Blowing your nose can easily cause stuffy ears. Can this be cured?

The weather is getting very cold now. You will have a runny nose if you stay outside for a long time. The mucus needs to be cleared out as soon as possible. It cannot be blocked in the nasal cavity for a long time, otherwise it will form scabs and cause breathing difficulties. So everyone must blow their nose as soon as possible. However, many people suddenly feel stuffy in their ears due to excessive force, and often cannot hear the outside sounds, as if there is a thin film blocking them. In this case, inflammation should be considered and special care should be taken.

Causes and common diseases

1. External ear lesions

Any pathological changes that can cause blockage of the external auditory canal can produce a feeling of stuffiness in the ears, such as ① earwax blockage, especially when earwax completely blocks the external auditory canal; ② furuncle in the external auditory canal. Large furuncle can block the external auditory canal; ③ foreign body in the external auditory canal. Children like to stuff erasers, mung beans, plastic beads, etc. into the external auditory canal when playing, while adults often have insects flying into the external auditory canal in summer; ④ common external auditory canal tumors, such as external auditory canal papilloma.

2. Middle ear lesions

The main cause of ear congestion is Eustachian tube disease. If you have a cold, rhinitis, nasal polyps or other diseases, the mucous membrane of the opening of the Eustachian tube on the nasal side will swell and the Eustachian tube will not be able to open. The tympanic cavity will become an airtight cavity. Over time, the air inside will be absorbed by the mucous membrane, and the tympanic cavity will become a negative pressure, which will cause ear stuffiness. Common lesions that cause Eustachian tube dysfunction include: ① Acute rhinitis: that is, the common cold, when the nasal mucosa becomes congested and swollen, causing the Eustachian tube pharyngeal opening to be narrowed; ② Chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps, severe nasal septum deviation, etc. can also cause the Eustachian tube pharyngeal opening to be narrowed and blocked; ③ Adenoids hypertrophy. Adenoids are lymphoid tissue located in the nasopharynx. They are often larger in children and gradually shrink with age. Sometimes excessive adenoids hypertrophy can block the Eustachian tube opening; ④ Congenital cleft palate. Patients with cleft palate have difficulty opening the Eustachian tube pharyngeal opening due to abnormal function of the levator veli palatini and tensor veli palatini muscles; ⑤ Nasopharyngeal tumors. Benign nasopharyngeal tumors are mainly nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, and malignant tumors are mainly nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

3. Inner ear diseases

It is mainly caused by membranous labyrinth lesions. The most important inner ear lesion that causes ear stuffiness is Meniere's disease. The main symptoms of the disease are ear stuffiness, tinnitus, paroxysmal vertigo and fluctuating hearing loss.

Differential Diagnosis

1. Ear blockage

Ear blockage is a symptom of sudden deafness, and the feeling of ear blockage usually occurs before deafness. Sudden deafness (hereinafter referred to as sudden deafness) is a sudden sensorineural deafness of unknown cause, also known as sudden deafness. The disease develops rapidly, progresses rapidly, and the effectiveness of treatment is directly related to the time of consultation, so it should be regarded as an otolaryngological emergency.

2. A feeling of blockage in the ear

The feeling of occlusion in the ear means that the ear is blocked by a ball of cotton, resulting in hearing loss. Tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of blockage in the ear are common symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma occurs in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. The tumor compresses the Eustachian tube, which can cause unilateral tinnitus or hearing loss, and secretory otitis media.

examine

The hearing test of some patients with monocular muffled hearing is the same as that of normal people, but their sense of sound direction is weak when listening in one ear. They can only feel the volume but not the direction of pronunciation. There is a certain blind spot in front of the hearing of both ears.

Treatment principles

When ear congestion occurs, it should be dealt with promptly, the cause should be identified promptly, and targeted treatment should be given. Some primary causes of ear congestion, such as external auditory canal papilloma, nasal polyps, secretory otitis media, etc., should be treated surgically in a timely manner. If it is nasopharyngeal carcinoma, it should be treated even more promptly to avoid worsening of the condition.