Do you experience blocked ears almost instantly after scuba diving?
That feeling of a small amount of water logged in your ear canal can feel very uncomfortable, and one would not feel relief until the water gets out.
Scuba diving requires a lot of time spent in the water, which is why the issue of blocked ears will always be common among divers.
Blocked ears do not only happen to divers, but it can also happen sometimes even after a regular shower, but either way, the feeling is not comfortable.
In this article, you will learn how to get rid of blocked ears, especially after scuba diving.
How to Get Rid Of Blocked Ears after Scuba Diving
To get rid of or remove anything that is blocking your ears after diving, you need to follow some procedures.
These procedures have been in use for a very long time, especially by pro-divers, it works, and we will be listing each of them and how they work in this article.
1. Shake your earlobe
This procedure may help get the water out of the ear straight away.
Gently drag and pull your earlobes while leaning your head towards your shoulder.
2. Make use of gravity
Lie on your side for a few minutes, with a piece of cloth or towel on your head to absorb the water slowly draining out of your ear.
This works with the help of gravity to help drain the water out of your ear.
3. Make a vacuum
This involves creating a vacuum that will drain the water out of your ear.
To do this, curve your palm in a cup-like shape, lean your head to your side, and firmly place your ear on your cupped palm.
Next, carefully push your hand back and forth toward your ear swiftly, flattening your palm as you push, re-curving your palm as you pull it away, and remember to tilt your head to drain the water out.
4. Yawn or chew gum
This procedure involves moving your mouth to ease the tension in your Eustachian tube.
It is known that mouth movement can help to open the tubes to get the water stuck in your ear out.
5. Try the Valsalva trick
This procedure can also help to open your Eustachian tubes but you need to be gentle, and not w too hard, as this may cause injury to your ear drum.
To do this, take a deep breath, close your mouth, and shut your nostrils with your fingers.
Now slowly blow the air out of your nose. When you hear a pop-like sound, it means the tubes have opened.
6. Steam
Taking a hot shower can help drain water out of your ear.
The warm steam can help release the water stuck in your ear.
7. Use a blow dryer
This procedure involves using the heat from a blow dryer to evaporate the water logged in your ear.
Turn the blow dryer on and adjust it to its lowest setting and hold the blow dryer about a few meters away from your ear while moving it back and forth.
And then gently pull your earlobe down to allow the warm air from the blow dryer to blow into your ear.
8. Use water
Sounds crazy, but applying water can ed water out of your ear.
Lie on your side, with any piece of cloth on your head to absorb the water, and fill the water-logged ear with water using your clean fingers or a dropper.
Finally, allow it to stay for about five (5) minutes and flip over with the water-logged ear facing down. The water will gradually drain out.
9. Use olive oil
Not only does using olive oil help get the water out of your ear but an also prevents ear infections.
Heat olive oil, and add a few drops on your hands to feel the temperature.
Using your clean fingers or a dropper, apply a few drops of warm oil to the water-logged ear.
Lay on the unaffected side for about ten minutes, get up, and lean your ear downward. The oil will help the water drain out.
10. Use hydrogen peroxide ear drops
This solution can help get rid of dirt and ear wax, which might logging the water in your ear.
Please, do not attempt this if you have any underlying medical conditions.
Conclusion
And that is how to get rid of blocked ears after scuba diving.
If any of these procedures do not work, do not try to insert your finger, ear swabs, or any kind of object in your ear.
Attempting this might push the water further into your ear, cause injury to your ear canal, cause the growth of bacteria, and rupture your ear drum.
Proceed to see a doctor if the water is still logged after two to three days or if you observe any sign of infection such as an inflamed or swollen ear.
An untreated ear infection can lead to many complications.
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