When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
So I've been sick with a cold for the past few days...
Blowing my nose a lot...
Every time I blow my nose, in one or both ears, it feels like I'm pumping them up... A loud screech or crackle if you will.. Then I have to try and equalize the pressure...
Does this happen to others? Should I be worried?
It's happened for as long as I can remember..
Thanks..
Quote:
The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections. - Narrator: Idiocracy
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
This is totally normal. Your middle ear is connected to your nasopharynx (back part of your nose) by the eustachian tube. This is what allows you to equalize pressure between the middle ear and outer ear which are sealed from one another by the tympanic membrane. When you blow your nose you are increasing the pressure in your nasopharynx which equalizes with your middle ear causing the sensation you describe. It will happen in varying degrees to different people as individuals have varying anatomic size/shape/location of this eustachian tube. Theoretically, if you are prone to this ear popping, you have more compliant eustachian tubes and they may be more prone to allowing bacteria into your middle ear thus predisposing you to a higher incidence of middle ear infections. However, if your ear easily clears and you do not have problems with pain, decreased hearing, or dizziness then you should be a-ok.
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
It is recommended that when you are blowing your nose hard, blow ONE nostril at a time to minimize the pressure going to your ear drums. Doing it too much, too long, or too hard can actually damage your ears, and also:
"Avoid blowing your nose too hard. Too much pressure will force infectious drainage into your ears and sinuses."
NYtimes even says it may make colds worse:
"Blowing your nose to alleviate stuffiness may be second nature, but some people argue it does no good, reversing the flow of mucus into the sinuses and slowing the drainage.
Counterintuitive, perhaps, but research shows it to be true.
To test the notion, Dr. J. Owen Hendley and other pediatric infectious disease researchers at the University of Virginia conducted CT scans and other measurements as subjects coughed, sneezed and blew their noses. In some cases, the subjects had an opaque dye dripped into their rear nasal cavities.
Coughing and sneezing generated little if any pressure in the nasal cavities. But nose blowing generated enormous pressure — “equivalent to a person’s diastolic blood pressure reading,” Dr. Hendley said — and propelled mucus into the sinuses every time. Dr. Hendley said it was unclear whether this was harmful, but added that during sickness it could shoot viruses or bacteria into the sinuses, and possibly cause further infection.
The proper method is to blow one nostril at a time and to take decongestants, said Dr. Anil Kumar Lalwani, chairman of the department of otolaryngology at the New York University Langone Medical Center. This prevents a buildup of excess pressure."
PioneerPREMIER
Zed/Arc/Diamond ~ Seas\Peerless\DIYMA12
Last edited by shadowfactory; 09-26-2009 at 02:14 PM..
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
Thanks guys for the funny AND the informed replies...
Quote:
The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections. - Narrator: Idiocracy
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
One time when I was really sick there was a point where I was able to breath through my ears. Seriously, both eardrums had perforated or something. I also get AT LEAST one ear infection per year. The last 2 got me on both sides of the eardrum and it hurt like hell.
11 Ram Quadcab HEMI...80prs...Audible Physics Arian...H-Audio x2...Fi x10...PPI PC1000.1...Mosconi One 120.4...One comfortable tow rig
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
every once in a while, I have to plug my nose, and pretend like i'm blowing it to "pop" my left ear. My hearing isn't the same until I do that...
"Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy." - Sir Isaac Newton
“The wise understand by themselves; fools follow the reports of others”
Tibetan Proverb quotes
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
This only happens if your ear drum in not acoustically dampened properly. I would recommend coating your ear drums with at least one layer of Damplifier Pro, followed by a coat of Spectrum Sludge, and finally stuffing your ear canal with Overkill Pro.
(I'm not a paid spokesperson, although corporate donations are appreciated)
Re: When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
Quote:
Originally Posted by freemind
No my ears don't.
But, I fart from time to time.
Am I going to hell?
Not possible, girls don't fart, we all know that... They poot flowers and puppydogs.. lol..
Quote:
The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections. - Narrator: Idiocracy
When you blow your nose, do you blow out your ears too?
Linear Mode
