Using valsalva maneuver technique, hydrogen peroxide, olive oil, vinegar or alcohol drops, chewing and yawning, steaming, counter ear drops, towel and blow dryer are the best ways to remove water from ears.

There are many situations when you feel that there is some water in the ear. This usually occurs during the summer months and after swimming, taking bath etc. This should be removed as soon as possible because it may lead to risky infections or you may not be able to hear properly also. Here are 11 easy ways of how to get rid of water in the ear:

Read More:How to Get Water Out Of Your Child’s Ear?

In this article:

11 Best Ways to Get Water Out of Your Ears
What Not to Do (Prevention)?
When to see a Doctor

11 Best Ways to Get Water Out of Your Ears

Valsalva Maneuver

This is a very important and useful technique but should be performed carefully. You should close your mouth and try to squeeze your nose while exhaling air. This helps in opening the Eustachian tubes and thus release the excess water inside.

Read More:Middle Ear Infection in Children: Ultimate Guide

Use Hydrogen Peroxide

Some chemicals like hydrogen peroxide help in this process of excess water removal too. Besides this, it is also effective in clearing earwax and removing bacteria from the ear. Put three-four drops of the chemical in the ear and tilt your face with the affected ear facing downwards to allow the fluid to flow out.

Olive Oil

Home remedies are the best type of solutions for any health-related problem and so is Olive oil for water in ear problem. You should warm the oil a little and put 3-4 drops of it into the ear with a dropper. The heat of the oil will help the liquid to flow out easily. This technique is considered to be the best of all.

Read More:11 Natural Remedies To Treat Middle Ear Infections

Vinegar or Alcohol Drops

Alcohol helps to evaporate the water in the ear and thus getting rid of it easily. If water is trapped due to earwax, vinegar can be a good remedy. For this, you can combine equal quantities of both alcohol and vinegar to prepare a mixture and put some drops into the ear with a dropper. Gently rub the ear for few seconds and tilt your head to let the solution drain out.

Chewing and Yawning

When you have a feeling of water in the ear, you can pretend to chew so that the Eustachian tubes can free up the water stuck. Chewing increases the movement of the muscles near the ear and you can tilt your head with the affected side facing downwards to further increase the effect. Yawning also, in a similar way helps to release tension in the tubes.

Steaming

In the quest for finding out an optimal solution of removing water from the ear, you might also have come across this method. For this, you can either take a hot shower or just let steam from hot water bowl enter your ear for a few minutes.

Read More:5 Reasons for Your Baby’s Itchy Ears

Jiggle the Earlobe

This is a very instant process of removing the water out of the ear. You should do this by tilting your head downwards so that gravity can also work. This releases water due to vacuum creation and pressure changes.

More Water

Adding more water to the affected ear can help the excess water inside the ear to drain out. After 5 mins of adding water, tilt to your other side so that all water can flow out. This method may seem a little doubtful but it surprisingly works most of the times.

Counter  Ear Drops

You can use eardrops like Auto-Dri or Swim-Ear which are easily available in any pharmacy. To let it come out, tilt your head with the affected side downwards. This is a very hygienic and safe method because eardrops are properly tested in labs and will not cause any problem.

Use Towel

Whenever there is a case of water stuck in the ear, you can always use a towel to gently wipe out the ear and to produce more effect, tilt your head sideways while doing it. This should be done every time after swimming or bathing so that you don’t leave any water stuck inside the ear.

Blow Dryer

This may seem skeptical at first, but it has proved to be an effective method for some people. To use it to dry water stuck in the ear, set it to its minimum heat value and blow it into your ear from a distance of 1 foot. You should be careful to not hold it too close or the air from the dryer shouldn’t be too warm.

What Not to Do (Prevention)?

• You should avoid the use of cotton swabs to clean the inside ear. They can push it even deeper into the ear canal. This may cause pain and hearing problems later in severe cases.
• You should never use your fingernails which may damage the delicate skin of the ear.
• Always wipe out your ear properly after swimming or bathing so that no water remains inside.

When to see a Doctor

You can try the above-mentioned solutions first as water in ear remedy. However, if the problems persist longer for two-three days, it is always advisable to see a doctor due to the risk of infection. Ignoring it can lead to hearing problems which may cost a huge amount later.  A doctor will properly understand your problem and suitably suggest medications or treatment if required.

We hope that we could provide you with some insight into the various solution for the problem of water inside the ear. It is always good to try some home remedies for problems but it is also necessary that you don’t neglect its seriousness when it starts bothering you too much. Health should be your first priority and thus taking good care of it is always essential. Precautions, as mentioned above should be taken to avoid issues in the future and to lead a happy and comfortable life.

References

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/got-an-ear-full

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315544.php

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-water-out-of-your-ear#removing-the-water