This happens to every swimmer at some point: water getting trapped deep in your ear canal, muffling the sound and sometimes causing discomfort. Whenever water gets in your ear, it’s a good idea to remove it quickly before it leads to infection or other problems.

Here are some ways to remove that pesky water from your ears or preventative measures you can take.

Tilt Your Head

Gently lean your head to the side with the ear that has water facing down. Sometimes, this alone can help the water to drain out. Some swimmers believe that shaking their head can help break the surface tension of the water, but it might strain your neck. Instead, try gently pulling on your earlobe and wiggling it to help the water move. You could also lie down with the affected ear down for a few minutes and let gravity do its work.

If that doesn’t do the trick, tilt your head again and pinch your nostrils closed while softly blowing out through your nose. This can sometimes help push the water out due to the pressure change in your ear canal.

Use a Towel or Tissue

You can also try drying your ear canal with a towel or tissue but be careful not to push it too far into your ear to avoid causing damage. While it may be tempting to use a cotton swab (Q-tip) to remove the water, this can push the water deeper into your ear and can even puncture your ear drum.

Warm Compress

Using a warm compress on the outside of your ear can help evaporate the water and can open blood vessels in the ear canal and to get the water to slowly dribble out your ears.

Ear Drops & Rubbing Alcohol

Using ear drops can help break up and evaporate the trapped water. A few drops of rubbing alcohol can also help dry out the ear canal.

Wear Earplugs

Earplugs are a simple, inexpensive, and widely available item that can help keep water out of your ears. If you’re an open water or cold water swimmer, they can help prevent infections or exostosis.

Learn more about the benefits of earplugs here.

Discover our range of earplugs here.

Visit A Doctor

If the water still remains trapped for an extended period, or you experience pain or discomfort like signs of an infection, a fever or more, it’s time to go to the doctor.

Bacteria can become stuck in the ear canal, and in that warm, damp environment, an infection can form rapidly. Your doctor can assist you in safely getting rid of the trapped water and addressing any infection that might have begun.