Hidden bodies of water...in my ear?

July 22, 2017 5:14 PM

I got water in my ear - explain to me where it was stored and what happened to release it?

I did a cannonball into a lake - super fun, but surfaced with water in my ear. I couldn't hear that well out of the ear for the rest of the day, and then finally later that night, when lying on the side with the water-ear, water finally came gushing out of my ear. My questions?

Where was the water stuck? Why couldn't I shake it out? What happened to finally release it as I was lying on my side? Next time, what should I do?

posted by Toddles to Grab Bag (14 answers total)

I can imagine a buildup of ear wax morphing a little with the influx of water to create a temporary chamber that leaked later in the day. If that sounds plausible to you, maybe pick up an ear wax kit at the drugstore.
posted by Wobbuffet at 5:40 PM on July 22, 2017

This happens to me sometimes, because I have narrow ear canals and Eustachian tubes. Basically what happens is that some water gets into the back of the ear canal and stays up there due to surface tension. What needs to happen is for something to break that surface tension so the water can drain out. There are different ways to make this happen. You can turn your head to the side and hop up and down, you can tug on your earlobe, or you can insert a Q-Tip just deep enough to touch the pocket of water. All these things will break the surface tension and the water will drain out.
posted by slkinsey at 5:52 PM on July 22, 2017 [13 favorites]

As a kid, I body surfed all summer. Older and wiser body surfers taught me:

>Where was the water stuck?
Who knows?

>Why couldn't I shake it out?
You didn't know the technique.

>What happened to finally release it as I was lying on my side?
Doesn't matter because I'm gonna tell you the technique.

>Next time, what should I do?
Tilt your head toward your shoulder to about 45 degrees, then hop up and down on the foot on that side of your body. Hop energetically.
posted by Homer42 at 6:21 PM on July 22, 2017 [10 favorites]

Do a yawning motion tugging on your ear like you're trying to pop your ears while tilting your head and bouncing up and down. Works every time.

I also have tiny ears. I can't stand the feel or sound of the water in my ear so I always manage to get it out.
posted by Crystalinne at 6:30 PM on July 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

You likely experienced some swelling in your Eustachian tubes. The swelling sealed off part of the tube, creating a vacuum. The vacuum drew liquid from the surrounding tissue into the tube. Now you have problems hearing. When the swelling goes down you will be able to hear again as the liquid is gradually reabsorbed by the surrounding tissue.

(I have had this problem many many times, usually from air conditioner colds).
posted by My Dad at 7:18 PM on July 22, 2017

Don't put anything larger than your elbow in your ears (a mom is talking; please listen).
Swimmer's Ear is a product that we use when scuba diving as soon as we get back on land. Otherwise the dreaded "why does everything sound like my head is in a barrel?" feeling occurs, possibly with an ear infection, which sucks when on vacation. Swimmers Ear is available in the pharmacy section at your local drugstore; ask the pharmacist.
posted by TrishaU at 11:30 PM on July 22, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Swimmer's Ear product works fine, but if getting your hands on it is not so simple, rubbing alcohol will work well too. Lie on your side, put some in, and let it loosen up congestion in your ear canals.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 4:11 AM on July 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

I use a hairdryer, set low at a comfortable distance to gently dry the canal while turning my head. Rubbing alcohol and olive oil were unpleasant, and shaking my head didn't work often and gives me headaches. The hairdryer trick needs to not be over used as you don't want to over dry your ear canal, but it helps pop the surface tension and get it draining pretty fast without inserting anything. Just low gentle heat.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 4:59 AM on July 23, 2017

If you can't get it to shift with official "head tilt and jump" method, I found dripping another few drops of water into the ear, letting it settle for a moment, and then recommencing "head tilt and jump". Works more often than not. Which leads me to believe it's stuck down a small diameter tube/opening, and the surface tension is stopping it from coming out.
posted by kjs4 at 5:52 AM on July 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Another surface-tension-breaker that is a little less harsh than rubbing alcohol is a 50-50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar. (This is what my ENT recommended I use to dry out the weepy eczema I get in my ears, but it works a treat for stuck water, too.)
posted by BrashTech at 7:43 AM on July 23, 2017 [3 favorites]

I hate the feeling of water stuck in my ears. At the pool, gently smacking my ear against the surface of the water always worked to clear them out. Affected ear should be parallel to the water so you keep the air bubble inside, I think it's a combination of the head movement and the air pressure breaking the surface tension that makes this work.
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:17 AM on July 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

I was going to recommend the 50/50 rubbing alcohol and vinegar mix that BrashTech did. That's what my high school infirmary gave out to those of us on the water polo and swimming teams.
posted by Jahaza at 10:41 AM on July 23, 2017

Does the advice to never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear mean that it is unsafe to put a finger in your ear? Seriously, how do you wash your ears if you can't put your fingers into them?

The 50/50 rubbing alcohol/distilled vinegar mixture is what works best for me. The low pH of the vinegar stops fungus from growing, which has been a problem for me when I couldn't get my ears dried out. My last fungal ear infection was an awful experience.
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 12:35 PM on July 23, 2017

In combination with the 50/50 rubbing alcohol/vinegar mix, I've had excellent luck with putting a flat hand over the entire ear, with head tipped so that the ear is facing down, and then alternating between flexing and cupping the hand. The gentle pressure and gentle partial vacuum help to work things loose and draw the liquid out.
posted by redfoxtail at 1:38 PM on July 23, 2017