How the hell do I relieve the pressure in my ear after a cold?

I’ve been convalescing over a cold/possibly bacteria infection in my throat. I feel much better now but another problem arose that’s been torturing me for half the day.

I was coming back from a friend’s house and felt the pressure rise in my ears as I left and went back to sea level. She lives in a higher elevation. I didn’t think much of it because I knew I was still recovering. The right ear popped fine but not so much the left ear. It was okay for a while. Then as the day progressed I felt the pressure get heavier and heavier until now where it’s muffled and slightly painful. It’s not so painful that I won’t be able to sleep but it’s like having someone pull a single hair from you constantly.

I. Have. Tried. So. Many. Things.

1. Swallowing

2. Yawning

3. Chewing

4. Pinching nose and exhaling

5. Using gravity by stretching to my toes and then trying to swallow or exhale while pinching my nose.

6. Ear wax drops. There didn’t seem to be much ear wax in there to begin with.

7. Steam (took a hot shower and also drank hot tea)

8. Tried making a vacuum with the palm of my hand and then also tried using my index finger

9. Massaging the spot underneath the earlobe where the eustachian tube runs

Just. . . Jesus Christ make it pop already. It’s really annoying, and if I wake up and it’s still there it’s going to annoy me all througout work.

I’ve yet to try an ear flush but I’m hesitant if that’s a bad idea or not.

I DID take an advil cold and sinus about an hour ago, hoping it would dimish inflammation or mucus or whatever. I guess I’m still waiting.

Once in a while I feel the muffledness “move around”. I can’t tell if the pressure got worse or better. I thought it was going to work after the ear drops but it was just the solution reacting with some ear wax, and then it came out when I sat upright. The muffeldness remained.