Water Stuck In Ear

Spooner

Lifer
Jan 16, 2000
12,025
1
76
i think i stood the wrong way in the shower this morning and i've had water caught in my ear all day and i've had to deal with that annoying clogged ear feeling :|

any home remedies to help with this?
 

Canai

Diamond Member
Oct 4, 2006
8,016
1
0
Umm qtip or hairdryer or roll up a piece of toilet paper (a little one) and kinda fish around until it absorbs some of the water. Otherwise just sleep with that side down or sit next to a fan for a while. I used to get water stuck in my ears when I went swimming, turned out there was a bunch of wax built up.

Ear candles ftw.
 

Staples

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2001
4,952
119
106
Just position your ear horizontal to the ground. The water will come out in 30 seconds or less.
 

bersl2

Golden Member
Aug 2, 2004
1,617
0
0
Originally posted by: Staples
Just position your ear horizontal to the ground. The water will come out in 30 seconds or less.

I have to jump up and down to make that work. People look at me like I'm strange (well I am, but that's beside the point), but whatever works...
 

JasonE4

Golden Member
Mar 14, 2005
1,363
0
0
Dump peroxide solution in there and let it sit for a couple minutes then dump it out. Repeat if necessary.
 

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
4
81
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.
 

akshatp

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
8,350
0
76
Ahhhh that feeling you get when it finally leaves the ear canal... It has to be the 2nd best felling in the world after.... well, u know...

On a more serious note, be careful when sticking a Q-tip or anything else in your ear!!
 

akshatp

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
8,350
0
76
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?
 

Spooner

Lifer
Jan 16, 2000
12,025
1
76
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?

right? wouldn't it have fixed in the shower then? my shower's are pretty hot
 

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
4
81
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?

has worked for me everytime i get water stuck in my ear after swimming or whatever

give it a try
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,582
698
126
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?

has worked for me everytime i get water stuck in my ear after swimming or whatever

give it a try

siphon effect.

I sometimes actually plunger my ear if i'm in the pool. take my hand with my ear in the water and force it against my ear then bring my ear out of the water.. Works 9 times out of 10.

 

akshatp

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
8,350
0
76
Originally posted by: deadlyapp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?

has worked for me everytime i get water stuck in my ear after swimming or whatever

give it a try

siphon effect.

I sometimes actually plunger my ear if i'm in the pool. take my hand with my ear in the water and force it against my ear then bring my ear out of the water.. Works 9 times out of 10.

So you are basically forcing more water into your ear??? And then when it all falls out it takes the original water out with it?

I am so confused

 

SViper

Senior member
Feb 17, 2005
828
0
76
Alcohol usually works (not drinking alcohol) :). People with "swimmers ear" suffer from ear infections from water staying in the ear. How do they fix it? They put an alcohol solution in there ear. My brother suffers from this frequently. Instead of buying the "swimmer's ear" stuff at the store so many times, we just get some rubbing alcohol. It does the same thing.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,679
11,023
136
Originally posted by: SViper
Alcohol usually works (not drinking alcohol) :). People with "swimmers ear" suffer from ear infections from water staying in the ear. How do they fix it? They put an alcohol solution in there ear. My brother suffers from this frequently. Instead of buying the "swimmer's ear" stuff at the store so many times, we just get some rubbing alcohol. It does the same thing.

I've had the "pleasure" of swimmers ear for over 20 years...not fun.

Use either rubbing alcohol, or one of the swimmers ear products sold in the drug store. All are alcohol based, with a variety of other ingredients to help.
You can make your own, using a 50/50 mix of alcohol and white vinegar...
 

compnovice

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2005
3,192
0
0
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: deadlyapp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?

has worked for me everytime i get water stuck in my ear after swimming or whatever

give it a try

siphon effect.

I sometimes actually plunger my ear if i'm in the pool. take my hand with my ear in the water and force it against my ear then bring my ear out of the water.. Works 9 times out of 10.

So you are basically forcing more water into your ear??? And then when it all falls out it takes the original water out with it?

I am so confused


Works for me everytime... I guess its just the surface tension vs gravity effect. Water is stuck in the ear because it forms drops due to surface tension. However as more water is added the drops break and all water flows out... I might be wrong on the theory, but it works in practice...
 

imported_Tick

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2005
4,682
1
0
Originally posted by: compnovice
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: deadlyapp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: Kalvin00
here's a solution that works for me everytime

turn on water faucet to warm. run your finger in it. turn offending ear to the sky. take your finger and place in your ear so a few drips go in. wait a couple seconds, tip head other way. repeat as necessary.

Won't this create more water in the ear canal? Please elaborate as to how this helps?

has worked for me everytime i get water stuck in my ear after swimming or whatever

give it a try

siphon effect.

I sometimes actually plunger my ear if i'm in the pool. take my hand with my ear in the water and force it against my ear then bring my ear out of the water.. Works 9 times out of 10.

So you are basically forcing more water into your ear??? And then when it all falls out it takes the original water out with it?

I am so confused


Works for me everytime... I guess its just the surface tension vs gravity effect. Water is stuck in the ear because it forms drops due to surface tension. However as more water is added the drops break and all water flows out... I might be wrong on the theory, but it works in practice...

As far as I know, water only get's stuck in your ear because of a balance between water volume/ear canal size/surface tension/gravity. So if you mess with this balance, it should fix the problem. Also, anything that affects waters surface tension should help, so try a drop of liquid soap in your ear canal.
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
There are alcohol-based products that you should be able to buy at any pharmacy or grocery store. I encounter this occasionally, and I keep a bottle around to dry my ear out.

I don't know about using rubbing alcohol, but I'd do more research before going that route.
 

redgtxdi

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2004
5,463
8
81
EAR LAVAGE


You can do this with a bulb syringe in the shower............(Yes, you're forcing more water into your ear to expel the water that's currently stuck in there)...........or you can go to a doctor and they will do it with a much more powerful lavage device.


Problem is more likely that you have a 'plug' of wax in your ear and the water has made its way 'behind' this plug. A good ear lavage is the only thing that will clear it out. It will be disgusting and the site of it will probably make you gag. However, once cleared out you will hear like you've never heard before........seriously!

If you do it with a bulb syringe in the shower just be sure to use luke-warm water. Cup some water with your hand next to your chest and syphon the water into the bulb and then squirt it into your ear canal. Too hot or too cold could make you a little dizzy, but nothing to worry about. It may take several attempts to clear the wax plug out of your ear this way. A doctor can do it more efficiently but of course you have to...........well.........go to the doctor for that.

No bull.
 

thepd7

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2005
9,429
0
0
Originally posted by: BoomerD
Originally posted by: SViper
Alcohol usually works (not drinking alcohol) :). People with "swimmers ear" suffer from ear infections from water staying in the ear. How do they fix it? They put an alcohol solution in there ear. My brother suffers from this frequently. Instead of buying the "swimmer's ear" stuff at the store so many times, we just get some rubbing alcohol. It does the same thing.

I've had the "pleasure" of swimmers ear for over 20 years...not fun.

Use either rubbing alcohol, or one of the swimmers ear products sold in the drug store. All are alcohol based, with a variety of other ingredients to help.
You can make your own, using a 50/50 mix of alcohol and white vinegar...

50/50 alcohol vinegar for the win from a 7 year lifeguard/wsi/lgi.