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Often exposure to water in any form can lead to the same entering your ear canal. This leads to a tickling sensation which can later move on to your jawbone and throat area. It is also possible that you may experience pain or face difficulty in hearing even normal sounds.
Signs you have water in your ears
- Less hearing
- Tickling feeling
- Muffled hearing
- Pain
- General discomfort in the ear
Complications of having water in the ears
- Severe pain in the ear
- Permanent damage and loss of hearing
- Severe infection
- Cyst formation
- Inflammation of the eardrum
Usually, this feeling subsides as the water drains out. However, if the same does not happen there are quite a few ways in which water can be removed from your ear.
Let us have a look at some of them.
Ways to remove water out of ears
1. Jiggle the ear
The most basic and easiest way to get rid of the irritation is to jiggle your ear softly. Tilt your head in a downward direction. Next tug at your earlobe and jiggle the same moving it slowly as the water seeps out. While you are attempting to do this you may shake your head from one side to another for quick relief.
2. Gravity
Tilt the head such that the ear is parallel to the ground. Stay in that position for some time and see if the water is coming out or not. Come back to the original position wait for some time before trying the method again.
3. Vacuum creation
Using this method you can create a vacuum in a manner that the water inside comes out without any hassles. First, you will have to tilt your head such that it rests on your palm in a manner that it becomes tightly sealed. Now pull your hand back and forth in a quick motion all the while flattening while pushing and cupping when you pull away. Keep your head tilted so that it is easy for the water to come out.
4. Using hot compress
For a hot compress, you need a hot water and a washcloth. Wring the washcloth to ensure that there is no dripping from it. Tilt the head in the direction where the pain is and place the cloth there. After leaving the cloth on for 30 minutes remove it for a minute and repeat the same process 3-4 times. Later, lie down on the opposite side to allow the method to be effective.
5. Alcohol and Vinegar drops
Alcohol is considered to be effective in drying the water from your ear. It also reduces the growth of bacteria thereby reducing the infection. You can combine equal parts of vinegar and alcohol and make eardrops. With the help of a sterile dropper, put some drops of the mixture in your ear. Softly rub the exterior of your ear. Later tilt your head so that the mixture comes out. This method, however, can only be used for basic ear infections. If the situation is very serious you should ask a doctor to help you out with the same.
6. Blow Dryer
Heat originating from your dryer can remove the water present in your ear. Set your ear to its lowest setting. Next, hold the dryer away from your ear and keep moving it in a back and forward motion. Tug your earlobe down.
7. Hydrogen Peroxide
Apart from water, Hydrogen Peroxide is effective in cleaning debris, earwax or presence of bacteria in your ear. With the help of a clean dropper, place two to three drops in the ear affected. Wait patiently for 2-3 minutes and then tilt your head downwards so that the liquid flows out. If you have a perforated eardrum or an outer ear infection, do not attempt to use this method.
8. Chewing gum
Sometimes when water is stuck in Eustachian tubes it helps to move your mouth continuously for some time. Use chewing gum or yawn so that the tension present in the tubes gets removed. Tilt your head so that the water if any, gets removed completely.
9. Olive Oil
Olive oil not only prevents infection but repels the water present inside. Warm some olive oil in a bowl and use a dropper to put some of it in your affected ear. For the next 10 minutes lie down on your other side for around 10 minutes. Next, get up and tilt your head such that both the water and the oil come out of your ear.
10. Steam
With warm steam, you can hope to get some of the water expelled from your ear. You can take a hot shower or use a bowl of hot water to give yourself a mini sauna. For that, you would have to fill a bowl with hot water. Hold your head over the bowl such that the ear is exposed to it. Make sure that your head is covered such that the steam goes comfortably inside. After 5-10 minutes of doing so, tilt your head towards the other side and let the water to drain out.
11. OTC medication
It is easy to find an OTC medication to take care of the above ailment. These drops are mostly alcohol based and can help in reducing ear wax too. In case, you are also facing the problem of middle ear congestion an antihistamine would prove useful. Ask your doctor for recommendations before using one though.
12. Valsalva maneuver
Using this method, you can also open any closed Eustachian Tubes. Close mouth and shut your nostrils with your fingers. Take a deep breath and blow the air present through your nostrils. In case, you manage to hear a popping sound that means your tubes have opened up. Later, you can tilt your head to allow the water to drain out.
13. Salt
Salt has the capacity to absorb water and that can be useful here. Take a tablespoon salt and warm it in the microwave. Now, place it in a cotton cloth and wrap it tightly. You can now place the same next your ear canal for three minutes and allow the salt to absorb the water present in your ear.
14. Garlic Juice
Similar to vinegar, garlic juice also has antibacterial properties. Take a few garlic cloves and press them such as to get a pulp. Later, put this pulp in a cotton cloth and squeeze it to collect its juice in a cup.
After getting the juice out, use a dropper to place a few drops in the ear. Leave this mixture for a minute to allow it to settle itself down and work in the ear. Take a hair dryer and dry up the ear by targeting a stream of warm air towards the ear.
15. Homeopathic treatment
In some situations, there are certain homeopathic treatments that can prove useful. If you have pain in the ear, you can opt for Pulsatilla medicine. While irritation of the ear can be removed after taking Chamomile medicine. For burning sensation, you take a few drops of Sulphur medicine. However, these are short term methods and there is no surety that they would dry up the water present in your ear.
16. Putting in more water
This trick may sound a little weird but it does work in some cases. When you put some more water in your ear, the existing water might come out of it. Just lie down on one side and use a dropper to place some extra water drops in your ear. Wait for five seconds and after that, you can turn over in a manner that your damaged ear faces the pillow. If you are lucky enough, all the water present would come out quickly.
17. Wiping with cloth
Again, a very basic trick you can use a clean cloth to wipe off any excess water or dirt present in your ear. Make sure that the cloth is very clean otherwise it would lead to more damage to your ears. Using this trick should actually be the first step and if things do not work then you can move to attempt the other methods suggested.
Conclusion
Even after using these tips if the pain persists, it is important that you consult a doctor. If you continuously feel pain, impaired hearing, or foul smelling pus from ear, then you need to understand that the infection has become severe.
In such a situation, the doctor might prescribe you some medications which would reduce the inflammation. After inspecting the ear canal only the doctor would be able to suggest any solutions for the same. Continued persistence in the symptoms can be dangerous as it may lead to permanent damage to the canal or complete loss of hearing.
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