The Medical Consumer's Advocate
That "plugged ear" sensation...
Q: 
I have
been attending the ENT hospital on a regular basis
for 4 years. I was discharged in October as the
problem was resolved. My ears once again became
blocked and I was unable to get an ENT appointment
until July. I have tried Hopi ear candles that did
clear the ear slightly and it made all my sinuses
appear to be clearer. My hearing however is now
impaired. Should I not try anything else now until my
appointment? I do not have an infection. Also, a
couple of years ago my eardrum was perforated.
A: If your
ear feels blocked and you are noticing a hearing loss,
here are the possible explanations (please note, you may
have more than one of these problems):
Wax impaction (or other foreign body... such as
wax from an ear candle)
Infection of the ear canal skin
("swimmer's ear"... but usually, you
would also have a lot of pain with swimmer's ear)
Inflammation of the ear drum
-
-
Occasionally, a large
perforation of the ear drum could give both a
hearing loss and (paradoxically) a blocked
sensation
-
Finally, a low frequency hearing loss can cause a
plugged feeling
Unfortunately, the only way to diagnose
your problem is for someone with intelligent eyes to
LOOK, so you may have to wait until your July appointment
for an answer. Can you see a regular doctor sooner? At
the very least, I would try to keep water out of the
troubled ear until someone gets a chance to examine it.
Put a cotton-and-vaseline ear plug (rub the vaseline
into the cotton ball) into your ear when you bathe.
(Note: I strongly
discourage the use of ear candles. They are unsafe and
ineffective. In this case, used in an individual with a
perforated eardrum, candles could result in severe pain,
infection, and irreversible hearing loss.)