Blocked ear

[Dan21]

Hello.

Has anyone had what feels like a blocked ear after a cold? I had a terrible bout of flu last week which laid me up for a couple of days. Wednesday evening, I started to feel like my left ear was full of fluid or something; my hearing felt like it was at 70% or something. My cold is still lingering a little but nowhere near as bad as it was. My ear still feels 'full' and it has started to ache a little. I've never had an ear infection before so am concerned that this could be something more insidious. I'm going to go to the doctors today but wondered if anyone had any experience with ear infections after a cold?

Thanks
d21

[nervousmummytobe]

hey dan!
this is pretty normal as a cold/flu affects nose, ears and throat and they are all linked. My doctor told me before its pretty common for one ear or both to feel blocked for a while after a flu.

[willous1]

Your doctor will tell you it is normal. Last November I had big issues with my ears after having a cold. I basically lost hearing in one ear and was worried beyond belief. But its completely normal because of the congestion. Mine lingered for what seems like an eternity. Just felt like fullness and I remember the strange feeling when I went to pop my ears.

[Dan21]

Hello. thanks for the replies. It's weird but when I yawn or hold my nose and blow, my ear makes that sort of clicking noise inside like it's about to clear but the 'full' feeling is still there. I've horrible tinnitus too. Went to the pharmacy as I couldn't get into the docs today but all they would offer was olive oil drops. My head feels like it's full of catarrh and I've a real head fog that you get when you have a cold. Sinus' are a bit sore but nothing too bad - what is of more concern is the chesty cough I can't shake. I think it's a really bad cold/chest infection but it seems weird that one particular ear should be affected too. Worried it could be a tumour in my head. I know that sounds crazy but genuinely getting anxious about it.

[willous1]

This is why anxiety is so horrible. I was in the same position last year and thought I had a tumour. Anxiety does not let us look logically though. I am not sure olive oil drops will help at all. In fact I am sure they won't. They are used more for ear wax.
Not for one second has this got anything to do with anything sinister. It is all related to the cold etc.
I am not a doctor but had exactly the same thing and every doctor I saw said the same thing. The ear takes a while to get better but does. It is beyond annoying but just realise 100% it is as normal as England getting knocked out of major tournament.
There is so much going around at the moment that us anxiety sufferers are having a bad time.