Why doesn't water go all the way in your ears when swimming?

Divers ask this all the time. If you have an intact eardrum (TM) then the tympanic membrane (using big words now) keeps the water in the external ear canal.

With a perforated TM the water can enter the middle ear which often results in a middle ear infection (otitis media).

Your ears naturally have a pressure in them. Water does go into your ear, but your ear is designed so that it will drain easily. hope this helps ya :D

Hey Cassie, thanks for the points.

Well, you answered the question.

You can self-test for an intact TM by blowing out gently while your mouth and nose (pinched nostrils) are closed. You should feel the ear drums flex…

As a X Diver I can tell you that it can if you do not clear you ears. Basically its the opposite of going on the mountain. Your ear drum moves like a sub woofer and can be damaged if you do not equalise the pressure. Air can actually pass through and so can water if enough pressure is placed. Going up places pressure on your ear drum outwards hence the reason why we blow out to “unclog” our ears. Going into the water causes our ear drum to push inwards hence the reason why we hold your nose and close your mouth and blow so that the ear drum pushes out. This is called equalising. The deeper you go the more pressure.