How to deal with ear pain and congestion due to flu

Have you ever felt bindeng ears, feel full, or even hurt when you have a cold or flu? This certainly disturbs your comfort. You have difficulty hearing the sounds around you, maybe even accompanied by pain in the ear. In fact, other flu symptoms, such as runny nose or sneezing, have been bothering you a lot. So, how can the flu cause congestion or pain? How do you get rid of congestion in your ears due to a cold? Check out the following explanation.

Why do my ears hurt or feel blocked when you have a cold or flu?

Did you know that the ear, nose and throat are organs that are related to one another? If one of these organs has a problem, other organs may be affected.

That's what happens when your ear hurts or feels congested when you have a problem in your nose, such as the flu or a cold.

In a healthy human body, there is mucus produced by mucous membranes, which is the tissue that lines the respiratory tract, including the nose. The function of this mucus is to keep moisture and filter out dirt when you inhale.

However, when you have the flu or a cold, the mucus changes. Infection from viruses or bacteria can cause excessive mucus buildup in the nose, as well as drain into other passages directly connected to the nose, such as the throat and eustachian tubes.

Well, the eustachian tube is a channel that connects the middle ear to the nose and throat. Fluid and mucus that should flow from the nose to the throat, instead gets stuck in the eustachian tube and plugs the ear.

As a result, you also feel the sensation of clogged and bindeng ears due to the fullness of the eustachian tubes with mucus piles due to flu and colds. Since this tube connects to your throat, you may also experience pain in your throat.

Risk of ear infection or inflammation

Ear congestion due to flu or cold may be resolved immediately and not cause new problems. However, often this condition also interferes with your hearing and even makes you feel pain.

The sounds around you are difficult to catch because they are blocked by fluids and mucus. When you speak, you seem to hear your own voice louder.

Well, if you feel pain in your ear during the flu, it could be because there has been inflammation due to a viral infection that attacks the eardrum.

Sometimes this blockage can also affect your balance, because there is a difference in air pressure between the infected ear and the one that is not. This is influenced by the abnormal opening and closing of the eustachian tube due to fluid and mucus that has accumulated.

Most cases of ear pain and congestion due to flu and colds can quickly go away by treating the condition at home. However, if handled inappropriately or left alone, it could be that the blockage triggers a new problem in your ear, namely otitis media.

According to the Mayo Clinic, otitis media is an infection that attacks the middle ear, which is the part of the ear that is located just behind the eardrum. This condition is often associated with respiratory diseases or disorders of the nose, such as colds, flu, or allergies.

How to deal with ear congestion and pain due to flu?

Sore and congested ears will actually heal as the flu heals. However, if the recovery process is long enough, that doesn't mean you can leave it alone and not take any steps.

As previously explained, mucus that builds up in the eustachian tube can trigger bacteria or viruses to enter the middle ear and cause ear infections. Therefore, proper handling is needed to treat ear congestion and illness due to flu.

Well, here are some tips that you can do at home to treat congestion and pain due to flu or colds:

1. Use the Valsalva maneuver or passive technique

This simple trick helps open blocked eustachian tubes. To perform this maneuver, take a deep breath from your nose. With your mouth closed, try to gently exhale again through your nose.

This creates enough pressure to open the eustachian tube. Don't exhale too hard to avoid damaging the eardrums.

You can also try passive techniques, namely by chewing gum or drinking water. In this way, the pressure in the blocked ear can be reduced and the pain eased.

2. Inhalation of hot steam

Another way to deal with the sensation of congestion and pain due to flu and colds, is to inhale hot steam. The warm temperature can help thin the mucus that builds up in the nose and eustachian tubes, so that the mucus will break down and reduce congestion in the ears.

You can prepare a basin of hot water and inhale the steam through your nose. Alternatively, you can place a warm towel around your ears. Drinking a glass of warm water while inhaling the steam can also be tried to treat sore ears due to colds.

3. Use a hair dryer

Hairdryer, aka hair dryer , you can also use it as a way to deal with ear congestion due to flu. Hot air from hair dryer can help thin the mucus lodged in the eustachian canal of the ear, so that the obstruction is reduced.

The trick, tilt your head or lie on your side. Set hair dryer with low heat. Navigate hair dryer a few centimeters to the ear. Do this step for a while until the obstruction in the ear slowly decreases.

4. Take cold medicine

Another most important and most basic way to deal with bindeng ears due to colds and flu is to treat the main problem, namely by taking flu and cold medicine.

Medicines that contain decongestants or antihistamines can help treat symptoms of ear congestion due to colds, flu, or allergies. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for use on the drug label.

If the problem of ear congestion and pain does not go away, consult a doctor immediately. That way, you can find out the exact cause of your ear condition and get the right treatment.