# Ways to equalize ear pressure. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632 "2009-06-22T19:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/1 "2009-06-22T19:21:17Z")
I recently got over a cold and my ears keep having that “just about to pop” feeling. I know it will go away but it’s making me crazy. Help! I have tried yawning, gum, and that thing where you hold your nose shut and blow air as hard as you can to try to attempt it. I don’t like this last one very much as it begins to hurt and I am afraid of injuring myself. Anything else? ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/2 "2009-06-22T19:34:46Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I recently got over a cold and my ears keep having that “just about to pop” feeling. I know it will go away but it’s making me crazy. Help! I have tried yawning, gum, and that thing where you hold your nose shut and blow air as hard as you can to try to attempt it. I don’t like this last one very much as it begins to hurt and I am afraid of injuring myself. Anything else? Have you tried the holding your nose shut and blowing while you are in a hot, steamy shower? The steam opens things up as much as possible, and then sometimes the blowing air gets through when it didn’t otherwise. Now that meth addicts have ruined pseudoephedrine for the rest of us, over the counter medications aren’t as effective for blocked ears as they used to be. But prescription steroid nasal sprays are even better, like Rhinocort. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/3 "2009-06-22T19:35:30Z")
Jut your lower jaw forward, and then move it side to side. It stretches the openings of the Eustachian tubes in different directions, so it can be more effective than yawning. Oh, and don’t blow as hard as you can when you’re doing the holding your nose thing (the Valsalva method). You can rupture an eardrum, or force infected mucus into the Eustachian tubes. You will regret either of those. Blow gently. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/4 "2009-06-22T19:42:58Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Jut your lower jaw forward, and then move it side to side. It stretches the openings of the Eustachian tubes in different directions, so it can be more effective than yawning. > > Oh, and don’t blow as hard as you can when you’re doing the holding your nose thing (the Valsalva method). You can rupture an eardrum, or force infected mucus into the Eustachian tubes. You will regret either of those. Blow gently. Yeah that’s what I am afraid of. I tried your first method and it actually helped a little. Not completely, but I felt it “relieve” a little. Thanks. I don’t take pseudoephedrine or actually any cold medicine. I figure my body can just get better on its own, it’s just a cold. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/5 "2009-06-22T19:53:48Z")
Yawning always works for me, unless I have a cold. In fact, I have a book called The Skin Diver’s Bible which states that you should never go diving while you have a cold, lest you rupture an eardrum. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/6 "2009-06-22T20:14:12Z")
Do you have a Neti pot? Using one always equalizes my ears as well. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/7 "2009-06-22T20:19:59Z")
Yeah, I was thinking a Neti pot might help. Actually I can voluntarily “click” my ears to release the pressure. But I can’t offer instructions much more helpful than, “Flex that muscle in your ear that makes it click.” It’s the same thing that happens right at the end of a big yawn, involuntarily, but I can make myself do it any time. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/8 "2009-06-22T20:35:05Z")
Neti pots horrify me. I know, I am silly and squeamish. I can deal with a lot of stuff but snot is one of the ways I am reminded that I can be just as girly as the next person. Snot horrifies me. YUCK PTOOEY. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/9 "2009-06-22T20:35:54Z")
Real Sudafed,the kind you have to buy at the druggists counter. Take two then try usual tricks. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/10 "2009-06-22T21:57:57Z")
I find that large amounts of wasabi clear me up rather well. Sushi is often on the menu during allergy season. ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/11 "2009-06-23T07:49:36Z")
The concept of the Neti pot is fine – I’m OK with snot – but be warned that it is a bizarre and, to me, extremely unpleasant sensation to have your nasal passages filled with water. I use one semi-regularly for allergies, and my face still flushes and my eyes still tear up involuntarily from the discomfort. It is only _less_ painful if you get the right proportions of solute to water and make the water the right temperature. YMMV. Get better, colds are no fun! ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/12 "2009-06-23T08:15:19Z")
I found that the Otovent system helps. It’s basically a ballon with an attachment that allows you to inflate it form your nostril. Helped when I had glue ear. [http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/otovent-glue-ear-treatment\_1\_31594.html](http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/otovent-glue-ear-treatment_1_31594.html) For the record I am not involved in selling or producing, in any way ,this product. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/13 "2009-06-23T09:45:07Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t take pseudoephedrine or actually any cold medicine. I figure my body can just get better on its own, it’s just a cold. 🙂 True, Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) doesn’t make you get better any faster, but it certainly can help relieve the _symptoms_, which from the sound of it is what you want. Other than that, a neti pot or time is all I can recommend here. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/14 "2009-06-23T16:19:11Z")
Go swimming. I’ve recently started swimming again (trying to get back into shape, of course), and I’ve noticed that nothing beats swimming for clearing me right out. It’s also true that I probably don’t breathe correctly when I swim, too (I pretty much exclusively breath out of my mouth swimming; I believe that one’s supposed to breathe out of one’s nose as well), so that might be why it clears me out so well. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/15 "2009-06-23T20:25:18Z")
> [@horsetech](#): > > I use one semi-regularly for allergies, and my face still flushes and my eyes still tear up involuntarily from the discomfort. It is only _less_ painful if you get the right proportions of solute to water and make the water the right temperature. YMMV. It shouldn’t be painful. Try changing the angle of your head. Water temperature can be tricky, but you can buy premixed packets of the solution at [Walgreens](http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=308896&navAction=jump&navCount=0&nug=VPD&skuid=sku2629658&id=prod2630221), among other places. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/16 "2009-06-24T00:28:44Z")
> [@horsetech](#): > > The concept of the Neti pot is fine – I’m OK with snot – but be warned that it is a bizarre and, to me, extremely unpleasant sensation to have your nasal passages filled with water. I use one semi-regularly for allergies, and my face still flushes and my eyes still tear up involuntarily from the discomfort. It is only _less_ painful if you get the right proportions of solute to water and make the water the right temperature. YMMV. I agree, it shouldn’t hurt. I’ve had that sensation of jumping into the pool and getting an involuntary sinus lavage, but I believe it was from tilting the pot too much, causing the water not to run gently in, but to blast into my nasal passages like a burst dam. Try tilting ever so slightly, and waiting for a while before tilting more - it can take a minute or two for the sinuses to fill and spill out the other side. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/17 "2009-06-24T01:50:26Z")
Blowing and holding the nose forces congestion into the ear and prolongs the congested ear effects. ---
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-equalize-ear-pressure/500632/18 "2009-06-24T01:58:58Z")
Hold your nose and blow. Probably not the healthiest idea but I know it saved me one time when I was flying into New Orleans. See a doc? All the best.