Plugged Ear With Cold • Trusted Source

That stuffy, muffled sensation in your ear is a frustratingly common companion to the common cold. While it can feel like your ear is filled with cotton or water, it’s usually not due to excess earwax. Instead, the culprit is your Eustachian tube.

The Eustachian tube is a narrow passage that connects your middle ear to the back of your throat. Its job is to equalize pressure and drain normal fluids. When you have a cold, the same nasal congestion and inflammation that stuffs up your nose can also swell and block this tiny tube. With the tube closed off, air gets trapped in the middle ear, pressure drops, and fluid can’t drain—creating that plugged, underwater feeling. plugged ear with cold

Here’s a clear, informative write-up for someone experiencing a plugged ear due to a cold: That stuffy, muffled sensation in your ear is