I have a cold and my ears keep plugging up and won't pop for a while. thanks to neti pot, nose spray and pseudoephedrine, sinuses otherwise seem ok, just ears plug up. is doing vasalva maneuvre ok while having a cold, or could it cause ear infection?

Ear blockage: The blockage is caused by the Eustachian tube, which runs from the back of the nose to the middle ear, being clogged with mucus. To dislodge this sticky mucus, try steam inhalation and irrigating your nasal passages with warm salt water. Vigorous valsalva maneuvers are not advisable and don't dislodge the mucus in the Eustachian tube.