Best Ways to Get Water Out of Ears: Learn How to Unclog Your Ears
Water in ear may only seem like a slight annoyance, but leaving it untreated can cause serious damage and it can also impact your hearing as well. Usually, water can get into your ear while swimming or bathing. Wax located in the ear canal typically prevents water from entering too deeply into the ear canal but sometimes the fluid can get trapped inside. It is not difficult to get water out of ears and in this article I’ll look at the best natural ways for doing it.
You need to know that water in the ear can result in pain or reduced hearing. If left untreated, it can cause inflammation, sharp ear pain, hearing loss, crackling or popping sounds, and cyst formation. Fluid that is trapped in the outer ear can be treated without involving a doctor.
However, water that is trapped in the middle ear must be treated by a doctor in order to prevent further damage or infection.
Let’s have a look at some easy and effective ways to remove water from the ear.
How to Get Water Out of Ears
1. Create a Pressure Change
Before putting anything in your ear, try to get the water out of your ears by manually forcing the water out with pressure change.
You may be able to remove the water out of your ear canal by simply chewing gum. Another approach is to cup your hand over your ear and pump inward while tilting the ear toward the ground – this can help you drain the water out of your ear canal.
The change in pressure may release the water naturally. Or you may get lucky and find the perfect angle to let the water escape.
You can also create a pressure change by using the Valsalva maneuver and opening up the Eustachian tubes which can help you to push water out of your ears.
Here’s how to do the Valsalva maneuver:
- Close your mouth and pinch your nose with your fingers like you were trying to hold your breath while going under water.
- Gently blow into your nose while keeping your fingers pinched on your nose.
You should hear a slight popping sound, which means your tubes are open again.
Valsalva maneuver is also one of the ways to naturally get rid of clogged ears.
2. Change the Temperature of the Water
Warm water may be easier to get out than room (or ear) temperature water.
Try loosening up the ear wax in attempt to clear a path for the water by holding a washcloth with warm water to the ear (be careful not to burn your ear – use only warm water). Be sure to repeat this action several times while keeping the washcloth warm. After several attempts, try tilting your head or lying down to see if the water runs out of your ear.
You can also try various steaming methods to heat the liquid in your ear – this can help it dissipate out of the ear.
- Sitting in the bathroom with a hot shower running may loosen up the ear wax and allow the water to run out of your ear.
- Another technique is to pour hot water into a bowl, place a towel over your head, lean over the bowl and inhale the steam. After 5 to 10 minutes, tilt your head to see if the fluid comes out the ear.
Steam inhalation (combined with essential oils) is also one of the natural ways to treat ear infection.
3. Use Rubbing Alcohol and Vinegar
Vinegar has a lot of surprising household uses but did you that vinegar can also help you get water out of ears?
The mixture of the alcohol and vinegar can remove ear wax blockage which can trap the fluid inside your ear.
In a bowl, mix together one teaspoon each of rubbing alcohol and vinegar. Then, using an eye dropper, place 2-3 drops of the mixture into your blocked ear. Rub your ear gently with a warm washcloth to incorporate the mixture.
Tilt your head to the side or lay down on your bed with the blocked ear facing down to help the water run out.
Dr. Robert Wilson, ENT, suggests that flushing the ear canal every few weeks with this mixture will often clean the ear and prevent wax impaction2. This can potentially help prevent water from getting trapped in the ears.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide for Blocked Ear
I have already mentioned the large number of uses of hydrogen peroxide and one of them is clearing wax and fluid out of the ear2.
In a bowl mix together one teaspoon each of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water. Using a dropper, place two to three drops of the mixture in your plugged ear. This can help flushing wax buildup which traps the water in ear. Wait a few minutes for the liquid to settle before trying to run the water out of the affected ear.
5. Salt can Absorb the Water from your Ear
I’ve already mentioned that salt can help you get gorgeous skin and it can also help you to get rid of water trapped in ear.
To use this method, heat a small amount of salt in the microwave and place it on a cotton ball. Tie the cotton ball tightly so that no salt comes off. Then place the cotton ball near the opening of your blocked ear for several minutes. As salt absorbs water, this method should be able to draw the water out of your ear.
Be very careful not to put any salt directly in your ear.
6. Olive Oil and Garlic
Olive oil has a large number of health benefits and it may even reduce the risk of developing cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and hypertension.
According to an article published in Health Technol Assess1, olive oil can be used to remove ear wax buildup which can help you to drain the water out of your clogged ear.
To use olive oil to drain the fluid out of your ear, heat some olive oil in a small bowl over the stove. When it’s slightly warm (be careful as oil becomes hot quickly), place a few drops of olive oil into the blocked ear, using a dropper. Wait a few minutes before attempting to drain the water that is trapped inside the ear.
Or you can add garlic to the olive. Garlic contain antiseptic properties that may help prevent an ear infection if water is trapped inside.
Here’s how to make your own garlic oil which you can use to pour a few drops into the clogged ear.
– Mash two cloves of garlic.
– Add two tablespoons of olive oil.
– Heat it together in a saucepan for a few seconds.
– Let it cool down a bit.
– Using a dropper, place 2 to 3 drops of garlic oil into the affected ear and wait several minutes.
– Then tilt your head to the side or lie down and see if the fluid runs out.
Getting Water Out of Ears – A few Precautions
It is worthwhile to note that these ear cleaning procedures are not recommended if you suffer from an ear infection or ear pain.
Keep in mind that the inner parts of the ear are delicate and you should be careful not to poke the inner ear with the dropper, cotton swab or other objects. This is one of the reasons you should never ever clean inside your ear.
Finally, if these procedures do not help you to get the water out of your ear, seek professional help from an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor.
Read these related posts:
1. How to Naturally Get Rid of Clogged Ears
2. How to Unpop Your Ears Quickly and Easily: The Best Natural Ways
3. Best Home Remedies For Ear Infection
4. Home Remedies for a Pimple in Ear