Cotton swabs and pencil erasers can break off in the ear canal, a passage that bends and narrows in spots. Let your doctor take a look before you start digging into the canal on your own. One other common, usually minor problem causes a plugged-up sensation: a blocked Eustachian tube. This is the small tube that goes from the middle ear to the back of your nasal cavity. If the tissues in your nose are inflamed and swollen, it can block the opening of the tube. This pulls your eardrum inward, which causes a full, plugged feeling. This problem can sometimes be fixed by using over-the-counter decongestant nasal spray. Ears that feel plugged up are a pretty common problem. Most of the time, they have a simple cause and a simple solution. So I think it will be reasonably easy to pull the plug on this annoyance.