A warm washcloth or a heating pad set on low can help with ear pain. Put
a cloth between the heating pad and your skin so you don't burn your
skin. Do not allow
children to go to bed with a heating pad. They could get burned. Use a heating pad only if your child is old
enough to tell you if it's getting too hot.
In some cases, people need surgery for a blocked eustachian
tube. The doctor makes a small cut in the eardrum to drain fluid and to make
the pressure the same inside and outside the ear. Sometimes the doctor will put
a small tube in the eardrum. The tube will fall out over time.
How can you keep your eustachian tubes from getting blocked?
If you have allergies, talk to your doctor about how to
treat them so your
stay clear and your eustachian tubes stay
open.
When you are in an airplane, you can chew gum, yawn, or
drink liquids during takeoff and landing. Try the exercise where you gently
blow while holding your nose shut.
References
Other Works Consulted
Yates PD, Anari S (2008). Otitis media. In AK Lalwani,
ed., Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, pp. 655–665. New York: McGraw-Hill.