Also, keep in mind that certain medications might give you a "stuffed ear"....I was sick awhile back and had to take several different medications...and with one of them, I felt like I had cotton stuffed in my ear but couldn't clear it...that ear problem  showed up as a side effect when we checked the medication in one of the drug checker sites.....three days after stopping that medication my ear cleared....sorry I don't remember the name of it as it was quite awhile ago.--- Joan Hartman