That "plugged" feeling in your ears is frustrating. It happens because a cold causes swelling in the Eustachian tubes (the small canals connecting your middle ear to the back of your throat), trapping fluid.

How To Clear Blocked Ears From Cold Updated May 2026

That "plugged" feeling in your ears is frustrating. It happens because a cold causes swelling in the Eustachian tubes (the small canals connecting your middle ear to the back of your throat), trapping fluid.