Fluid in the ear

Fluid in the ear mostly occurs after swimming or showering, but it can also be caused by serious illnesses. Once the diagnosis has been made, treatment can almost always resolve the symptoms.

What is fluid in the ear?

Fluid in the ear mostly occurs after swimming or showering, but it can also be caused by serious illnesses.

Fluid in the ear is a condition that occurs after contact with water. This collects in the ear and can no longer flow out unhindered.

Normally, the fluid dissolves from the auditory canal after a few minutes. If this is not the case, medical treatment is necessary, as otherwise inflammation and fungi can develop in the inner ear.

causes

The causes of fluid getting into the ear can be very different. It usually happens when you visit a swimming pool.

Favored by the anatomy of the ear canals, the water collects in the auditory canal and can no longer flow out, as the constant movement of the eardrum so to speak stuck the water.

If there is still ear wax at the entrance of the affected ear canal, a kind of plug quickly forms, which prevents the fluid from flowing out again unhindered.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medicines for earache and inflammation

Diseases with this symptom

• Inner ear infection
• Cholesteatoma

• Mastoiditis
• Timpani effusion

• Otitis media
• Window tear

Diagnosis & course

Home remedies ↵ for ear
pain Fluid in the ear can be quickly identified. The feeling is perceived as unnatural and the hearing ability is limited. Normally, this state should only last a few minutes, as the liquid flows out of the ear by simply shaking the head.

If this is not the case and the water remains in the ear canal despite all efforts, an ENT doctor should be consulted after two days at the latest. This can then initiate appropriate measures to remove the fluid from the ear.

Liquid in the ear can encourage the development of bacteria and fungi and should therefore not be ignored. Basically, an ear, nose and throat doctor should be consulted after two days at the latest if there is liquid in the ear in order to avoid so-called bath otitis.

This manifests itself initially as itching, a slight feeling of pressure in the ear canal and poor hearing. If this is not done, the entire ear canal becomes inflamed and severe pain and purulent discharge from the ear occur. Therefore, it is important to see a doctor at the first sign of inflammation in the ear. He can initiate appropriate therapies and treat the affected ear. Fluid in the ear does not normally have any long-term effects.

Complications

If, as a result of existing mastoiditis, which often occurs after an otitis media that has not been treated properly or has not been completely treated, large amounts of a milky fluid drain from the ear, this can lead to refusal to eat and apathetic behavior. Nausea and vomiting are also common in young children.

If the mastoiditis is not treated, the pus collection may not drain away. As a result, an accumulation of pus can develop in the periosteum below the mastoid. There is also the risk of an epidural abscess (accumulation of pus between the bones and the outer meninges). Pus can also penetrate the area of ​​the lateral neck and neck muscles.

A Bezold abscess then forms. The most dangerous is the formation of a brain abscess. Different structures can be pinched off or squeezed. If the meninges are affected, there is a risk of meningitis. If the pus enters the inner ear, labyrinthitis can develop. Sepsis (blood poisoning) can occur if the bacteria enter the bloodstream. If the fascial nerve is damaged, there is a risk of permanent numbness or facial paralysis. The various complications can be clearly life threatening.

If the fluid in the ear is based on a tympanic effusion, impaired speech development is more common in children. Even after several years the ossicles can be destroyed or a hole in the eardrum can occur. In particularly severe cases, an implant is required. If the inflammation spreads to neighboring areas, there is a risk of labyrinthitis, meningitis or mastoiditis. Rarely, retention pockets in the eardrum develop, resulting in a cholesteatoma, which can later lead to chronic otitis media. The destruction of the middle ear and sometimes of neighboring structures that may occur as a result can only be treated with one operation.

When should you go to the doctor?

It can happen so easily: water gets into the ear canal when swimming or showering. As a result, noises can only be heard muffled in the affected ear. The water that has entered the ear often runs out of its own accord shortly afterwards. But what to do if this doesn't happen? There is only one answer to this: if there is liquid in your ear, see a doctor as quickly as possible!

