The common cold during seasonal colds or after bathing in a cold river in the summer is a phenomenon familiar to many. Unfortunately, in most cases, patients prefer to conduct therapy on their own, without going to the doctor for help. As a result, dangerous complications often develop. What to do if your ears are blocked after a cold? If you have not been able to visit the therapist before, you should do it now.
Why does a cat lay ears with a cold?
The nasopharynx has a special structure. Ears, throat, nose - all this is interconnected. Therefore, with a common cold, all these elements suffer. There is pain in the glands, swollen mucous membranes of the nose and ears. If ARI therapy is carried out correctly from the first days, unpleasant symptoms quickly disappear. As a rule, after 5-6 days, nasal breathing is restored, normal hearing returns.
Proper treatment can only be prescribed by a qualified specialist. It is recommended to contact him at the very first symptoms of the inflammatory process, even if the body temperature is not elevated. An ordinary cold, as a rule, is treated with antiviral agents, as well as drugs that stimulate the body's defenses. Widely used are Interferon, Aflubin, Grippgo, Novirin. Symptomatic medications are also used to relieve swelling of the nasal mucosa, to remove congestion in the ears (Nazivin, Rinazolin, etc.)
What will happen if timely treatment for colds is not started? The inflammatory process can worsen, often secondary infection joins. If the ear is blocked after a runny nose, this may indicate the development of otitis media or eustachitis.
What is otitis media
Otitis is an inflammatory process in various parts of the organ of hearing. If, after a severe cold, the ear is blocked, we can talk about the development of the disease in an acute form. However, if the patient in this case also decides not to seek medical help, the otitis media will develop into a chronic form. It will require a longer and more expensive treatment. In addition, the disease can lead to the development of even more dangerous complications, threatening hearing loss, inflammation of the temporal bone, paresis of the facial nerve, etc.
If, after a runny nose, an ear is blocked, what should I do? Reviews of specialists show that, first of all, the patient needs to undergo a thorough examination. It is important to find out in which area of ​​the hearing organ inflammation develops. After a cold, otitis externa develops quite rarely. Against the background of reduced immunity, the patient develops an inflammation of the auricle (boil). Less commonly, the infection passes to the eardrum.
Otitis media is the most common complication of the common cold. Unpleasant symptoms develop if the pathogenic microflora gets into the organ of hearing. Moreover, such a disease very rarely develops independently. It is inflammation of the nasopharynx in most cases that leads to otitis media. The risk group includes children, elderly patients and middle-aged people with reduced immunity.
Congestion of the ear is not the only symptom characteristic of otitis media in acute form. In the area of ​​inflammation, the patient feels severe pain. A few days after the onset of the disease, suppuration begins. This suggests that a bacterial infection has joined. Therapy should be started immediately to avoid dangerous complications.
Treatment of acute otitis media
If, after a severe cold, ears are blocked, what should I do? It is important to seek help from a qualified otolaryngologist as soon as possible. If the patient is diagnosed with otitis media in acute form, bed rest is recommended. Preschool children are subject to hospitalization. With this disease, complications can develop very quickly. It is important not to miss a dangerous moment.
It is impossible to cure otitis without the use of medications. With a purulent form of the disease, antibacterial drops are prescribed. Good results are shown by the Otipax drug. This medicine not only relieves inflammation, but also reduces swelling, removes pain. The course of antibacterial therapy must be completed until the end (5-10 days as prescribed by the doctor), even if the patient's condition has improved significantly a few days after the start of treatment.
Until the appearance of pus - in agreement with the doctor - at home, you can carry out local warming procedures. Good results are shown in alcohol compresses. In the conditions of a medical institution, physiotherapeutic techniques such as UHF and Solux are used.
Good results with otitis media show some recipes of alternative medicine. Their use should also be discussed with your doctor. Quickly relieve inflammation helps onion juice. In a freshly squeezed product, cotton wool is moistened, the resulting turunda is inserted into the ear. Take out the cotton after drying completely. The procedure is recommended to be performed twice a day.
A decoction of bay leaves is used to bury the ears. Such a medicine helps relieve congestion, removes inflammation. Five bay leaves are poured with a glass of water, brought to a boil and boiled for another 15 minutes on low heat. The finished product is cooled and filtered. Ears should be instilled with a decoction of room temperature (5 drops in each ear).
Eustachitis
If your ears are blocked after a runny nose, this may indicate the development of eustachitis. This is an inflammatory lesion of the auditory tube, which leads to poor ventilation of the tympanic cavity. Stuffed ears, dizziness, fever - the main signs of the disease.
The Eustachian tube performs a very important function. With its help, the pressure is balanced within the tympanic cavity in accordance with external atmospheric pressure. The diameter of the auditory tube in an adult in a healthy state does not exceed 2.5 mm. Even slight swelling will lead to hearing loss. If the lumen of the pipe is completely blocked, air ceases to circulate in the organ of hearing, complications appear.
Infection from the nasopharynx is the main cause of eustachitis. The disease often develops against the background of tonsillitis, pertussis, acute respiratory infections, influenza, etc. Infectious agents can be viruses, staphylococci, streptococci, pathogenic fungi. Against the background of chronic inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, chronic eustachitis develops.
Acute eustachitis in its symptoms is similar to otitis media. Characteristic of this disease is the sensation of fluid in the ears during sharp turns of the head. But only the otolaryngologist can make an accurate diagnosis.
At the initial stage, the general condition of the patient may remain normal. With the rapid multiplication of pathogenic microflora or with the addition of a secondary infection, the patient may experience symptoms of general intoxication of the body.
