I used an otoscope to peek into my son’s ears today. One was relatively wax free, the other had a big nasty plug of wax just out of Q-tip range. How the heck do I get that out!??
I have the same problem with my husband’s ears.
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I have over 2000 posts, dammit! Show some respect.
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O p a l C a t
www.opalcat.com
Sandwiched into Cecil’s column on roaches in ears is a description of various safe methods for removing ear wax. Hope this helps.
NYC IRL III
is on April 15th. Do you have what it takes?
I dunno, but my friend told me about when he went to the hospital (it was a weekend) because he could barely hear out of one ear. They got some sorta suction device and just sucked a massive clump of ear wax out in one shot, then handed him a bill for like $150.
They do sell earwax removal kits at your friendly neighborhood drug-store which involve putting some liquid which dissolves all the ear wax and lets it all come pouring out. Ewwwwwwwww, but better then getting a plumber’s-helper to the side of your head. And definitely better then damaging your (or your child’s) eardrum trying to use a swab.
Consult your doctor. (Disclaimer so that I don’t get sued)
Whatever you do, don’t try ear candles! The master doesn’t think they’re worthwile.
Gosh, OpalCat, that man must be really spoiled. I’m jealous. 
Peace,
mangeorge
Teach your kids to bungee jump.
One them might have to cross a bridge someday.
My doc used a little piece of wire made into a little loop to get big globs out.
I’ve used Murine to clean ear wax, and I’m sure there are other products using pretty much the same formula. It makes a great boiling sort of sound as it loosens, lifts, and separates.
Then, just a little bit of water to flush all the junk out.
Doctors do not use suction to get out Ear wax. That would be very dangerous. And BTW, you should never use Q-tips to clean wax out of ears.
The best way is to use a ‘syringe’, and that’s the tool doctors usually use. It’s basically just a way of flooding the ear with water, and the water pressure will dislodge the wax if it’s soft enough. Your local drugstore probably sells ear bulbs that do the same thing.
Here’s the deal - for a day or so, apply ear drops that soften and loosen the wax. Then, fill a bowl with warm water, dip the bulb in and draw the bulb full of water. Put the tip of the nozzle up to the opening of the ear canal, and squirt. It takes a fairly vigorous jet of water to do the trick usually. The syringes the doctor uses actually look a bit like a gun with a trigger, and can get a good stream of water going.
Do this while the patient’s head is tilted over a sink or has a catch basin right under the ear, because the water will go everywhere. If it all works, you’ll see a disgusting plug of wax wind up in the catch basin.
Gee… vacuums machines and water guns. The last time a doctor took earwax out of me he did so with a pair of forceps. I wonder, should I revel in the skill of my doctor, or should I assume he’s just too cheap to care about my safety?
I use a different method than I’ve seen discussed. There is a Chinese tool called a “Ni Shee Pa”, which literally translates to “Ear Shit Digger”. That’s exactly what it is, it’s like a thin, long shovel that you put in your ear to dig out all the ear wax.
Obviously, you have to be very careful, but it works fairly well, although it requires some time. I’m sure the “draining” method discussed above would be quicker, but this isnt’ as yucky.
Find it at your local Chinatown.
You shouldn’t try to dig out wax, as it’s horrible for your ear and could cause some hearing damage, however minimal.
One safe way would be to put baby oil in the ear before going to bed, but sleep on the opposite side so the oil stays put, and it should just blob out while you’re in the shower the next day.
My doctor usually uses the syringe method to just flood it all out.
That was a well-plotted piece of non-claptrap that never made me want to retch.
A safe way is to put warm or room temp H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) in the ear with an eyedropper. Wait til fizzing stops, then turn head to other side & let drain… Works well for mild deposits.
I had a -small- moth crawl into my ear once. It was thumping around and flipping me out, and it being night, I poured olive oil in my ear just to stop the pain. It smothered the moth. The next day, I went to the doctor, and they tried to irrigate it. Two days, a sore ear, and $125 later, they still could’nt get it out. They then recommended an over the counter hydrogen peroxide solution that did the trick. Yeah, I was flipped out over a bug in my ear( it’s incredibly LOUD and a horrible feeling), but now, anytime I feel an ear blockage, I get the OTC peroxide drops. Works great.
One thing works that I discovered by accident. I started taking one tablespoon a few times a week of soy lecithin (a phospho-lipid, basically a kind of “good” fat). It’s supposed to promote liver health and lower cholesterol. As an incidental effect, it makes my ear wax fall out in big clumps. Don’t, in any case, put the stuff in your ears. Just swallow it, and notice the improvement. It shouldn’t take more than a week. Get the stuff (as a liquid or as granules) from a health food store or GNC.
Exactly why is it a bad thing to use a Q-tip in one’s ear? Presuming, of course, that one doesn’t just jam it straight in there and puncture the eardrum?
The reason usually given (and the one given earlier in this thread) is that a Q-tip will often push ear wax further into your ear. Another reason is that, if your ear is already sore, you might not notice the sensation of pushing right through your eardrum. I agree with the poster who said to use Debrox, followed by a warm water rinse with an ear bulb.
AskNott
"Measure twice, cut once. Dang! Measure again, cut again.
