|  | Conditions Treatments | Ears Hearing

What to Do About Water in the Ear

Water can enter your ear through swimming or bathing and prove to be quite annoying. Water can muffle your hearing and eventually cause bacteria to grow in your ear. If water is left in your ear long enough, it will cause pain and itchiness. Dealing with water in your ear right away is the key to avoiding infection.

  1. Bounce

    • If water has just clogged your ear, the first thing you should try is bouncing. For example, if water filled your right ear, stand on your right leg, tilting your head so your right ear faces the ground. Hop up and down about 10 times. Often your ear will unclog after a few hops.

    Alcohol and Vinegar

    • Alcohol dries out your ear, while vinegar provides an antibacterial agent. For best results, mix three parts alcohol with one part vinegar. Using a dropper, squeeze a few drops into the affected ear. After about five minutes, the ear should be dry.

    Blow Dryer

    • A blow dryer may dry out your ear. Hold the hair dryer far enough away not to burn yourself, but close enough to dry out your ear. Keep the dryer on a low setting, as the high setting may harm your ear.

    Sleep

    • Sleep with your affected ear facing down on your pillow. If you are lucky, gravity will pull the water from your ear, allowing your pillow to soak it up.

    Over-the-Counter Drops

    • Over-the-counter ear drops can fight swelling and itching. However, they aren't really much different than the alcohol and vinegar solution you mix yourself. That said, it still may be worth a try since it is professionally mixed.

    Doctor

    • Regardless of what home remedy you try, if water has traveled too deeply in your ear, you will not be able to remove it on your own. If all else fails, see your doctor. She may offer a steroid, solution, antibiotic, or antifungal to take care of your problem. Unfortunately, this is the only fail-proof method.

Ears Hearing - Related Articles