Fluid in Ears - Need Suggestions for Relief

benadryll is an antihistamine not a decongestant so it won't do the trick.

Read the lable before buying anything. Make sure it is a DECONGESTANT and use it exactly as indicated for at least 3 days and you should notice a difference.

Hi M.-

I just found out Monday that I have fluid in my ears too. But I also have a sinus infection. My head was feeling so bad, I didn't notice my ears until the doctor mentioned I had fluid in them. I am on an antibotic since I have the sinus infection also. I would think if it's been a week and you've had no relief to maybe go back to see your doctor. Maybe the NP missed something, and they are infected after all, or there is something else?? I would definately go back--you don't want to be sick when you go away in a few weeks! :)

J. R.

Try seeing a Cranial Sacral Therapist. We used ours when my oldest had fluid in his ears and the minor adjustments made by the CST really helped.

I've heard benedryl is good to help w/ fluid. I'm not sure about anything else maybe chiropractor might be able to help and perhaps sleeping with your head elevated. My nephew gets ear infections after every cold and its always the same ear and I thinks its because he sleeps on that side so that's where the fluid collects at least that's my reasoning behind it. Good luck I hope you feel better before your flight.

You've gotten some great advice so far, I have some advice for you're flight. I have always had major problems with my ears when I fly, I take a decongestant about 10-20 minutes before takeoff, and if the flight is longer than 4 hours, I also take some again 10-20 min before landing. It helps to some degree, but nothing really worked completely until a friend recomended a product called "Earplanes". They're just a rubber type earplug that you can get at any drug store. I don't know how they work, but they do and I will NEVER fly without them again. Good luck to you and I hope you have a great and pain free trip.

The medications the NP recommended are just treating the symptoms, but not the cause. I have numerous friends who got the same relief I did from allergies and blocked ears by changing to a unique nutritional product that stabilizes the body and allows it to deal with these things and resolve them. No more allergy meds and shots, no more ear infections, because the immune system is strengthened and the body takes care of itself. I'm not sure why the NP thinks time is the answer - something caused this problem and you can address that by nutritional means. Let me know if you want more info.

I had lots of ear infections as a kid, then didn't have them for a couple decades or more. Then in my late 30s and early 40s, with a child in the house, I started getting them again. Sometimes I had just lots of fluid, sometimes a full-fledged infection.

It turns out I have developed allergies in the last 10 years and now regularly take Flonase (a nasal spray) to help. When I take it regularly, there is less fluid in general in my nasal passages, and less of a petri dish for collecting infections. It has made a world of difference. I actually smell things again.

Recently, we noticed the Flonase was losing it's effectivenss. We did a catscan and learned that I have a deviated septum which probably contributes to the fluid collection. Until it's unbearable, I'll probably just stick with the nasal spray until surgery is warranted. But for now, I can live with it.

Good luck exploring solutions!

Hi M.,
Have you tried Swim-EAR? You can get it at CVS. Good luck!
L.