Attempting to remove the water that has entered the ear is strongly discouraged. ENT doctors have to deal with patients who have injured their ears. At best, people with fluid in their ears can try to get rid of them by vigorously shaking their head or by jumping. No joke: some doctors also recommend - be careful! - Blow dry until the water that has penetrated has dried off.

Fluid in the ear can combine with the ear wax to form a viscous mass that can only be removed by a doctor. If there is liquid in the ear, there is also the risk of germs getting into the ear. This can lead to severe inflammation and, in addition to severe pain in the ear, even cause permanent hearing damage. Water sports enthusiasts can also get tips on preventing fluid in the ear from their doctor. There are special earplugs that prevent water from entering the ear.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

There are many ways to treat fluid in the ear. It is often enough to shake your head, jump up and down or free your ear with your little finger so that the water flows out.

However, doctors do not recommend using the finger or using a cotton swab, as this pushes the wax further into the ear canal. This can even injure the eardrum under certain circumstances. Other pointed objects are also unsuitable and should under no circumstances be used to remove the fluid from the ear.

It is also possible to dry the ear with a hair dryer, but should only be used with extreme caution, as there is also a risk of injuring the inner ear.

If the fluid in the ear does not dissolve by itself, the ENT doctor can use various treatment methods. For example, it is possible to clean the ear with the help of an ear irrigation and thus also to free it from the fluid. Special instruments are used to simply suck out the ear.

If the ear is already inflamed by the fluid, the above-mentioned methods are no longer sufficient. Then antibiotics must be taken to prevent the inflammation from spreading further. Treatment with hot water bottles or infrared is also possible.

Outlook & forecast

If there is liquid in the ear, negative prognoses or symptoms do not usually develop. In most cases the problem will go away on its own. Very often the fluid in the ear after a visit to the swimming pool makes it feel uncomfortable.

In order for the fluid to disappear from the ear, it must be set in motion. Here it is advisable to lie on one side for a few minutes so that the fluid can escape from the ear. In most cases, it only takes a few minutes to remove them. A direct treatment by the doctor is therefore usually not carried out. Even if the fluid is not specifically removed from the ear, it usually escapes on its own within a few hours.

A doctor must be consulted if the liquid has stayed in the ear for several days. This can lead to pain and inflammation in the ear. Since the ear has a very fragile structure, a doctor should be consulted.

In most cases, however, the fluid in the ear only leads to a briefly disturbing sensation and does not pose any further impairment or danger to the body.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medicines for earache and inflammation

prevention

Fluid in the ear is basically not preventable. The only option is to always wear a swim cap when showering and in the pool. Under normal circumstances, however, it is also not necessary to pay close attention to the fact that the ear remains free of fluid. A possible inflammation can, however, be prevented by not completely removing wax from the ears. Because the protective film is immensely important and prevents fluid from penetrating the inner ear.

If there is fluid in the ear, there is usually nothing to worry about. Only if the water has still not dissolved after two days should you consult an ENT doctor. It is also advisable to speak to your family doctor if you suspect inflammation of the inner ear. They can take a first look at the ear and arrange for it to be forwarded to an ENT doctor.

You can do that yourself

If you have fluid in your ear, there are a few things that can save you going to the ENT doctor. However, there are also some self-help methods that are not recommended and can potentially make the problem worse.

If water has got into your ear after swimming or bathing and simply does not want to drain away by itself, you can easily help yourself. Tilting your head in different directions is one measure to bring about relief. A slight shake of the head can often help. Often the water forms a plug together with the ear wax. This can be carefully pierced with a cotton swab. However, you should never go too deep into your ear with a cotton swab. Exhaling with your nose closed to get the water out by building up pressure is definitely not recommended. Firstly, this method does not do much and secondly, building up excessive pressure in the body is always dangerous.

If there is leakage from the ear as a result of an otitis, one should definitely avoid removing the fluid by mechanical means. Otherwise, the inflamed ear canal can only become more irritated or come into contact with other pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. In this case, a visit to an ENT specialist is recommended.