Can't Get Water Out of My Ears — What Can I Try? How Long Until an Ear Infection Could Form?

[another sean]

Water went into my left ear and I can't get it out. Any suggestions?

I tried:

shaking my head tilted to the side
tapping on my head
pulling my earlobes
a hot compress 30 seconds at a time
cupping my palm to create a vacuum
5 minutes next to a fan
valsalva maneuver

And if I can't get it out, my concern is how long until an ear infection could form?

 

[Allan1967]

Water went into my left ear and I can't get it out. Any suggestions?

I tried:

shaking my head tilted to the side
tapping on my head
pulling my earlobes
a hot compress 30 seconds at a time
cupping my palm to create a vacuum
5 minutes next to a fan
valsalva maneuver

And if I can't get it out, my concern is how long until an ear infection could form?

Is the water inside your ear drum or in the ear canal?

 

[another sean]

I dont know how to tell the difference. when I shake my head, I can hear it move around. sounds like static. when I tap my head, I can hear a kind of reverberation in that ear. this happened just after getting out of the shower.

 

[Allan1967]

I dont know how to tell the difference. when I shake my head, I can hear it move around. sounds like static. when I tap my head, I can hear a kind of reverberation in that ear. this happened just after getting out of the shower.

Couldn't have been through your Eustachian tubes in that case @another sean

I'm assuming your eardrum isn't perforated?

Possibly you have some earwax that's blocking part of the ear canal and the water is now behind that. That's what I think was going on with me until yesterday when the earwax was removed.

Best off get a Doctor to have a look and in the meantime see if gravity can take of it. But dont put anything in your ear canal that's smaller than your elbow. Very tempting to poke around with cotton buds but resist at all costs.

All the best mate.

 

[another sean]

Couldn't have been through your Eustachian tubes in that case @another sean

I'm assuming your eardrum isn't perforated?

Possibly you have some earwax that's blocking part of the ear canal and the water is now behind that. That's what I think was going on with me until yesterday when the earwax was removed.

Best off get a Doctor to have a look and in the meantime see if gravity can take of it. But dont put anything in your ear canal that's smaller than your elbow. Very tempting to poke around with cotton buds but resist at all costs.

All the best mate.

thanks for the advice @Allan1967 . Ironically I had an appointment with my ENT today that I made last week for a allergy issue. I called my doctor after hours emergency pager and got his partner to call me back and she told me to use a suction bulb or vinegar and hydrogen peroxide drops. Then she said if Im gonna see my doctor anyways today, I should leave it alone and let him take care it. She said one day won't turn into an infection yet. Ill just be sure to avoid micro suction as I've heard thats made peoples tinnitus worse.

 

[Allan1967]

thanks for the advice @Allan1967 . Ironically I had an appointment with my ENT today that I made last week for a allergy issue. I called my doctor after hours emergency pager and got his partner to call me back and she told me to use a suction bulb or vinegar and hydrogen peroxide drops. Then she said if Im gonna see my doctor anyways today, I should leave it alone and let him take care it. She said one day won't turn into an infection yet. Ill just be sure to avoid micro suction as I've heard thats made peoples tinnitus worse.

@another sean

DON'T USE hydrogen peroxide!!!

I nearly bought some to soften ear wax and it said on the packet NOT suitable if you have tinnitus.

Go for Olive Oil to begin with and the next step up is sodium bicarbonate. Step up after that is the HP, but don't go there.

I cant see one day being a problem, just don't go poking potentially germy things in your ears.