How to treat chimney pipe blockage

The chimpanzee tube is the part that connects the nostrils and the ears. When you have a cold or rhinitis, it may be blocked and should be treated with certain methods. For example, you can pinch your nose, then close your mouth and blow hard to clear the blockage. You can also drink water, chew gum or yawn. Of course, if the condition is serious, you should seek medical attention immediately.

How to treat chimney pipe blockage

Method 1: First line of defense

1. Pinch your nose, close your mouth, and blow hard. Take a deep breath, keep your mouth closed, pinch your nose, and feel the air being held into your Eustachian tubes. If this method is successful, you will hear a ringing in your ears. But be sure not to blow too hard, or you might damage your ears.

2. Swallowing and chewing help open the inner ear. Chewing gum, drinking water, or yawning can often open up the Eustachian tube a little and drain any fluid that's trapped inside.

3. Place a heating pad or hot towel over your ears. If using a heating pad, place a cloth or towel over the pad and avoid direct contact with the ear.

4. Use nasal decongestants. Whether taken orally or in spray form, decongestants can help unclog the ears by relieving nasal congestion. Use it for a few days to see if it works.

5. Use prescription nasal steroids. This medicine is very effective in reducing swelling of the tissues inside the nose and ears, especially for rhinitis caused by allergies.

6. If your blockage is caused by allergies, try taking an antihistamine to see if it can help the ears drain. But antihistamines are not usually recommended if you have an ear infection.

Method 2: In severe cases

1. Perform a myringotomy. The surgery involves making a small incision in the eardrum to allow fluid to drain out of the ear. The small cut will heal within a few days, but fluid and pressure may build up again in the ear.

2. Install a pressure equalization tube on the eardrum. Rather than letting the small incision in the eardrum heal, an ENT specialist may insert a plastic or metal pressure-equalizing tube into the eardrum so that fluid in the ear can drain out of the tube. This approach can provide relief for 6 to 12 months, and sometimes longer.