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Water got into the ear: what to do? Video
Every person who swam in open ponds or pools had to deal with such a situation when water got into the ear. This is not very pleasant, because gurgling sounds can be heard in the ear, and after a while, painful sensations arise. In addition, water can lead to an infection in the ear, which can damage the eardrum. Therefore, the water from the ear must be removed as quickly as possible.
Вода попала в ухо – чем это грозит
A person actually has three ears: the inner, middle, and outer. The eardrum is located between the outer and middle ears, which will become an insurmountable obstacle for water that has got inside the ear, so do not panic and fear that water will leak into the ear canal and it will be impossible to remove it. In most cases, for a healthy person, the removal of water from the ear canal ends without any consequences, but in some cases a complication may develop, accompanied by tinnitus and a feeling of congestion.
Причин этому всего две. В первом случае эти ощущения вызваны разбухшей из-за воды серной пробкой. Ее можно удалить, промывая слуховой проход самостоятельно препаратами для растворения серных пробок, но лучше пусть это сделает специалист-медик. В больнице серную пробку удалят с помощью медицинских инструментов.
In no case should you wash your ears yourself if you have had any ear diseases before, since in this case the procedure can provoke an inflammatory process.
Another cause of complications after removing water from the ear can be inflammation of the external auditory canal and middle ear, accompanied by a feeling of congestion, painful sensations, itching and even purulent discharge. And in this case, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. In rare cases, water can enter the middle ear bypassing the tympanic membrane through a long, narrow channel located in the nasopharynx – the Eustachian tube. Most often, this is how divers and those swimmers who accidentally suck in water through their nose get it in this way.
If this happens, you should try to get rid of the water in your ear yourself and do it as quickly as possible. The first, most popular and effective way is to vigorously jump on one leg, tilting your head to one side as low as possible, down with the ear into which the water has fallen. If water gets into the left ear, jump should be on the left leg, if in the right – on the right.
When this technique doesn’t work, lie on your side with your sore ear down. Perform a few sharp swallowing movements and try to move them by contracting the muscles near the ears. As a rule, this does not have to be done for a long time: if the water has not penetrated deeply, it quickly flows out. It is possible to facilitate the exit of water by inserting a long thin flagellum twisted from sterile cotton into the ear. In this case, just lie in this position calmly – water can be absorbed into the flagellum or flow out under the influence of gravity.
Another way is to simply dry the water in your ear with a hairdryer.
But proceed with caution, the temperature of the air stream should not be very high so that you do not get burned. Do not hold the hairdryer too close to your ear.
Вам также могут помочь импровизированные ушные капли из смеси 9%-ного раствора уксуса и медицинского спирта, разведенных в пропорции 1:1. При помощи пипетки закапайте в пострадавшее ухо 2–3 капли и немного подождите – через какое-то время вода высохнет. Ускорить процесс испарения воды из уха поможет полотняный мешочек, туго набитый солью крупного помола. Нагрейте его и полежите на этой подушке, прижавшись ухом.
Попробуйте избавиться от воды при помощи дыхательных упражнений. Встаньте прямо, сделайте очень глубокий вдох, задержите воздух в груди на несколько секунд, зажав нос пальцами. Не разжимая их, сделайте глубокий резкий выдох, но при этом рот и нос должны оставаться закрытыми. Если вы сделаете это правильно, воздух через евстахиеву трубу поступит в уши, и под его действием вода выльется.
Ear problems while diving
The diving hobby has affected many people who spend their holidays on the coasts of southern countries. Scuba diving allows you not only to admire the beauty of the underwater world, but also to face such an unpleasant problem as damage to the eardrum during a dive or ascent too quickly. Barotrauma that could not withstand a sharp stretching of the tympanic membrane can also be accompanied by the ingress of water into the ear.
The time for complete healing of barotrauma is from a week to a month, depending on its severity.
A sign of barotrauma is almost complete hearing loss, dizziness, bouts of nausea and vomiting, bleeding from the ear may begin, usually mild. In this case, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. If you feel that water has entered the injured ear, you should not shake it out or remove it in any other way – this is fraught with the development of inflammatory infections or purulent otitis media. Cover your ear canal with a tight cotton swab, but do not push it very deeply. Do not perform any other manipulations and medical procedures – only a timely visit to an audiologist or an otorhinolaryngologist will allow you to restore the integrity of the eardrum and avoid any complications and consequences.
– With water, an infection can get into the ear, so the fears are not unfounded. The first thing to do is tilt your head. The second is to lie on your side and put your ear on a flat surface. Try to swallow several times. Third, gently but not deeply insert the cotton swab or cotton swab. Just do not try to lower it into the inner part of the ear. It can hurt! In general, doctors do not advise them to clean their ears. It is worth noting that cotton swabs are not directly intended for this. Many people think they need to get rid of earwax right away. However, it has an important function – it protects against infections. Few people think that their use can lead to hearing loss. Because in this way you do not clean out the sulfur, but, on the contrary, push it in and touch the membrane. Doctors recommend coming to the clinic once a year for gentle ear cleaning.
If, after urgent manipulations, the noise inside the ear continues to bother you or there is a feeling of congestion, then you are faced with complications. Perhaps the sulfuric plug was swollen from water, so hearing began to deteriorate noticeably. Let me remind you that in no case should you try to pull it out with cotton swabs. At the first symptoms, you should immediately turn to the ENT. He will rinse the ear with a syringe with a special solution. If you feel itchy inside and discharge has appeared, this indicates a serious inflammation of the ear canal. In this case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics and choose further treatment tactics.
Когда в ухе начало «стрелять», можно воспользоваться подручными средствами до посещения поликлиники. Сделайте из ваты небольшой тампон, смочите борным спиртом и аккуратно вставьте в ухо. Если боль становится невыносимой, то выпейте обезболивающее.
Alya Ivanova, Liza Barskaya