Help me please! Water in ear

[TheLeadbetterLife]

I've posted here for traffic, sorry.

I had a bath yesterday, dipped my head under the water and now my right ear is completely blocked. It's like wearing the most fantastic ear plug, except it's not. It's driving me bananas.

I've tried everything - shaking, yoga, steam, hairdryer, olive oil, alcohol, vinegar, yawning, chewing, pulling ear lobe, Valsava manoeuvre.

There has to be something else!

Also, does anyone have an idea why this might happen? I used to put my head under the water in the bath all the time, with no problems. About a year ago I started getting this water in ear thing - it happens instantly, and takes ages to clear out. Can happen in both ears. Yesterday I forgot and dipped, and now here I am. This is the worst I've ever experienced it.

You might have a build up of ear wax in there. A pharmacist could help you with something to clear that out.

Get a hot water bottle ( maybe put an extra towel on it ) and lay your head down on it ( the side of blocked ear ) for at least 10 mins . Do that a few times a day , and it should clear in a few days.
Don't put anything else in your ear.

Sorry, please don't laugh at me anyone, have you tried lying on the side of your blocked ear. Keep something under your ear so you don't get the water on your bed. It's worked for me.

Lie down on the side it's in until it comes out. It is the best feeling.

Or get some swimmers ear from the pharmacist, it's alcohol and evaporates the water.

As an ex competitive swimmer, I spent a lot of time lying on my side....

Jump up and down rather than shaking! Good luck x

If it has happened before it could well be ear wax blocking your ear and causing the water to trap. I would recommend getting your ears syringed. You can’t normally get it done at doctor, but places like spec savers do it. Or if you look on your local Facebook type group there are likely nurses that do it privately and will come to your house. It’s amazing!

If it is in your right ear - stamp your right foot and at the same time throw your head sideways and down to the right.

Pinch nostrils and blow keeping your mouth closed and your ears will pop. Might take a few goes but it will work.

I had this recently. I got something from the pharmacist, had to put some drops in my ears for a few days and then use a pippet and some water to clear it out.

Lean over until you feel/hear it move a bit, then twist a little until you feel it move again, keep going and after a few it'll come out . Sometimes it gets quite deep in and the ear canal is a bit like a spiral so a bit of twisting gets it out...or maybe that's just me. Good luck.

Throw head sideways, move head up and down and stamp foot as pp have suggested. Then lie on side. Repeat until it comes out. If that fails go to chemist and see what they've got. Ex scuba instructor here.

Otex!!

I was told by audiologist it’s a good idea to get water in your ear as it help clean the canal, keep the was down.

Ahem.

It used to lie on side affected and simultaneously move jaw like you’re having a big yawn whilst pressing the ear from behind with index finger.

Thanks all, I keep trying the foot stamping / head shaking thing, and it feels like there's movement, then nothing. Now my neck hurts!

I lay all night on my side, on a hot water bottle.

I think I'm going to have to go to the pharmacy and see if I can get my ears syringed.

Stick cotton buds in your ear to mop up the water.

If you don’t have cotton buds then roll up a piece of tissue/toilet roll into a thin tube and push that into your ear gently.

I bought a syringe made for clearing ears (it's soft and the water comes out of the sides instead of the tip). It's amazing! It's cleared my ear when it was blocked and now I use it now and then to avoid blockages.

Is it all ok now ?

no, still driving me mad. I'm not even sure the problem is water, maybe it's wax build up. I think the water may have evaporated now, because I can't hear it moving around, but somehow there's still a blockage.

I got drop drops to clear it from the chemist, but they just seemed to make it worse.

I need to go to the GP next week anyway, I'll ask him to look in my ear while I'm there.

Pour some Olive oil into a teaspoon and heat up over a steaming kettle, tip your head to the side and pour the oil in to your ear.....trial and error to make sure not too hot!! Its a funny sensation.
Keep you head tilted for 5-10 mins. The oil will break down any wax, repeat twice per day for a handful of days.

When in the shower tip your head to the side and let the water run in to your ear and flush out any loose bits.

@TooExtraImmatureCheddar

Stick cotton buds in your ear to mop up the water.

Don't do this!

Leaving aside the fact that you're not meat to stick things like that in your eat, the water will be too far in for this to work anyway.

Please don't put anything additional in your ears. Insist your doctor see you face to face. It's likely to be a small bubble of trapped water and you'll need a decongestant.

It does sound like a wax build up. I'd get the Otex drops that come with the rubber bulb that you use to squirt water into your ear. You use the drops for a few days to soften up the wax then spray the bulb into your ear (with some force if possible) and the wax should dislodge. The drops take a few days to work but my god the feeling of relief when the plug unblocks!

I suggest olive oil drops twice a day for a week and book to have your ear syringed- or is it micro suction the mini vacuum? Book at a pharmacy or some opticians like Specsavers do it.

Did you try the blowing through your nose with your mouth closed and your nostrils pinched? It works for me!