relieved after few minutes.
It can also be caused due to nerve blockage in the ear, infection caused by virus or bacteria and sometimes due to unusual growth of ear bones.
Severe cold and hay fever can also cause clogged ears due to the infection caused by range of problems. It can be due to chronic infection of middle ear, otitis externa (swimmer’s ear), otitis media (middle ear infection) and upper respiratory tract UTI infection. Sometime, it can be caused due to Eustachian tube block, exposure to loud noise and presence of foreign particles in the outer ear canal.