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Safe and easy ways to get your ears feeling normal again
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From time to time, especially when you’re dealing with a sudden change in air pressure (like when you’re in an airplane), your ears may start to feel stuffed, or like they need to pop. This uncomfortable condition is called ear barotrauma, which happens when the air pressure on either side of your eardrum becomes imbalanced. In order to regain this balance, the Eustachian tubes, which link your middle ear to the back of your throat, need to be opened up.[1] Thankfully, there are plenty of quick and easy ways to open up these tubes and pop your ears—and we’re here to walk you through them. Read on to see if any of these remedies do the trick!

Things You Should Know

  • Get your ears to pop with the Valsalva manuever (where you pretend to blow your nose).
  • Force yourself to yawn or swallow to encourage your ears to pop. Chewing gum and sucking on hard candy can help with this.
  • Try the Toynbee manuever, where you pinch your nose while swallowing. This combination can force your ears to pop.
  • Prevent your ears from getting blocked on an airplane by chewing gum, wearing earplugs, or staying awake at the beginning and end of the flight.
1

Valsalva manuever

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8

Take decongestant medication

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  1. When your nose is all stuffed up (like when you have a cold), the mucous membranes in your ears and nose become inflamed—this makes it more challenging to “pop” your ears and relieve any uncomfortable pressure. To help with this, take an OTC nasal spray or decongestant pills to help make your mucous membranes less swollen.[9]
    • If you’re preparing for an upcoming flight, take or use the OTC decongestants about a half hour before boarding your flight.[10]
    • Try to use nasal sprays sparingly; if you use them too often, they can actually create more congestion. Thankfully, decongestant pills don’t carry this risk.[11]
11

Visit your doctor

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  1. It’s important to visit a doctor if you notice other concerning symptoms, like continued blockage, ear pain, dizziness, bleeding, and ear drainage. At your appointment, your doctor might perform a test (like an ear pressure or hearing test) to see if something more serious is causing the issue.[14]
    • Your doctor can check and see if you have an infection that’s causing a blocked Eustachian tube. If you do not have an infection, your doctor can guide you in the right direction as to what to do next. Allergies, inflammation, or even Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) can possibly cause your ears to not pop.
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  • Question
    Why won't my left ear pop?
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
    Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
    Registered Nurse
    Expert Answer
    Not being able to pop your ear(s) can occur in one or both ears. This can be uncomfortable or it may even be painful. The sensation may be short-lived (acute), intermittent, or chronic. If you have attempted the above remedies, and it still didn't pop, you should see your doctor. It's possible you have an infection or there may be another reason why it won't pop, such as chronic TMJ issues or allergies.
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Tips

  • If you’re on a flight with a young child, encourage them to create bubbles in their beverage by blowing through a straw—this can help prevent their ears from feeling clogged.[15]
  • If you really struggle with allergies and have a flight coming up, plan to take your go-to medication an hour before boarding the plane.[16]
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Warnings

  • Fever, earache, and lethargy are all common signs of a middle ear infection. If you notice any of these symptoms, see your doctor right away.[17]
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About This Article

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Medically reviewed by:
Registered Nurse
This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. This article has been viewed 9,633,661 times.
20 votes - 67%
Co-authors: 72
Updated: June 24, 2024
Views: 9,633,661
Categories: Ear Health

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Article SummaryX

If you need to unpop your ears, open your mouth in an O shape and try to yawn. If that doesn’t work on first few tries, tilt your head back and thrust your jaw forward. This may open your Eustachian tubes and relieve the pressure in your ears. If you’re still feeling pressure, chew a large piece of gum, or 2 pieces at once if you need to. Keep reading to learn tips from our medical reviewer on how to know when the pressure in your ears might be a sign of a more serious sinus problem!

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 9,633,661 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Atiragram Sellet

    Atiragram Sellet

    Sep 21, 2016

    "Thank you so much for the yawning and valsava maneuver tip! My ears have been popping constantly, but I'd..." more
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