3 days ago i was taking a shower (I have one of those high-pressure massage showerheads) and I tilted my head at one point to rinse the shampoo off the side, and water pounded into my right ear, which instantly became blocked with it. I’ve had this happen a few times before, in which case I’d smack my head a bit and it would run out after a little while. But this just won’t come out. It’s been stuck there for the last 3 days. Everything I hear on that side sounds like it’s underwater (understandably). I can hear it shifting around inside and sometimes I can hear a little better than usual but I can’t get it to come out. Worse, the pressure has been causing me headaches. I’m hard of hearing and miserable. Is there a way to get the water out somehow without risking damaging my eardrum? I can’t see a doc considering it’s Xmas eve and the hospital would be at least a 6 hour wait. Any remedies are appreciated.
Dad taught me to hold that side of my head towards the ground and it would eventually drain out.
Good luck.
To remove water from the right ear:
[ol]
[li]Lean to the right until the right ear is pointing down.[/li]
[li]Raise left foot and kick in the air to the left several times, very vigorously.[/li]
[li]Water should be dislodge from right ear.[/li]
[li]Repeat for left ear by reversing directions.[/li]
[li]Profit![/li][/ol]
Try looking up “Swimmers ear.”
Water should have evaporated by now. The water probably expanded some cerumen (wax) which is causing the problem. You can use Swimmers Ear [sup]tm[/sup] or just mix some isopropyl alcohol with vinegar and spray some in your ear with one of those squeeze bulbs.
Or the water may have precipitated otitis ("swimmer’s ear), which is an infection. The same remedy applies.
Thanks. I will try the alcohol and vinegar solution.
Thanks. I will try the alcohol and vinegar solution.
OMG, it’s working! I squirted the solution in and held it in for about 5 mins, then let it drain out onto a tissue. Out came an enormous amount of pasty earwax. I put some more of the solution in and more and more wax just keeps coming out. Now I’m starting to get little “Bubbles” where I can hear again for a minute. Thanks so much!
Did you use a cotton swab? I once did so after showering, the cotton came off the swab in my ear, and had to go to a doctor to remove it. 
I assure you, based on sound medical and scientific knowledge, any water in you inner ear would have evaporated within a few hours. My layman’s advice (which I doubt a significant number of doctors would disagree with): get your ass to the nearest ER, and let them diagnose and handle it. My best guess is that you have an infection. Any competent ER doc can handle that. If you don’t do this, all I can say is odds are time will heal.
Because as I posted, odds are all kinds of good time will heal. If I had posted you should stare at the moon, likely you would have healed.
If your anything lke me it’ll just start dribbling out of your nose at the most embarrassing and inappropriate moment:
Intimate dinner with prospective new lover.
Yearly evaluation with new boss.
Passport check at Heathrow - pre 9/11 thank goodness.
I’m very prone to getting wax impacted in my ears when I use Q-tips to clean them. A nurse suggested using a dental irrigator like a water pik and it’s worked very well for me. It’s a little intense when the wax washes out and the water hits my eardrum but when I do that every 3-4 weeks I never get blocked up and water drains out normally.
Sounds like you’ve solved the problem, a little impacted wax. It could be swimmer’s ear, particularly if you pull on the ear flap (tragus) and feel strong pain, but it probably isn’t.
Main message: Don’t use Q-tips.
I’d advise you to mix alcohol or water with hydrogen peroxide, and bulb this in. Warming food or baby oil tothe temperature of warm (not hot) bathwater and drizzling this in daily, holding it for a few minutes, also is effective for getting rid of impacted wax. Failing this, Cerumenol or Cerumenex solution from the drug store will work (but no better).
Buro-Sol is useful for Swimmer’s ear, your drug store may have other good over the counter remedies. A doctor may give you this, or if there is lots of inflammation and the ear drum is okay, give you a steroid/antibiotic (Garasone, Cipro-HC, etc.)
[QUOTE=Dr_Paprika]
Main message: Don’t use Q-tips./QUOTE]
That’s what the doctor told me. 