Ear Syringing!

[zimzum42]

Went to the doctor on Monday thinking I had an ear infection, so she had a look and told me that they were completely blocked up with wax.

I thought I was partially deaf for the last few years after working with headphones on 12 hours a day for a long time, but it looks like it was just wax all along....

So I went back today after softening up the wax all week with drops, and she flushed my ears out with a big syringe.

Amazing how much stuff came out, serious big lumps of nasty brown wax.

Walked out of the surgery and it is like a whole new world. Stereotypically there was a jackhammer working away, but I walked through the market and it was SO LOUD! I can now hear everyone typing at work, and I can hear people on the phone. Amazing!

 

[sheddy]

Who won the F1 World Championship in 1975 ?

 

[zimzum42]

Lauder, I can't hear you!

 

[PBancroft]

The clarity will last for a few days, then settle back at a normal level. I've had my ears syringed a few times and I can't quite decide if its because my brain starts to filter out the unnecessary crap, or if wax starts to build. A certain amount of wax is supposed to be good, and syringing gets rid of all of it, so I think its the latter.

 

[4F]

I have to have mine done every 6 months. The water syringe is OK however the air one is bloody painful

Allegedly I have very hairy ears which prevents the wax comming out naturally.

If you get the problem again your could try some drops called "Otex" which sometimes work without having them syringed.

 

[Globalti]

Oh yes! Having your ears syringed is a beautiful sensation, especially now with the new powered warm water equipment they use, it sends powerful pulses of water into your ear and the sensation is really nice.

It's always amazing what comes out - my left ear gets clogged up, something to do with pressing a telephone against it.

 

[Smeggers]

I do mine meself. One of lifes pleasures.

 

[Night Train]

I was taught, as a kid, to clean out my own ears. We have a tiny tool for removing ear wax that looks like a scoop 2mm diameter on the end of a wire rod. Once a fortnight or so I clean out my ears of any wax.
Obviously there is a danger of shoving things in the ears but being brought up with it it is no more risky then, say, putting in contact lenses.

 

[Melvil]

I've heard there's a new age version of ear syringing involving candles - anyone tried it?

 

[domtyler]

Spooky! I actually had a very painful infection in my left ear all last week, yesterday it started to calm down a bit but was incredibly itchy. So I got my WaterPik which is a powerful water jet used instead of flossing your teeth and stuck that in my ear and let rip, the sink quickly filled with brown gunky crap!

Can't hear any better but my ear feels much better now!

 

[Nerazzurri]

A common remedy is once daily (I think) a drop of almond/olive/coconut oil to prevent the build-up in the first place. Never tried it myself though.

 

[beanzontoast]

I have to have mine done every 6 months. The water syringe is OK however the air one is bloody painful

Allegedly I have very hairy ears which prevents the wax comming out naturally.

If you get the problem again your could try some drops called "Otex" which sometimes work without having them syringed.

Seconded. After the nurse did mine, I had earache all day!

 

[Dave G]

I've heard there's a new age version of ear syringing involving candles

Yes, called Hopi Candles IIRC. I'm no hippy, but gave them a try out of curiosity (I have no need for syringing). They are a hollow roll, dipped in wax which slowly burns down. The chimney effect supposedly draws out the wax from your ears.

At the end of the 'burn' process, I pulled the candle apart to see what was inside.......quite a revelation!

 

[Fnaar]

A common remedy is once daily (I think) a drop of almond/olive/coconut oil to prevent the build-up in the first place. Never tried it myself though.

Black & Blue (I claim my £5 for translating your username)...
the olive oil remedy is one I've used several times... works better if the oil is warmed a bit, but clearly you don't want boiling oil in yer lughole, so you have to be really careful... You then spend an our or so with oil leaking out of your ear, but if you read a book or summat while this happens it's fine

 

[Maz]

zim, weren't you able to feel/see the wax build-up in your ears?

I normally using cotton earbuds to clean out my ears after a shower, but I just wonder if that simply compacts in any wax as opposed to removing it.