A top physiotherapist has revealed a simple two-minute hack that he claims can instantly relieve clogged ears.
Dr. Joe Damiani, a head and neck specialist based in New Jersey, told his 767,000 Instagram followers that a feeling of fullness in the ear could be due to a problem with one of the muscles in the jaw.
That’s because the pressure in the ear canal is controlled by two small muscles that run along the back of the mouth, behind the teeth.
These tissues regulate the air level in the ear canal, which connects the middle ear to the throat and nose.
According to Dr. Damiani, gentle movements on the inside of the mouth can help relieve tension in these muscles, preventing them from trapping air and relieving pressure in the ear canal.
However, he advised people with a strong gag reflex to position their finger carefully, as reaching so far back into the mouth can cause some wretches.
Muscle problems in the jaw not only cause the feeling of clogged ears, he added, they can also cause teeth grinding and severe ear pain.
In the clip, Dr. Damiani explained the parts of the ear in more detail.
He said the muscles in the jaw are called the veli palatini and the medial pterygoid – and these work together to open the ear canal, also called the Eustachian tube.
This small canal helps balance air pressure in the ear, and it can stop working if these muscles start to spasm.
As a result, the ears may feel full and clogged.
Dr. Damiani said, “When [the medial pterygoid muscle] is open or dilated, it provides a pressure balance between the inner ear and the tensor veli palatini muscle.
‘When it contracts, the Eustachian tube can do its job.
‘However, muscle spasms in the medial pterygoid prevent the tensor veli palatini from doing its job, hence pressure, fullness and blocked ears.’
To help relieve this pressure, Dr. Damiani suggests rubbing the medial pterygoid muscle on the inside of the mouth, next to the back molar.
He said, “Take your finger and drag it along the inside of the bottom of your teeth back to the last molar and then pull it out. Work your way all the way up, applying pressure to different spots and working your way up and down.”
However, the cause of clogged ears is not always muscle-related; it can also be caused by an ear infection or a blockage of earwax.
An ear infection is usually painful and occurs when fluid builds up behind the eardrum, causing a feeling of fullness in the ear. This can be treated with antibiotics and pain relief.
Earwax buildup is another common problem that can cause ears to feel full and clogged.
Created to keep ears clean, earwax usually falls out on its own, but sometimes too much builds up and blocks the ears, the NHS explains.
But an ear full of earwax is not only annoying, it can also cause pain, hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness.
And, counterintuitively, cleaning your ears with cotton swabs can actually make earwax buildup worse.
Instead, earwax blockage can be cleared with ear drops that can be purchased from a pharmacy.