Can water in the ear cause serious damage?

Question

my dad got water in his ear from the shower and his ear has been bothering him since then. its been going on for about a week, and he is complaining of the feeling of water in his ear, plus pain and a significant loss of hearing in the ear with the water in it. he has no history of problems with his ears and he has gotten water in his ears before with no ill effects. could there be something else going on, and if so could the water in the ear cause serious damage?

Answer 1

yea it could rupture your ear drum if there is to much in there...he needs to go see an ENT specialist (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist)

:)

Answer 2

Yes. If the water doesn't drain naturally as usual, the stale water can harbour bacteria (much like a 'swamp' in your ear) and can infect the ear canal. Antibiotics and ear drops will fix it.  Take your dad to a doctor, now.

Answer 3

Normally, water in the ear comes out on its own- when sleeping, walking around, etc. The fact that he is experiencing pain could be indicative of an infection-- and the reason he is having trouble hearing is because the water is actually behind the eardrum, and the sound is not vibrating properly.

Like I said, the water normally comes out quickly, or with a bit of home remedy coaxing. Simply sleeping on it should have done the trick. Sometimes, though, the water is stubborn, and further intervention is needed.When water has been in the ear for a week, you said, infection can occur simply because the water is trapped inside. The infection is readily treatable by a prescribed antibiotic, however, if left untreated, that infection will likely cause lasting damage.

My advice is to seek medical attention soon. The fact that he is having pain in that ear makes it important that you do. In the future, you might try a home remedy- there are many all over the internet, to avoid a possible infection and permanent damage.

Once the water is dislodged, the infection will clear up rapidly, with the help of an antibiotic. However, it is imperative that the water come out, as that is the cause of the hearing loss, infection, and possibly lasting effects.

Answer 4

doctor now!!!!

this has the potential to be very dangerous.

i don't mean to scare u or anything but he could have loss of balance, it could effect his vision, and he could even get spinal meningitis.

((the bacteria from the water cant get into his brain))

the water carries a lot of bacteria

it also can bust his eardrum  

Answer 5

No water won't hurt his ear I always get water in my ear it will come out soon.