How To Get Water Out Of Your Ears

How Does Water Get Into Your Ear?
Potential Dangers of Having Water in Your Ear
Conclusion: A Little Care Goes a Long, Long way

Good hearing is something that many of us take for granted. However, there are some common, everyday situations that, if left unchecked, could impact our hearing health. One of those is getting water in the ear. It happens easily enough in many situations but, thankfully, there are five easy solutions:

Gently tug at your earlobe while tilting your head down towards your shoulder
Lie on your side for a few minutes
Yawn and/or chew: both tend to open up the eustachian tubes
Warm air from a hair dryer on its lowest setting and held around one foot from the ear
Try over-the-counter medications but do always read the label and consult your doctor if you have any doubts

*These tips have been approved by hear.com’s lead audiologist, Dr. Emily Smith, Au.D.

How Does Water Get Into Your Ear?

There are many situations in our daily lives where water may enter our ears. This may occur, for example, when showering or bathing. Infection due to water in the ear is often known as swimmer’s ear. There is no doubt that water is often introduced into the ear as a result of swimming in a pool, lake or ocean. As you can see, this is a relatively common occurrence, but what are the consequences of having your ears plugged by water?

Potential Dangers of Having Water in Your Ear

Water in the ear will often dissipate on its own with little intervention being required. However, if it persists and is left untreated, it can cause some unpleasant conditions. The structure of the ear provides a dark and damp environment where fungi or bacteria can thrive and this can lead to infection. This infection, also known as otitis externa, can cause swelling, irritation and discomfort.

There are a number of reasons, in addition to the presence of water, why we get swimmer’s ear. Ear wax provides a natural defense against bacteria, so over-cleaning with swabs can remove too much wax and lessen those defenses. Having a foreign object stuck in your ear can also lead to infection, as can a break in the skin, such as a scratch or an abrasion from a cotton swab. An allergic reaction to chemicals in cosmetic products like hairspray may also cause a reaction leading to an infection.

If your ear has become infected, you may notice an itching sensation or pain that increases when you pull on your earlobe or chew. You may also feel that your ear is blocked. If you experience reduced hearing, see a medical professional immediately. In some cases, you may see pus or fluid draining from the ear or develop a fever or swollen lymph nodes.

Most cases of swimmer’s ear respond well to treatment and the infection usually subsides within a week or two. This is known as acute otitis externa. In a small number of cases, however, the infection can develop into chronic otitis externa if left untreated. There are a number of reasons that treatment might be ineffective:

The physical nature of your ear makes it difficult to treat
The specific fungus or bacteria happens to be rare
The infection is both fungal and bacterial
You have an allergic reaction to the prescribed ear drops.

Other risk factors include swimming frequently, particularly in polluted water or being in other environments, such as hot tubs, where bacteria may be present. Using headphones, ear plugs or swim caps may also scratch the ear or harbor harmful bacteria. Certain skin conditions, like eczema or psoriasis, may also increase the likelihood of infection.

In serious cases, there may be complications such as hearing loss, or an infection spreading to the surrounding skin or cellulitis, which is an infection in the deep layers of the skin. Complications may also affect other parts of the body. Although rare, these can include malignant otitis externa, where the infection spreads to the base of the skull, or even a more widespread malignant otitis externa that affects the brain and other parts of the body.

It should be remembered, however, that the vast majority of cases are treated simply and effectively. Typically, your doctor will diagnose the condition by examining the ear with an otoscope. The treatment often consists of antibiotic ear drops and may also include antifungal eardrops should the infection be of a fungal nature. Vinegar eardrops may be prescribed to help restore the proper bacterial balance in the ear, and corticosteroids may be used to reduce swelling. Your doctor may also give you something to reduce any pain and discomfort. Oral antibiotics may also be used in persistent cases. During the treatment you may be advised not to swim, fly, or get water in your ear.

Conclusion: A Little Care Goes a Long, Long way

As you can see, ear infections due to water are a fairly common occurrence. Such infections are usually easy to treat and the problem should be resolved quickly. Prevention is always better than a cure. Nevertheless, the simple tips on this page will help you to remove water from your ear, avoid further problems, and protect your ears and hearing.