Turn your shower on as hot as it will go and close the bathroom door. Sit in the steam for 10 minutes (you don't need to get wet). The warm, humid air helps soften hardened wax and relaxes swollen tissues.
Don't just tough it out. If your ears feel stuffy in the cold, your body is telling you they aren't happy. Give them warmth, give them steam, and for goodness sake, put on a headband. Your winter hearing depends on it. cold stuffy ears
Ironically, surfers get it from cold water and wind, but winter joggers can get it too. It’s a bony growth in the ear canal caused by repeated cold exposure. It acts like a speed bump for earwax and water, leading to chronic stuffiness that requires surgery to fix. Turn your shower on as hot as it
Soak a washcloth in warm (not scalding) water, wring it out, and hold it over the offending ear. The external heat encourages the blood vessels to dilate further before gently constricting, which pushes excess fluid out of the tissue. Don't just tough it out
Not a beanie (beanies are great, but they often slip off the tragus—that little flap covering the ear hole). A wide, fleece headband or earmuffs that create a physical seal over the ear canal trap your body's own heat, keeping the air inside the ear at a stable temperature.
If you are a runner or cyclist, look for "windproof" ear covers. Wind chill is the real enemy here; even 20°F air moving at 15 mph feels like 5°F against your eardrum. If your ears have felt stuffy for more than two weeks after the cold snap ends, or if you experience sharp pain, drainage, or dizziness, make an appointment. You may have developed "exostosis"—also known as Surfer's Ear .