My 15 year old says that his ears are frequently plugged, so he opens his mouth (kinda like a goldfish) to unplug them. He does not have any pain and he does not have a cold. He says it's the same kind of pressue like a change in altitude but we live in Oakland, CA (not very high up IMHO). He has only had one ear infection in his life so far and he is a healthy child. What could be causing this? Does anyone know of any remedies for this? It's not of a concern to him but it's just a little disconcerting for me to have him walk around opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish.
My husband recently went to the doctor complaining of the same thing, and he was prescribed a nasal spray once a day for about 3 weeks to see if that helped. We haven't gotten through the 3 weeks yet, but if it doesn't work, he may try a ENT specialist next. I had never thought of the allergies as others have suggested, but it's definitely worth looking into. Good luck!
Yes If you go to Trader JOes they sell something that looks like a candle, but actually what it is ,is you put it in your ear and light it and it pulls all ear wax ansd un-neccessary fluids out of the ear drum..Sou ds wierd but it works! I would also take him in and make sure he doesnt have fluid behind his ear drum that is causing him pressure..
Don't know what this could be, but I know that when I travel through certain areas in the Oakland/Berkeley region, my ears need to "pop." There may be a slight change in altitude that affects your son that doesn't bother you. You didn't say when this happens, but I feel it everytime I go toward the Tunnel (right around Broadway Terrace area), and at the other end of Berkeley (Durant area). Go figure.
I used to have that problem as well. Went to the doctor and didn't find anything wrong with my ears nor did I have allergies. I found I was dehydrated and was exercising a lot more than usual. After drinking more water, the problem disappeared. Maybe drinking more fluids might help the problem. Otherwise, I'd check with his doctor. Good luck!
M. -
Sounds like he has fluid in his ears. Does he have allergies? You might want to take him in for tests if you're not sure. I had the same feeling recently at the end of a cold. It's very aggravating. It sounds like his eustachian tubes are not doing their job for some reason. An ear, nose, and throat doc should be able to help figure out why. They can put tubes in his ears to allow the fluid to drain, but you might be able to find less invasive ways to help, too. A good craniosacral practitioner should be able to assist his ears in draining. I had one do that for me, and, while she couldn't fix them completely (I was still pretty congested from the cold), she made them feel much better. I've seen an acupuncturist who practices both in SF and Oakland who, among many other things, did an excellent job getting sinuses to drain. I'm guessing he could do the same with ears, but I never had to ask so I'm not sure. His name is W. Jumbe Allen. I'm not sure I'm spelling his last name correctly. He practices (or did about five years ago) at Chinese Medicine Works in SF. I've heard about kits at drug stores for getting fluid out of ears but don't know whether they're recommended. Also, I've heard that a good herbal store (such as Scarlet Sage in the Mission district in SF) have remedies to help w/ fluid in the ears. I would just make sure a doc looks in his ears first (if you haven't already) before proceeding with any alternative remedies, just so you know for sure that he does not have ear infections. It sounds like he might have allergies (can lead to fluid in ears) and/or a structural abnormality that is preventing his ears from draining effectively, and an ENT could tell you if the latter is the case and what your options are for fixing something like that. I highly recommend a combination of seeing an ENT doc for a diagnosis and long-term plan and going for craniosacral work/acupuncture for immediate relief. I hope your son feels better soon!
K.
Let me preface w/"I am not a doctor".
Sounds like he's opening and closing his mouth b/c it's changing the pressure, like when you yawn going up and down in altitude.
Have his ears been checked to see if he's got fluid buildup? That could be why they are plugged.
Regardless of fluid buildup, the reason for them being plugged could be allergies. Talk to his doctor to see if he OKs an OTC antihistimine. My kids have seasonal allergies, which we discovered after they both kept getting recurrent ear infections at certain times of the year. They take generic Claritin tablet 1x/day and Flonase nasal spray 2/day when their allergies flare.
Hope this helps.
I have TMJ (which is when the jaw joint tightens as a result of clenched teeth or night-time teeth grinding) and the sensation that your son speaks of sounds like the relief that comes with the jaw joint popping when opening and closing the mouth. I could be totally wrong, but ask him if he hears a popping when he does it. Or if his jaw muscles feels tight.
How long has this been? It sounds like the exact same thing my 2.5 year old son has. We went to the pediatrician and then to the hospital for some more extensive testing. The conclusion: his ears were congested (like a cold) and it would just take time and patience for them to clear up (up to several weeks).
I have had the same problem my entire life, and I'm 28. Except I try to non-chalantly plug my nose to pop my ears, so not much better. I have always attributed mine to my year round allergies, but I have never learned for sure what causes it. I know this isn't much help, but maybe just knowing there is someone else out there with the same problem . . . You could always try an ear, nose and throat doctor. Also, he is already self-conscious enough about his ear-popping behavior (I gaurantee it) so try to be supportive and not embarrassed. You just have to learn to not care what other people might be thinking.
It could possibly be allergies. That is a very common side effect of allergies, even if he doesn't seem very stuffy. I would go to the ear , nose , throat Doctor or allergist. Good luck...K.
Hi there
I have read articles from time to time that suggest blocked ears can be a result of food allergies, especially from white flour/white and sugar. The thing about allergies is that we often expect to see a rash or swelling, but sometimes we can be allergic to something and the symptoms manifest themselves in different ways. For example, when I eat too much sugar, oddly my inner ears begin to itch. After your child eats, see if there is a stronger "plugged" sensation.. Also, have you ever tried a naturapathic Doctor? they tend to go the alternative route. I like them b/c rather than medicate a client, they will also try and educate. it's worth a try. OR also.. look online, there is a lot about allergies. Good luck :)
