Why Do My Ears Feel Clogged Again?
Life with Ear Pressure & Post-COVID Flares
Lately, I’ve been getting that clogged ear sensation again — you know, the one that makes you feel like you’re underwater or stuck in a pressurized airplane cabin. It comes and goes, but it’s mostly my right ear, the same one where I had sudden sensorineural hearing loss back in the fall of 2017. The same ear that made me realize my life was about to change forever.
This past month, the pressure has been building more often. Some days I hear my own voice echoing loudly in my head, like I’m inside a tunnel (autophony — if you know, you know). Other times, I can even hear my own breathing. It’s disorienting. Frustrating. Sometimes scary.
And it all started after I got COVID — again.
COVID: Round 3
I tested positive for COVID a little over a month ago—and this time, it hit hard.
The first time I had it, it was rough too. I remember feeling like someone had pulled the soul out of my body. I had no energy, couldn’t lift myself out of bed, and mornings were brutal. Walking my dog, Leo, felt like a marathon—I’d get dizzy and genuinely worried I might pass out.
Fast forward to 2025, and I got COVID again. But this time, it was different. The weakness lingered for weeks, yes—but what scared me most were the nonstop coughing fits and the moments I couldn’t breathe. I was agitated, panicked, and completely out of breath.
It took almost a month to start feeling semi-normal again, after several trips to urgent care and a visit to the pulmonologist. Even now, my energy still hasn’t fully returned—and neither have my ears.
For those of us living with inner ear conditions like Ménière’s disease, hydrops, tinnitus, or vestibular migraines, recovering from something like COVID isn’t always straightforward. Viruses don’t just go away quietly. They linger — especially in the most sensitive parts of our body. And if your inner ear is already compromised, it doesn’t take much to set things off.
So What’s Causing This Clogged Ear Feeling?
There are a few things likely at play here:
🫁 Post-COVID inflammation
COVID affects the upper respiratory tract and can mess with your Eustachian tubes (the tiny pressure valves that connect your ears to your throat). Even weeks after recovering, these tubes can stay inflamed, blocked, or dysfunctional.
🌧️ Barometric pressure
Rainy days and sudden pressure drops have always triggered my ears. Low atmospheric pressure can worsen that feeling of fullness — especially if you already have a history of fluid buildup or pressure imbalance.
🚪 Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD)
Basically, your ears can’t “pop” or equalize properly. After a virus, that’s common — and if you’ve had sudden hearing loss, like I did, your ear might simply not recover like the other one.
💧 Dehydration
During and after illness, we’re often not drinking enough water. And yes — hydration matters when it comes to regulating inner ear fluid and pressure.
🦻🏻 A more vulnerable ear
My right ear has always been more sensitive since the sudden hearing loss. It flares first, it flares worse, and it takes the longest to settle. If you’ve lost hearing on one side too, you might know exactly what I mean.
What I’m Doing to Cope (and What Might Help You Too)
These are gentle, practical things I do when my ears feel off — especially during or after a flare:
Hydration: I sip water all day — not just big gulps. Sometimes I add electrolytes or coconut water if I’m feeling extra depleted.
Steam: Hot showers, warm compresses, or a bowl of steam with eucalyptus oil help relieve pressure and soothe inflammation.
Gentle ear “popping”: Swallowing, yawning, or very gently trying to equalize pressure can help. But never force it, especially if you’ve had inner ear trauma like me.
Nasal sprays: I’ve used steroid sprays like Flonase during allergy season or post-illness flares (always check with your ENT first). Just make sure to spray toward the ear, not the septum.
Rest and nervous system care: I can’t overstate how much stress makes everything worse. When I’m calm, my ears are calmer. When I’m stretched thin or overstimulated, the pressure builds.
Tracking triggers: I keep mental notes (and sometimes journal) about what I ate, the weather, my sleep, and my stress. Patterns show up more than we realize.
Living with hearing loss isn’t just about not hearing well — it’s about navigating a world that can turn upside down at any moment. Whether it’s sudden pressure, distorted sound, or a storm rolling in, I’ve learned to listen to my body and treat my ears with the care they deserve.
If your ears have been feeling clogged lately too — especially after illness or during weather shifts — know you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone. We’re part of a community that understands what it means to adapt, adjust, and keep going.
Feel free to share your experience in the comments below. I’d love to hear what’s helped you feel better during flare-ups.