# Ear wax

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 5, 2018, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441 "2018-06-05T00:32:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441/21 "2018-06-07T20:44:01Z")

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> [@Enright3](#):
>
> Gross: yes.  
> Totally Fascinating? Also Yes!

Oh no…

j

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**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441/22 "2018-06-07T21:49:59Z")

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I don’t know what all the joking’s about-- Excessive Ear Wax (EEW) is a serious issue.

When I was a kid I had a similar procedure done at the doc when it was actually affecting my ability to hear. Afterward everything seemed so loud it was like I had super hearing.

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**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441/23 "2018-06-07T22:21:34Z")

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> [@solost](#):
>
> Afterward everything seemed so loud it was like I had super hearing

Oh that feeling, it’s great, better than when an upset stomach is relieved by vomiting.

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**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441/24 "2018-06-07T23:53:19Z")

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I’ve been using a solution that I found on an “Ear Wax FAQ” written by an ENT doctor:

> [@](#):
>
> Some home remedies are safe and effective. A vinegar-water-peroxide solution (1:1:2) can be warmed to body temperature and applied to the ear canal to soften wax. A drop of baby oil can be placed in each ear canal on a regular basis (typically, once or twice per week) to soften hard, painful wax. People who have a history of middle ear infections, swimmer’s ear, or a hole in the ear drum should NOT try these remedies, nor should they allow a physician to irrigate their ears, as such methods can lead to a painful and/or dangerous ear infection. As a rule, people with a history of any ear disease should go to an ENT for wax problems and not try treating the problem themselves.

I mix some of this up, warm it to body temperature, lie on my side and fill one ear with the solution and wait for five minutes or so until it stops fizzing. Then I use plain water that I’ve also heated to body temp to rinse the ear, and I get chunks of ear wax falling into the sink. Once, I got a big chunk that was the size of the end of my little finger out.

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**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ear-wax/815441/25 "2018-06-08T12:00:46Z")

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> [@gaffa](#):
>
> Once, I got a big chunk that was the size of the end of my little finger out.

Those were the days…;)😃

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