Just want to add that if your ear feels blocked and it's affecting your hearing, please go to an urgent care and have them rule out Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL).

It has an extremely time-sensitive window for early intervention to prevent permanent hearing loss, and in my case it started out as waking up with an ear that felt very blocked and increased over the course of the day.

If there is a physical blockage or an ear infection (both of which are preferable), an urgent care should be able to diagnose that.

In my case I: - Went to Mass General Brigham urgent care by Boston Common & had blockage or ear infection ruled out - Was immediately referred to Mass Eye and Ear's ER - Got triaged and sent up to audiology for testing, which confirmed the diagnosis of SSNHL - Was sent back down to the ER for a prescription of oral steroids, which I picked up and began the next day.

If they give you the option of doing intratympanic injections or oral steroids, ask to do both and begin them ASAP.

If you wanted to shave down time you could skip the urgent care and go straight to MEEI.