If the feeling persists, it usually means fluid has been sucked into the middle ear space (glue ear) or the eardrum is still slightly retracted. This can take a few days to a week to drain naturally.
Pinch your nose, close your mouth, and gently try to blow out. You'll feel a soft "pop" as the tube reopens. (Don't do this forcefully if you have a bad infection). ear blocked after flying
That sudden pop you feel? That’s the Eustachian tube finally yanking open, allowing a bubble of high-pressure air to rush into the middle ear. The "blocked" feeling usually disappears immediately after. If the feeling persists, it usually means fluid
Deep inside your ear is the Eustachian tube, a tiny canal that connects your middle ear to the back of your throat. Its job is to equalize air pressure on both sides of your eardrum. You'll feel a soft "pop" as the tube reopens
Most people struggle during landing. But a smaller group experiences reverse block during takeoff. If you have a bad cold, the expanding air in your middle ear can’t escape fast enough. This causes extreme pain and even temporary hearing loss until the pressure forces the tube open.
That is a very common and interesting phenomenon! The medical term for it is (or barotrauma ).
Here is the interesting science behind why your ear feels blocked after flying: