Water getting trapped in your ear is quite common. Normally, a quick head tilt or shake clears it out. But if you’ve tried that and the water’s still there, it’s time to try a different method.
If you want to clear your ears and stop asking ‘What?’ every time someone speaks, keep reading!
The Key Takeaway.
First, try to get the water out of your ear by tilting your head, lying down, chewing gum, yawning, or holding your nose and gently exhaling. If that doesn’t work, you can use ear drops from the counter or mix rubbing alcohol with white vinegar and put a few drops in your ear to help dry it up and stop infections. If your ear hurts, looks red, you have a fever, or stuff is coming out of it, go see a doctor.
See Your Doctor.
Seriously, just see a doctor. Don’t wait for it to get worse. It’s strange how we avoid the hospital. Watch for ear pain, redness, fever, or fluid coming out, along with the water. Your doctor will check if it’s an infection needing treatment, like Swimmer’s Ear. You might get ear drops, pills, or painkillers for about 10-14 days. These infections from water are fixable. Rest assured, the infection should start to go away in a few days and be mostly gone in a week. It’s really straightforward.
Dry Your Ears With A Towel.
Dry your ear with a towel after you swim or bathe. Lean your head so the ear with water in it faces down, and gently wipe your ear. Only wipe the part you can see. Don’t put the towel inside your ear; it will only make things worse. Do this right after you get wet to stop water from going deeper into your ear.
Tugging Your Earlobe Works.
To help water get out of your ear, gently tug on your earlobe. Lower your head to the side of the water-filled ear and wiggle your earlobe around.
You can also try pulling the top part of your ear towards your head. Any movement might help the water come out. If that doesn’t work, a light jump or hop should do the trick.
Try Laying On Your Side.
Use gravity to help drain your ear. Put a towel on your pillow to catch any drips. Relax and watch TV, sleep, or just think for a bit. This gives the water a chance to leave your ear. If it’s still there when you go to sleep, lie on the side with the water in your ear. This way, it can drain out overnight.
Use Warm Olive Oil.
Oil can help get water out of your ear because they don’t mix. Warm up a little olive oil and not too hot because you don’t want to fry your ear canal yes? Use a dropper to put some in your ear, wait a bit, then tilt your head to let both oil and water flow out. The oil pushes the water out. You can also use olive oil to remove earwax.
Chew Something Or Yawn.
Chewing gum or yawning can help shift water from your ear. Lean your head and wiggle your jaw around, pretend to chew, move it from side to side, or talk with a big mouth. This loosens up your Eustachian tube and lets the water out. Once you hear a ‘pop’, give your head a quick shake to help the water exit your ear canal.
Use Your Palm.
To get water out of your ear, make a ‘vacuum’ with your hand. Lean the wet ear down and press your palm against it tightly for a few seconds. Then, with your ear still down, take your hand away to let the water come out. Be sure to keep your ear facing down, or the water might go deeper in. You can also gently rub your ear in circles with your hand or wiggle your finger in your ear quickly to help the water out. Just be gentle to avoid scratching your ear, it could lead to an infection too.
Try To Create Pressure From Your Nose.
Sit or lie down, pinch your nose shut, and close your mouth. Now, try to blow out without letting any air escape. Do this for about 15-20 seconds. If it doesn’t work the first time, tilt your head and try again. This gentle pressure can help move the water out of your ear. Blowing your nose can also help. This trick, called the Valsalva maneuver, can clear out water or tiny things stuck in your ear and might even slow down your heartbeat.
Use Over-The-Counter Ear Drops.
Use over-the-counter ear drops with acetic acid or alcohol to dry out your ear. Products like Auro-Dri or Swim-Ear have a lot of isopropyl alcohol for drying, or BigWave Drops with a bit of acetic acid to keep infections away. Follow the directions on the box for how to use them. Don’t use these if you have ear tubes or a torn eardrum. And they’re safe for both grown-ups and children.
