Whether swimming in a pool or taking a long shower, getting water stuck in your ear is not an uncommon occurrence. According to , MD, when you have water trapped in your ear, you may experience muffled hearing, or even an uncomfortable that travels all the way down your jaw and into your throat. Discomfort can make it tempting to grab a Q-tip and get to work, but certain methods can actually exacerbate the issue and even lead to infection.
Before diving into removal methods, it's helpful to understand how water gets stuck in your ear in the first place. According to Maura Cosetti, MD, an ear tends to get waterlogged "usually because it gets stuck behind some wax." But this isn't your sign to start digging into your ear canal.
"It's sort of counterintuitive, but the more you clean your ear, the more you are at risk for getting water stuck in there," Dr. Cosetti tells PS. This is because instruments like Q-tips can push wax deeper, or even create micro cracks for abrasions and infections to form.
Since ears are largely self cleaning, the best thing to do is embrace a bit of healthy wax (and read more about ). To avoid any unnecessary complications, we asked two ENTs how to get water out of your ear as safely and effectively as possibly. Read on to see some of their best recommendations for how to get water out of your ear fast, along with advice for when to seek additional medical care.
, MD, is an ENT surgeon and leader in sinus surgery, with a practice based in Beverly Hills..