Disease therapy
If, after a runny nose, an ear is blocked, how to treat such ailment? To relieve swelling of the nasal tube with eustachitis, vasoconstrictor drops in the nose are first prescribed. Good results are shown by such drugs as Phenylephrine, Rinazoin, Tetrizolin. Additionally, antihistamines for internal use can be used - “Loratadine”, “Diazolin”. In a medical facility, catheterization of the auditory tube using an Adrenaline or Hydrocortisone solution can be performed.
In the acute period of the disease, the likelihood of infection in the middle ear through the Eustachian tube increases. In order to prevent complications in a medical institution, a Polittser blowdown procedure may be performed. A rubber tube with a pear is inserted into one nasal passage of the patient, the second nasal passage closes. The patient is asked to say certain words or take a sip of water. Thanks to such manipulations, air flows into the auditory tubes. This procedure does not require special preparation.
In the complex therapy of eustachitis, physiotherapeutic techniques are also used such as UV, laser therapy, UHF, microwave therapy. With timely treatment, the symptoms of the disease can be eliminated within a few days.
Lays ears on the plane
If your ears are flat after a runny nose, this is not surprising. Discomfort occurs due to the fact that the pressure in the eardrum does not correspond to atmospheric pressure. When the plane gradually gains altitude, atmospheric pressure decreases, there is a difference between the performance in the ear and in the environment. The risk group includes people who suffer from acute respiratory infections during the trip. Normally, unpleasant symptoms disappear during the flight. But if the lumen of the Eustachian tube is already or there is inflammation in the nasopharynx, congestion may remain after the trip.
What to do if the plane has ears in it after a cold? It will be possible to quickly remove the discomfort if you yawn, chew gum, and swallow movements several times. If such simple actions do not give a positive result, you can try to blow off your ear. All you need to do is close your mouth and nose with your hands, try to exhale air.
So that the ears do not block during the flight, it is recommended to refrain from traveling during a cold. If you can’t refuse a trip, you should take ear plugs with you. This device will help reduce the difference between the pressure in the eardrum and atmospheric readings. During takeoff and landing, it is worth chewing gum. Such actions will reduce the likelihood of ear plugging.
Sulfur cork
If your ears are blocked after a runny nose, this may not always be due to inflammation. It is likely that immediately after the disease, a sulfur plug formed in the ear. This is an accumulation of earwax, the secretion of the sebaceous glands, keratinized particles of the epidermis. Earwax is a special substance that protects the ear canal from damage and pathogenic microflora from the external environment. In a healthy person, sulfur independently leaves the ear canal gradually. For a number of reasons, this secret may not be released. As a result, sulfur accumulates, mixes with sebum and particles of the epidermis. So the cork is formed.
The likelihood of cork formation increases with ARI or otitis media. In this case, sulfur is also mixed with a secret that is released during inflammation. The situation is aggravated by increased humidity in the room, frequent use of the earphone, neglect of hygiene of the ears.
A feeling of stuffiness in the ear is not the only sign of sulfur plug. Noise and pain can also occur in the hearing aid, and hearing is significantly reduced. If the cork is not removed in a timely manner, inflammation may occur in the middle ear.
If, after a runny nose, an ear is blocked, what should I do? Do not try to undergo therapy yourself. In a clinic, the sulfur plug can be removed quickly and almost painlessly by washing. To facilitate the extraction of the cork, oil drops are dripped into the ear. Further, the specialist lets a powerful stream of water into the ear. Thanks to this, the clot comes out. Also, otolaryngologists in their practice can use special solvents. Sodium bicarbonate-based preparations are instilled into the ear canal, then the ear is cleaned.
Blood pressure problems
If, after a cold, the patient periodically begins to lay his ears, is dizzy and headache, it is likely that there are problems with blood pressure. Often, hypertension is diagnosed precisely after a respiratory illness. This is a pathology that is associated with a persistent increase in blood pressure. They say about the development of the disease if the pressure rises after emotional and physical exertion, and comes back to normal only after taking the appropriate medications. The prevalence of hypertension among women and men is approximately the same. Pathology is more common in patients older than 40 years. However, after the flu, this complication can occur in patients at any age.
An important role in the development of hypertension is played by a violation of the regulatory activity of the higher parts of the central nervous system that control the work of the heart and other internal organs. The likelihood of developing the disease increases in people who are often nervous, all the time living in stress or depression. Excessive stress associated with intellectual activity also contributes to the development of hypertension. Of great importance is also heredity.
It is impossible to completely cure the onset of hypertension. However, if the patient controls the pressure indicators, lowers them with the help of medications, he is quite able to lead a full-fledged lifestyle. Good results in hypertension are shown by the Andipal preparation. Indications for use, reviews of doctors about the drug, possible side effects - all this information should be studied before starting therapy.
Description of the drug
Indications for use must be studied before using the Andipal medication. From pressure, the medication can be used if the indicators are increased. With hypotension, the medicine will not show a good result. The medicine helps to remove the symptoms associated with high blood pressure - reduces headache, removes congestion in the ears.
What other indications are there for using Andipal tablets? The drug removes the pain associated with spasms of the vessels of the brain, helps to cope with migraines.
What else should be known about the Andipal remedy. Indications for use with high blood pressure are not the only important information. You should know how to use the tablets correctly. Adult patients take one tablet three times a day. The course of therapy is 7-10 days.
Summarize
So, if an ear is blocked after a cold, what should I do? First of all, you should seek help from a specialist. Only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate therapy.