Please tell me how to get water out of my ear!

[miniaturelocomotive]

Yesterday whilst playing in the paddling pool I got water splashed in my ear. It's still there and driving me mad. I can hear it swooshing every time I move my head. Whenever I get water trapped in my ear it tends to stay for days.

Does anyone have any tried and tested tips?

You can try blowing a warm hairdryer towards your ear (not too close!). Also wiggling your earlobe with it facing the ground to hope that gravity does its bit. Worked for me a few weeks ago but it's so annoying to have it sploshing about!

If you lie on that side for a few hours it should eventually roll out!

Jump on one leg opposite the water full ear, with your head tilted pointing downwards.

I’m not kidding

Gravity and a bit of a headshake normally does the job for me. There are drops you can get though, SwimEar or something like that?

There is a spray you can buy which in theory dries it out...not much help until you can get to a pharmacy though

Ooh, my advice is NOT to ignore it and hope it'll go away. A colleague is on her second week off work with exactly what you've described. The trapped water caused an infection inside her middle ear, and she has needed an antibiotic drip and all sorts! Hope you get it sorted soon

Looks mad, but I always shake my head quickly to the side. Start off with head up straight then quickly tilt it to the side of the affected ear.
A few times of doing this usually works for me.

www.navehpharma.com/products/advanced-ent-line/item/10-dry-ears

The other (seems mad) theory is to submerge your head in water again so that the additional water draws out the stuck water? A pharmacist suggested this for DC...I am not medically qualified!!

I hope OP doesn’t hurt herself trying all these at once

I had this once and GP recommended Sudafed. Not sure if it works as I needed up not needing to take it but not sure why!!

I had this once and ended up jumping around my room dancing to some song

suddenly there was a big rush of air and a massive pop and the biggest, roundest ball of wax popped out. It was absolutely fascinating and I sort of wanted to keep it as an exhibit

I use rubbing alcohol, tip it in my ear and then it mixes with the water and runs out. (It lowers the surface tension) I get water in my ears every time I swim.

@ShirleyPhallus

I read that with a kind of morbid grin on my face! I feel rather jealous, in fact

I just tried shaking my head quickly from side to side and with the water sloshing around, it sounds like there's a hamster living in my ear. Unfortunately, the hamster/water is still there.

I’ve got this problem and went to the GP last week. I’ve got ear wax build up and that holds water in. I’m using olive oil drops at the moment for a couple of weeks, and if it doesn’t clear I have to go back to have them syringed.

The hopping on the opposite leg with head tilted to side works within seconds for me every time.

I just tilt my head all the way over to the side with the problem. Just sit still like that for ages and eventually you’ll hear it trickle out.

I've used the shower before and that worked. I tilted my head so the ear had the full force of water poured down it and stood there for a fair while. When I finished, I tilted my head the other way and a rush of pressure and a load of wax came out.

It only ever worked once but it was very satisfying!

Press the heel for your hand firmly to your ear covering the whole thing, press your hand into your ear and pull back out firmly, the water should "dislodge" and come out. Almost like using your hand as a plunger. I have eczema inside my ear canals and it makes water get trapped quite easily. Hope this works

Ayy @EmrysAtticus a fellow one leg jumper

I'm currently plunging my ear and can hear a bit of movement when I pull my hand away!

I don't mean the movement of my hand! I mean the water hamster moving!!

Drip a small amount of vodka in your ear. As @tharsheblows said, the alcohol weakens the surface tension of the water and it comes out in a warm trickle. I use it after diving and it works every time.

@miniaturelocomotive yes don't bring your hand really far away when you "plunge out" if that make sense. Keep going, tilting your head, then have a break and plunge again. I'm currently doing it right now after a bath 🤣