- A blocked ear after a cold, a swim or a flight is often down to wax, pressure behind the eardrum or an infection.
- Wax usually affects one ear and may itch, while pressure problems tend to follow a cold or a flight.
- Olive oil drops for 3 to 5 days can help wax come out on its own.
- Never put cotton buds or fingers in the ear, and do not use drops if you have a perforated eardrum.
- Sudden hearing loss, dizziness or an earache that is not improving after 3 days needs your GP.
Why your ear feels blocked
That full, muffled feeling often comes from wax in the ear canal, a pressure problem behind the eardrum or an infection. What happened just before it began gives useful clues.
Earwax build-up can cause hearing loss, earache or a blocked feeling, and can also cause ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) and vertigo. It usually affects one ear and may itch.
After a cold: pressure behind the eardrum
The Eustachian tube is normally closed and opens when you swallow, yawn or chew. It balances air pressure on both sides of the eardrum and lets mucus drain from the middle ear.
Colds and nasal, sinus, ear or throat infections can stop this tube working properly. Pressure in the ears and face is a recognised cold symptom, and a cold usually lasts about a week.
- Try a saline nasal spray for a blocked nose.
- Pop your ears gently: take a deep breath, pinch your nose, close your mouth and blow softly.
- Do not use decongestant nasal sprays or drops for more than 5 days at a time, and ask a pharmacist first if you have liver or kidney problems.
- Paracetamol or ibuprofen and a warm or cold flannel on the ear can help with pain. Do not give aspirin to anyone under 16.
Sometimes the middle ear fills with fluid, which is called glue ear, and adults can have it too. Its most common symptom is temporary hearing loss, and it usually clears within 3 months. There is no effective medicine for it, but see a GP about any hearing problems.
After swimming: water, wax or an outer ear infection
Earplugs can push wax further into the ear canal. A wax build-up is also more likely if you wear hearing aids, have narrow ear canals or a lot of ear hair, or are aged 60 or older, as wax hardens with age.
Another possible cause is an outer ear infection (otitis externa), which is inflammation of the ear canal. It can cause ear pain, itchiness, discharge and temporary hearing loss. It is more likely with too much moisture in the ear from swimming, particularly in dirty water, damage from cotton buds, or eczema or psoriasis.
Water, shampoo or soap in the ear canal can irritate the skin. To keep ears dry:
- Wear earplugs designed for swimming and bathing, or a tight-fitting swimming cap over your ears.
- When washing your hair, cotton wool coated in white soft paraffin can help keep the ear canal dry.
- Wash hearing aid moulds every day.
After flying: popping your ears
A change in air pressure during a flight can cause unequal pressure on either side of the eardrum. Swallowing or yawning can help unblock your ears, and chewing gum makes you swallow often.
Keep any ear popping gentle. Blowing out too hard against a pinched nose can force bacteria into the ear or make a hole (perforation) in the eardrum.
A perforated eardrum can cause sudden hearing loss after a change in air pressure, such as flying, so contact your GP urgently if this happens. Do not use ear drops, swim or get the ear wet until it heals.
Is it wax? How to tell
The pattern of symptoms gives clues. Treat this as a rough guide and ask a pharmacist if you are unsure.
| Clue | More likely wax | More likely pressure or infection |
|---|---|---|
| Which ear | Usually one | One or both |
| Other symptoms | Itchiness, ringing or buzzing | Pain inside the ear, a fever of 38 degrees Celsius or higher, fluid from the ear |
| What came before | Hearing aids, earplugs, age 60 or older | A cold, flu, a flight or a swim |
| First steps | Olive oil drops | Swallowing, yawning, saline spray, pain relief |
Ear infection symptoms usually start quickly. Most clear within 3 days, though symptoms can last up to a week.
Softening wax at home
Put 2 to 3 drops of olive oil or almond oil in the ear, then lie on your side for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat this 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days. Lumps of wax may come out over about 2 weeks.
We stock Ultrapure olive oil ear drops (100ml, €5.95). Do not use any ear drops if you have a perforated eardrum.
Drops do not always clear wax fully. A 2018 Cochrane review found wax cleared completely in about 22% of people using drops, against about 5% with no treatment, and it is not clear whether one type of drop is better than another. There is no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums remove earwax.
A large build-up of wax can make hearing aids whistle, and wax can stop them working if it gets into the tube or speaker. If your ear has not cleared after 5 days of drops, speak to your GP or, if you are 16 or over, book ear wax removal for a blocked ear in Portlaoise.
Ear still blocked after 5 days of drops?
From Monday 9 November 2026, a pharmacist offers ear wax removal by micro-suction in our private consultation room, Monday to Saturday, for ages 16 and over. It costs €50 for both ears or €40 for one ear, and the €20 online booking fee comes off the price on the day.
When to see your GP
Contact your GP if you have:
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears. Contact your GP urgently or the GP out-of-hours service, or go to the emergency department, as there is only a short window for treatment to work.
- No hearing at all out of one ear.
- An earache that does not start to improve after 3 days.
- Ear pain, itchiness and discharge that could be an outer ear infection, which can last several weeks. Go back if it has not cleared after 2 to 3 days of treatment.
- Dizziness or a spinning feeling with nausea, unsteadiness, hearing loss or ringing. This can be labyrinthitis, usually caused by a virus, so antibiotics will not help.
- Cold symptoms that have not improved after 3 weeks or suddenly get worse, or a blocked ear lasting 3 weeks or more, which may need further investigation.
Under 16s are referred to their GP, and our ear wax removal service is for ages 16 and over. Always call 112 or 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Common questions
How long can a blocked ear last after a cold?
A cold usually lasts about a week. If your ear is still blocked after 3 weeks, see your GP.
Can I use cotton buds to dry my ears after swimming?
No. Damage from cotton buds makes an outer ear infection more likely.
How long should I use olive oil drops before booking ear wax removal?
Use them for 3 to 5 days. If your ear has not cleared after 5 days, speak to your GP or, if you are 16 or over, book micro-suction.
Do ear candles work?
There is no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums remove earwax.
Can my child have ear wax removal at the pharmacy?
No. The service is for ages 16 and over, and under 16s are referred to their GP.
How much does ear wax removal cost at Laois Pharmacy?
From Monday 9 November 2026, it costs €50 for both ears or €40 for one ear. The €20 online booking fee comes off the price on the day.
Sources: HSE Earwax build-up (2026), HSE Ear infections (2026), HSE Common cold (2024), HSE When to call 112 or 999 (2022), NHS Earwax build-up (2024), NHS Hearing loss (2025), NHS Perforated eardrum (2023), NHS Glue ear (2023), NHS Labyrinthitis (2026), NHS Decongestants (2022), RNID Ear wax (2026), RNID Outer ear infection (2026), RNID Sudden hearing loss (2026), Guy’s and St Thomas’ Otitis externa (2023), Rotherham NHS Eustachian tube dysfunction (undated), Chelsea and Westminster Eustachian tube dysfunction (undated), MedlinePlus Ear blocked at high altitudes (2026), Cochrane Ear drops for the removal of ear wax (2018)
