What Causes Ear Pressure?

The Eustachian tube, a narrow canal running from the throat to your middle ear, regulates pressure in the middle of your ears. The Eustachian tubes are responsible for regulating the pressure within the middle ear. If you have ever felt your ears “unplugged”, then you’ve probably experienced it. Sometimes, however, people can manage eustachian tube dysfunction, which can cause pressure problems in the ears.

What Are the Symptoms of Ear Pressure?

Those with eustachian tube dysfunction may experience:

• Pressure or fullness in the ears
• Muffled hearing
• Pain in the ears
• Ringing in the ears (known as tinnitus)
• Issues with balance
• A popping or clicking sensation in the ears
• Sometimes these symptoms are exacerbated by altitude changes such as flying or riding in an elevator.

Children are often more at risk for developing Eustachian tube dysfunction because these tubes are shorter than they are in adults. This means that it’s easier for bacteria or fluid to get trapped within the middle ear. The good news is that these symptoms usually go away on their own and typically without treatment. 

Your Century Ear, Nose & Throat doctor can talk with you about the different options for helping you or your child deal with eustachian tube dysfunction. While this condition is often self-limiting and will usually go away on its own, if symptoms become severe or problematic, Century doctors have the therapies listed above as well as innovative new corrective treatments to inflate or open eustachian tubes.