After a night of water in the ear, if there are no obvious symptoms of discomfort, no special treatment is needed. When the ear is still stuffy and hearing is affected, the water in the ear canal can be discharged in a relatively safe and easy way. If the discomfort does not improve, you should seek medical attention.
Some people have long, narrow, tortuous ear canals that make it difficult for water to drain on its own, and can often be treated in the following ways.
1. Cotton swab dipping: In an undisturbed environment, use a small, soft cotton swab to slowly and gradually probe into the ear canal and gently dip it in to dry the water in the ear canal. When the front of the swab touches obvious obstruction or smells the sound of collision, it is necessary to stop the operation in time to avoid causing damage to the deep part of the ear canal and the eardrum.
2. Physical drainage: with the affected ear facing downward, the affected side of the foot on the ground, jumping on one foot, while patting the cheek in front of the ear screen, to promote the drainage of fluid in the ear canal through the effect of gravity and mechanical vibration. In this process, attention should be paid to the strength of the patting to avoid vibration damage to the structures in the ear.
3. Blow-drying: The blow-drying air can be used at a safe distance from the affected ear, and the warm air can be used to dry up the fluid in the ear canal. At this time, you can slightly pull the auricle backward and upward to facilitate the introduction of airflow. Pay attention to the temperature and wind speed to avoid burns to the ear or damage to the eardrum.
If the above methods do not solve the discomfort, you need to actively seek medical advice from a specialist.