Does anyone else have problems with ear wax build-up?

[JMSA]

I do, and it's actually pretty uncomfortable. In my left ear at the moment, there is a 'wet' feeling of fullness. Sometimes I can hear fully out of it and then the next moment it will go back to feeling blocked.
I pay to have my ears professionally microsuctioned at a hearing clinic, every 2 - 3 months. It's brilliant but not cheap, and it's inconvenient with work.
I wondered if anyone here has a similar problem (I actually suspect it's a weird menopausal symptom), and if you remove the wax yourself, either with medical grade drops, a suction tool, or whatever.
This goes beyond a normal, occasional bit of wax build-up. So suggesting things like Otex simply won't cut it.
Thanks

"I actually suspect it's a weird menopausal symptom"

If that's the case, then it's been happening to me since I was 14yrs!

I had my ear hoovered out, but it returned after a month. Bicarbonate is the only thing for me which works.

My ears have Eczema, and produce so much wax it'll probably make a candle.

I use the boots ear drop - think they are bicarbonate - every couple of months, otherwise I need to have microsuction and I begrudge paying for it!

Thanks everyone. I will give bicarbonate drops another try. Sticking at things is not a strength of mine, as I often forget or give up, but I'll make a concerted effort as my ear is driving me mad. Plus, there's the cost and inconvenience of microsuction.

That's the dream! But I'm fairly certain my surgery would look at me like I had two heads if I suggested this
Are you in Scotland by any chance? And is it because you're on any kind of benefits that you get this? Please don't feel obliged to answer if you'd rather not!

I use a hair grip to scrape out my ears. Absolute bliss

Yep, I apparently have very narrow and angled ear canals. They have fully blocked with wax about every 3 months my whole life.
I used to go to the GP to have them syringed (drops are useless for me), until I discovered a tool that you can use at home to syringe them, so now I do that, and it's wonderful. I know syringing isn't really recommended much anymore, but it works so well for me and I've never caused any damage. And doing it myself means I am in control of the pressure, so if I get any discomfort I can stop straight away, unlike when someone else it doing it.

Well, what's the thing?
Link please!

It's just one of these bulb things! I get a little container of warm water to fill and refill the bulb, and I get a 2nd little container to hold under my ear to catch the water. So quick and easy.

https://www.bloomsthechemist.com.au/blooms-the-chemist-ear-syringe-60-ml/?srsltid=AfmBOoqHg1m8jwHjsrnhNlxSR2cZ_u2Px2yB0KmZC6mQZIIxS4XXMSBD

(Sorry for the Australian link, but that's just to show you an example).

I have ordered this set and will report back in due course!

@wandawaves

Thank you!

I bought the camera thing with app from Amazon - love love love it.

Whaaaat?!

VITCOCO Ear Wax Removal Kit Ear Camera 1296P High-Definition Earwax Cleaner Portable USB Charging Visible 6 LED Otoscope for iPhone, Ipad, Android https://amzn.eu/d/7yfrXzd

We've got this one.

The inside of ears is just gross

I've not used the picker thing on the end, it's bad enough just looking.

Oh yes i did buy a camera too, just found one on Amazon, but to be honest I'm so well practiced at this ear wax thing that I can tell just by the sensations if I have wax or not! I can 'feel' when they're starting to get a build up, and then when I'm syringing, I can 'feel' via the movement of the water whether they're clear or not. Maybe it's my special talent lol.

But the camera is pretty cool for the "eeeww gross!" novelty factor. And I've also used it to look in the kids ears when they're complaining of ear ache or blocked ears too, just to get an idea of if we need GP help or not (I'm a nurse though).

I know syringing isn't really recommended much anymore, but it works so well for me and I've never caused any damage.

The audiologist has used syringing on me, because it gets the whole lot out at once, rather than me having to go back several times, while the wax moves away from the ear drum - because I have such sticky wax! I found it pleasanter than microsuction, because for me, microsuction is the loudest noise ever; and I have to have the smallest tube! I can’t understand how people can say microsuction is not an unpleasant process? It’s worse than any concert!

There is a bulb in that as well. You just suck warm water into it and squirt it in your ear, after using the drops for a few days first.

@WiltshireGirl My ears have Eczema, and produce so much wax it'll probably make a candle.

Well, there is actually a prank, gift box which came to mind.
https://pranko.com/products/earwax-candle-kit?srsltid=AfmBOookem6Q3ZY288yvtINW-bHVVYv_fJYtuxX00dhfyt4OELPR31Bw

@JMSA let us know how you go, I'm a demon with mine, I do everyone in the family I'm also a spot picker and blackhead squeezer. So I'm clearly gross 🤣🤣

Nope, I am in England, and no, no benefits or anything. I just went to the doctor and said my ear is blocked. He had a look, said it was wax and said he can do a referral. I was in Specsavers the next morning!

My personal favourite is tugging up all the hair from the shower plug hole. Grimly satisfying!

@Hoplolly

Lucky duck! x

Me too! I never mention it on here though in case I get flamed. It is very efficient at hooking wax out though.

Be careful with hair clips or other things to clear out the wax. My late mil had one break in her ear and had to have it fished out once!
Ear buds are meant to be worse too. It pushes the wax further down apparently
( not being judgy at all , but I don't want people to end up with bad ears !!)

Unfortunately olive oil gives me spots in my ears and makes them itch. I have very itchy ears when the wax builds up and resorted to dipping a cotton bud into a capful of surgical spirit, dripping the surgical spirit in the ear canal and gently wiping round the entrance then the outer part of the ear using 2-3 cotton buds each ear. I found the itching stopped and touch wood, the excess wax as well, if I do this every week, and it doesn’t take long just a few minutes. I know they always say no cotton buds into your ears, nothing in your ear smaller than your elbow!

A kirby grip, so not sure how one could get stuck or break. I just use the loop end to gently scrape out any wax, works a treat. Very similar to ear cleaning tools used in other countries.