Ear infections can occur when there is any kind of liquid that has accumulated in the ear canal. Usually such build-up of fluid occurs when people have been swimming without wearing a protective cap to cover the ears. It can also occur when a foreign particle enter the ear and blocks the Eustachian tube leading to a build-up of fluid in the middle ear. Sometimes the Eustachian tube also gets blocked during a cold. This can affect your hearing, leading to problems in hearing certain pitches or soft voices. Apart from that you can also experience itching in the ear or pain that stretches from the ear to the jaws, accompanied by dizziness. It is thus important to identify the reason for your clogged ears before you start treatment. However there are some basic steps that you can take to alleviate the problems resulting from the clogged ear.
You should try and dry your ear properly by pulling down your ear lobe and using a blow dryer held at a distance of 15 inches from your ear so that it receives a gentle warm draft. In addition to this you can use hydrogen peroxide to drain your ears. You should lie on one side and ask someone to put 2 to 3 drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear using a dropper. This will cause any substance that has jammed in your ear to dissolve and everything in the external canal of your ear will come bubbling up in a few minutes, at which point you should tilt your head to the other side and allow it to drain out completely. You can dry your ear afterwards using a soft cloth. In order to treat and avoid infection caused by fluid build-up in the ear you can put a few drops of garlic juice in your ears. Alternately you can put a few drops of olive oil or mineral oil in your ears. This is also beneficial if you do it before you go for a swim. Application of a warm cloth or a poultice prepared by wrapping a mixture of 3 to 4 mashed garlic cloves with a pinch of salt in a piece of woolen cloth can help to soothe the pain caused by the fluid accumulated inside the ear. In addition to this, a simple measure such as sleeping with your head propped up can also help to drain the Eustachian tube. Yawning intermittently can also help to unclog the ear by contracting the muscles and opening the Eustachian tube.
answered by G M