Why Do My Ears Pop When I Workout – Clinically reviewed by Nicole Lee Aronson, MD, MBA, CPE, FACS, FAAP — By Corey Whelan — Updated May 6, 2022
Blocked ears can be painful and affect your hearing. When this happens, popping your ears can help.
Why Do My Ears Pop When I Workout
Popping your ears is usually safe. This usually requires more than just moving your mouth muscles. No matter which technique you try, it’s important to be polite. If your symptoms worsen, it’s a good idea to stop trying to clean your ears and consult your doctor.
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If you try to unclog your ears with an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medicine, avoid using it for longer than what is listed on the package. If your symptoms persist, talk to your doctor.
When you swallow, your muscles automatically work to open your Eustachian tube. This tube connects the middle ear to the back of your nose. The opening of the Eustachian tube equalizes the pressure in your middle ear, causing the popping sensation.
Yawning also helps open the Eustachian tube. If you can’t yawn persistently, try a fake yawn. Open your mouth wide while inhaling and exhaling. It can have the same effect. Try to “go” every few minutes until your ears pop.
Pinch your nostrils closed with your fingers. Try to keep your cheeks neutral or pulled in instead of protruding. Then gently blow air through your nostrils. Produces.
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For this technique, pinch your nostrils closed with your fingers while swallowing. A small 2017 study showed that the Toynbee maneuver may be less effective than the Valsalva maneuver. However, you can try both to determine which method works best for you.
If you have an ear infection, holding a warm cloth or covered heating pad to your ear can help ease the pain. Placing it on your face can also help relieve sinus pressure if you have a sinus infection, a condition that can cause your ears to feel full.
Unblocking your nasal passages can help unblock your ears. If you are using an OTC nasal decongestant, it is best to avoid taking it for more than 3 days in a row. You can try a Valsalva or Toynbee maneuver after using a decongestant.
There are several OTC nasal steroids that you can try. Nasal steroids can help unclog your ears by reducing the amount of inflammation in the nasal passages. This can help air move more freely through the two Eustachian tubes, equalizing the pressure in your ears.
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Nasal steroids may be effective if your ears feel full as a result of a sinus infection. however,
It indicates that chronically blocked ears caused by Eustachian tube dysfunction, also known as blocked Eustachian tubes, may not work.
For the procedure, your doctor will likely use local anesthesia to numb the area around your ears. Next, they will insert thin ventilation tubes, also called pressure equalization tubes or tympanostomy tubes, into one or both of your ears to drain fluid behind the eardrum.
Healthcare professionals usually perform the procedure in the doctor’s office for adults. They can also do it in a hospital. Manufacturers design vent pipes to collapse on their own. This usually happens after about 1 year.
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The Eustachian tube supplies air to the middle ear. This helps maintain equal pressure on both sides of the drum.
If there is a difference in pressure, your eardrum may move in or out in response. The pressure difference can cause that familiar feeling of fullness in the ear.
Popping your ears involves opening both Eustachian tubes to relieve pressure imbalances, eliminating or reducing your discomfort.
Eustachian tubes usually open automatically when you swallow, chew or yawn. When you make these movements, you will often hear a clicking or popping sound. Air entering the middle ear through the Eustachian tubes in each ear causes noise.
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If the pipes do not open easily, they may be blocked. Fluids, mucus or inflammation usually cause them.
Tinnitus is when you hear ringing, buzzing, or other sounds that aren’t there outside. Tinnitus can be caused by the following reasons:
If you have tinnitus, you may often turn your ears. But if the cause of tinnitus is a blockage in the Eustachian tubes, those tubes may not be able to open your ears.
Sometimes your ears close and open naturally on their own. This is usually caused by changes in ambient air pressure.
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If you climb to high altitudes—for example, fly in an airplane or climb a high mountain range—your ears may pop as they adjust to the air pressure around you. Diving underwater also causes pressure changes that cause your ears to explode.
If your ears don’t pop on their own when you fly or change altitude, you can clear them by chewing or yawning.
Sometimes, instead of the Eustachian tubes being blocked and unable to open, they may have trouble closing. This condition, called Eustachian tube dysfunction, often makes your voice and breathing sound unusually loud in your ears. This can also cause you to hear creaking or popping sounds.
Fluid buildup in the middle ear is another condition that can make the ears feel blocked and pop.
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Your ears may clear up on their own, but it’s important to call a doctor if you experience any of the following:
Your doctor can rule out any underlying conditions that may be contributing to blocked ears and other symptoms. The following things can cause feelings of fullness in the ears:
A blocked eardrum can sometimes progress to the point of rupture, causing a perforated eardrum. This can be from:
A perforated eardrum requires medical attention. The condition usually resolves on its own within a few weeks. In some cases, surgery may be required.
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As long as you are gentle, popping your ears is often safe and effective. Ear popping usually works in a few tries. Medicines can also help if you have a cold or sinus congestion.
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A number of strategies can help when a person’s ears feel full or congested and need to be drained. Yawning, swallowing and chewing gum can often solve the problem. Certain exercises can help, and there are also medical devices.
Ear barotrauma usually occurs when a person is sick or changes altitude, such as when flying an airplane, climbing a mountain, or descending at the start of a dive.
What does it feel like and how can someone pop their ears? Read on for more information about this shared experience.
Yawning helps to open the Eustachian tubes. Try yawning several times until the ears open.
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Swallowing helps activate the muscles that open the Eustachian tube. Drinking water or sucking on hard candy can help increase the urge to swallow.
If yawning and swallowing don’t work, take a deep breath and pinch your nose. Try to slowly blow air through your nose while keeping your mouth closed.
It is best to be careful while performing this exercise as there is less risk of rupturing the eardrum.
To perform the Toynbee maneuver, pinch the stuffy nose and close the mouth, then try to swallow. Drinking lots of water can make it a little easier.
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To perform this exercise, pinch the nose closed and use the tongue to make a click or “K” sound.
Chewing gum helps improve swallowing because it stimulates saliva production. Additionally, the act of chewing can also help open the Eustachian tubes.
There are devices available that can help clean the ear. They are especially useful for those who cannot use or perform the above exercises safely or effectively.
Taking the medicine 30 minutes before takeoff or landing can help shrink the mucous membranes in the nose and Eustachian tube, making it easier to clean the ears.
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It is important to avoid falling asleep during flight, descent and landing. The ears are more likely to become clogged at this time, and occasional swallowing during sleep may not be enough to clear them.
Babies sometimes have a hard time cleaning their ears because they can’t swallow or poop in their ears on purpose.
Feeding (breast or bottle) or giving a pacifier can help the baby suck and swallow to clean their ears. This may mean waking the baby during the descent to avoid discomfort later.
The Eustachian tube connects the ear to the throat and controls the air pressure between the ear and the nose.
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Inside the ear is a small tube known as an ear
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