# ear is full of earwax and is hard to hear **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2017, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988 "2017-07-11T08:53:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/21 "2017-07-11T19:04:14Z")
My left ear occasionally has this problem. I normally clean it out with Otex ear wax removal drops. Last time it was really bad and took several days of treatments to completely clear it out, but that’s still just one bottle. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/22 "2017-07-11T19:43:21Z")
What also has me worried about this is well two weeks before this started:mad::mad::mad::mad: I was at my friends house number of times and had the stereo turn up really loud. Also my job I’m around lot of loud noise.:mad::mad::mad: ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/23 "2017-07-11T19:44:26Z")
I use the ear wax removal stuff from the pharmacy every couple of months. Leave it in for a good 10 minutes. Put a fresh drop or two in every couple of minutes along the way, because it only softens so much before it is done working. Flush well. Move your head slightly to find the optimum angle for the wax. I lay on my side and then have to look slightly up to get it in what I can only describe as ‘back, bottom’. Kneed the area behind the ears, open your mouth and yawn, do a side-to-side chewing motion - all of these to break it up and get the softener in deeper. Sometimes it takes a couple of uses to get it cleared out. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/24 "2017-07-11T23:15:19Z")
Using q-tips to clean your ears is a double edge sword too. If you go too far, you’re in for a week of deaf misery, at the least. If you use them once a week around the outer areas to remove buildup, it works good, along with some earwax removal aid (Debrox?). Getting that shit scraped out is unbelievably painful. I had to once when I was younger, I’d rather have a rotting tooth than feel that again. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/25 "2017-07-11T23:21:52Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > What also has me worried about this is well two weeks before this started:mad::mad::mad::mad: I was at my friends house number of times and had the stereo turn up really loud. > > Also my job I’m around lot of loud noise.:mad::mad::mad: Please try to relax a little. It’s not unusual for you to pore over every ear incident over the past year or two to find something to blame but it’s only going to help work you up. This is probably not serious but even if it is, worrying about it before your doctor visit isn’t going to help anything. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/26 "2017-07-12T00:44:43Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > I also Googled to see what in the world it might be. I came up with “hair clippings in the ear canal”, and that sure sounded like what I had. ISWYDT As for the OP, get some [Debrox](http://www.debrox.com/how-does-debrox-work). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/27 "2017-07-12T01:49:55Z")
A man I dated many years ago sometimes had to do this, and referred to it as an “audio enema”. 😛 My mother wears a hearing aid, and has terrible wax buildup and did so even before she got it. Glad I didn’t inherit that. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/28 "2017-07-12T02:10:40Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > What also has me worried about this is well two weeks before this started:mad::mad::mad::mad: I was at my friends house number of times and had the stereo turn up really loud. > > Also my job I’m around lot of loud noise.:mad::mad::mad: You should definitely look into top-quality ear protection if you’re routinely exposed to loud noises. Your employer should be VERY eager to handle that or risk a lawsuit. A few isolated exposures (e.g. at the friend’s house) are unlikely to do anything long-term but if it’s happening regularly, you need protection. Your symptoms are almost certainly due to either noise exposure or an earwax buildup, though there’s always that [remote](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/superior-canal-dehiscence-syndrome/), [one-in-a-million issue](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/06/AR2009070602919.html) :eek:. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/29 "2017-07-12T02:44:51Z")
I tend to have self cleaning ears, big chunk of wax falls out every 9 months or so. Pretty much like clockwork. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/30 "2017-07-12T02:48:54Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > I’m going to make appointment with my family doctor. In the mean time I’m not sure if an infection, fungus or yeast that would cause those phantom sounds if no water, hair or earwax is found by the eardrum? > > Or if this is typical of hearing loss by old age or some thing else going on causing those phantom sounds. > > Well tinnitus that is constant sound is one thing but changing different phantom sounds is other thing. I think it would be best to go an ENT doctor , you can see if there is one that has an audi in the office and get a hearing test if needed . ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/31 "2017-07-12T09:49:43Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > You should definitely look into top-quality ear protection if you’re routinely exposed to loud noises. Your employer should be VERY eager to handle that or risk a lawsuit. A few isolated exposures (e.g. at the friend’s house) are unlikely to do anything long-term but if it’s happening regularly, you need protection. > > Your symptoms are almost certainly due to either noise exposure or an earwax buildup, though there’s always that [remote](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/superior-canal-dehiscence-syndrome/), [one-in-a-million issue](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/06/AR2009070602919.html) :eek:. > [@](#): > > I think it would be best to go an ENT doctor , you can see if there is one that has an audi in the office and get a hearing test if needed . What is the difference of family doctor than ENT doctor in a case like this? And who would be better? How good are medical walk in centers in this case? A friend of mine said I may have Hyperacusis, if some sounds are causing tinnitus when by sound source. But I thought Hyperacusis causes pain and discomfort? Not strange phantom sounds? And well the phantom sounds don’t really sound like pulsing sound or like a large current sound or whooshing sound like you may get with high blood pressure or a vascular problem. The phantom sounds seem to change lot and some times sounds like motor sound and some times like engine or thumping/fluttering sound. Than some times changes to humming sound or more than one phantom sound going on at the same time. And well one of the fans I have on the phantom sound normally always starts of like a thumping/fluttering/engine sound than goes to soft humming sound. The odd changing different phantom sounds have me worried it could be some thing more going on. Unless this is typical of hearing loss or Hyperacusis. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/32 "2017-07-12T11:07:47Z")
For my wife the ENT has experience and some tools that make it fast and efficient to remove the wax. But my son has not had any problems at the Urgent Care. As I recall my wife went to the family doctor first time and he was less able to effectively remove it. Unless your insurance requires it I’d skip that step. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/33 "2017-07-13T02:07:45Z")
If ear wax had value I’d be rich. Finally gave up on trying to remove the stuff myself, and reconciled to going to my GP every 3 or 4 months for a wax excavation treatment. Takes him about 5 minutes per ear - and I think he sort of likes doing this as it is definitely a nobrainer for him. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988/34 "2017-07-13T02:45:53Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I’m ethnically Chinese, so I have “dry” earwax that generally does not clear itself as it should (I get pinky-nail-sized chunks of very dry yellow wax fall out of my ears every now and then but it always builds up inside over time). I should go to the ENT every year to get them cleaned, but I’m lazy so I only go every 4-5 years, and by then I’m near deaf. They pull out a lot of quite impressive chunks of wax out. Every time they tell me to just put a drop of mineral oil in my ears every day or two and it would be better, but I don’t. > > To anyone who’s never had a doctor scoop out your ears, it’s quite unpleasant. Can feel like they’re looking for the other side of your head. Or maybe I should just find a gentler doctor. In Japan, that drier wax is removed as routinely as one gets a haircut; [it’s called mimikaki](http://xpatnation.com/only-in-japan-professional-ear-cleaning/). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-is-full-of-earwax-and-is-hard-to-hear/790988.md?page=1)