How To Get Water Out Of Your Ears: 7 Easy Tips

Water entering in your ears and staying there is always an accidental occurrence, and can be attributed to a narrow ear canal.  Perhaps it’s because while swimming or having a bath. These two activities are pretty common, and so is water in the ears.  Water trapped in your ears can be uncomfortable and painful. However, knowing how to get water out of your ears will save you a trip to the doctor. You should follow these simple steps to ensure the water is released and you avoid further complications.

Seven Easy Steps To Get Water Out Of Your Ear

1. Shake your ears

Start with the basics – shake your ears by jumping or moving your head while tilting your ear to face the ground. This might help release the water. For this to be even more effective, you can also tug your earlobe gently and turn it in a downward motion towards your eardrum. Alternatively, you can shake your head from one side to the other while maintaining the downward position.

2. Create space

Creating space that will help the water drain off. You can do this by the following:

• Cup your palm, and turn your head to the side. Ensure that your ear is resting well on your cupped palm. This will make a tight seal
• Push your hand toward your ear and back out in a very rapid but gentle motion. Flatten your hand when you push toward the ear, and cup it when you pull away. Then turn your head down so that water can drain away

3. Try  alcohol and vinegar ear drops

Using drops, the alcohol functions to help water trapped in your ear to evaporate. It also serves to inhibit bacteria growth which will in turn prevent infection. In a situation where the water is trapped due to a build-up of earwax, the vinegar will come in handy. To do this, follow these simple steps:

• mix equal parts of alcohol and vinegar to get the eardrop
• put about three or four drops of the mixture into your ear using a sterile dropper
• rub your external ear gently
• after thirty seconds, turn your ear to the side to allow the mixture to dry out

This particular method should be done with care. If you have any of these conditions, please don’t use this method:

• an external ear infection
• an open or perforated eardrum

4. Use your blow dryer

The heat from the blow dryer helps the water in your ear to evaporate. Do this by following these steps:

• turn the setting of your blow dryer to the lowest
• place the hair dryer about thirty inches from your ears and keep moving it in a back and forth motion
• keep pulling down on your earlobe and allow the warm air to blow inside

5. Consider olive oil

Aside from removing water from your ears, olive oil also helps to fight infection in your ears. To use this method, follow these simple steps:

• warm some olive oil & put it in a small bowl
• put a few drops of olive oil in the affected ear using a clean dropper
• lie on the side of the unaffected ear for a few minutes, sit up, and turn your ear downward. Once you this, the water and oil will drain out

6. Try using steam

If water gets into the middle part of the ear through the eustachian tube (a pathway connecting the middle ear and nose), steam can assist with the release of  water. You can also do this by taking a hot shower. Here’s how to make sure the technique is effective:

• using a  large bowl, fill it with steaming hot water
• hold your face over the bowl, cover your head using a towel to trap steam
• slowly inhale the steam for about  three to five minutes
• turn your ear to the side to drain the water out of your ear

7. Try the Valsalva Method

The Valsalva Method will not just help remove the water, it can also help to open blocked or closed Eustachian tubes. Simply follow these steps:

• take a deep breath 
• close your mouth 
• close your nostrils by gently squeezing with your fingers
• blow the air out of your nose slowly. Once you hear a popping sound, this means that your Eustachian tubes have opened

What’s important to remember here is that you should not blow too hard to avoid damaging your eardrum. If after using these home remedies, and you don’t get the desired effect, visit your ENT (ear nose & throat specialist or otolaryngologists).

If nothing helps

After trying out these home remedies to no avail, don’t resort to putting your fingers or other objects into your ear. Doing this might lead to:

• introducing bacteria to the affected area
• forcing the water to go deeper into the inner ear
• causing injuries to your ear canal
• puncturing your eardrum

Conclusion 

There are many ways to help you get water out of your ear. However, you have to make sure you do it properly. It is even better to avoid situations or activities that are prone to make water enter the ears. Remember, the ear is another delicate organ in the body. 

Prevention of course is better than cure. Next time while swimming or taking a shower, you can make use of earplugs or swimming caps. And after you have spent enough time in the water, ensure that you dry out your ear thoroughly.