Korean Job Discussion Forums

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

I've got a raging cold and the pressure has been building in my ears for days. I realized just now that I have the TV volume set to 25. Usually, I never go higher than 12. So, my hearing is obviously being affected. Plus, it HURTS! How can I make it go away? And yeah, I tried swallowing, pinching my nose shut and then trying to blow air through my nose and THEN swallowing, hitting the side of my head with my hand, hitting the other side of my head, jumping up and down, running up the stairs really fast (altitude change) and running down the stairs really fast. Any other ideas? I'm in misery.

peppermint · Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 3:33 am Post subject:

I sympathize, I get extreme headaches on airplanes because of pressurization. Maybe a doctor can do something?

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Your eustachian tube is good and blocked and nothing might work.

But, you can try:

yawning good and hard several times
sucking hard on nothing or on candy

It's possible that the eustachian tube is being held shut due to a swollen throat -- if that's the case you'll need to take something for the swollen throat and then equalize.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Been there!

ENT doctors (ear, nose, throat) will want to poke a tiny hole in your eardrums to enable the fluid to drain. Apparently it brings instant relief. I checked with a physician friend in Canada who assured me this was standard practice.

I wasnt comfortable with that idea so I went with option B, involving antibiotics. It took 3 rounds but one morning I woke up & blew my nose & my ears just cleared. It hasnt recurred since.

But hey I'm no doctor & you dont want to be making medical decisions based on internet hearsay. See a professional.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Agreed, find an ear, nose, and throat doctor. Your ears might just need to be flushed due to wax buildup.

desultude · Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 6:27 am Post subject:

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Sometimes yawning helps, but I'm sure you're way past that.

Try to force some yawns.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

If you have a raging cold, there is only one thing to do - have a camomile tea head bath!

Here's what you do:

Boil water
Pour in a large bowl
Put in a teabag
Gather a very big bath towel and a lot of tissues
Put your head over the bowl
Cover your head with the big bath towel
Breathe is through your mouth and out your nose (wipe your nose Razz

)
Do this until you feel your nose is no longer blocked
Your nose will unblock for the night and will ease the pressure in your ears

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Doesn't Sudafed clear out the passages?

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Eamo, Sudafed probably does, but I don't have any and I think I remember that being of the brands that warns against use if you are asthmatic. Still, good to have on this thread for future ear pressure sufferers. Smile

tzechuk, Sounds lovely, but don't have any camomile tea...and I've heard that it has components very similar to ragweed, something I'm horribly allergic to. However, I think I will try that tonight , except with a lot of peppermint candy in boiling water. Hope it works, and even if it doesn't, my place will be smelling minty fresh! hehehe~!

schwa, I'm with you....no doctors are going to be permitted to putting holes into my ear drums. Scary!!!!!

the_beaver, thanks for giving me the official word. I had an enlightening time searching through websites about "eustachian tubes". I never knew that term before.

The good news (for me anyway) is that I woke up with a little over 50% of the pressure gone. My ears have popped several times today, allowing approximately 30 seconds of bliss before the pressure starts building up again. Still, it's only going up to the vastly annoying point, not to the point of agony and tears--so I can withstand it. And in the meantime, my boss got me a bunch of cold medicine today and hopefully that'll work.

Thanks again for all the replies everyone! Very Happy

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

hari seldon · Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Location: Incheon

Ear infections can have serious repercussions. I developed Bell's Palsey last winter. Fortunately it cleared up within a few weeks and didn't become chronic.

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

Here are a few ideas. Take some cotton or tissue. Put some olive oil on it. Stick it just inside your ear before going to bed. This might help clear some of the wax.

A better idea is to go to an ENT specialist. There is a really good one who speaks some English. He's at the Yonsei Medical Clinic at Teureung Station (Lines 6 & &). Walk east about 2 blocks and it's on the NE corner of the street. It's around the 5th floor or so. You should see signs. Just walk in and he'll have you out in no time.

all the best to you.

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

Here are a few ideas. Take some cotton or tissue. Put some olive oil on it. Stick it just inside your ear before going to bed. This might help clear some of the wax.

A better idea is to go to an ENT specialist. There is a really good one who speaks some English. He's at the Yonsei Medical Clinic at Teureung Station (Lines 6 & &). Walk east about 2 blocks and it's on the NE corner of the street. It's around the 5th floor or so. You should see signs. Just walk in and he'll have you out in no time.

all the best to you.

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

Here are a few ideas. Take some cotton or tissue. Put some olive oil on it. Stick it just inside your ear before going to bed. This might help clear some of the wax.

A better idea is to go to an ENT specialist. There is a really good one who speaks some English. He's at the Yonsei Medical Clinic at Teureung Station (Lines 6 & &). Walk east about 2 blocks and it's on the NE corner of the street. It's around the 5th floor or so. You should see signs. Just walk in and he'll have you out in no time.

all the best to you.