my ears won't clear. Is there anything I can do to help?

[mckenzie]

I have been swimming an awful lot because I've been on holiday, i then did a short scuba dive followed by a flight home. They aren't painful but they are definitely not right. I don't think I have a cold at all so why won't they clear? I've tried holding my nose and blowing, yawning etc but they aren't clearing. Any other tips please?

TIA

My H had this, ended up getting them syringed

Which is, by the way, THE most stpatisfying thing you can ever have done

Satisfying

Not StPatisfying

really? i thought it was painful. 11 year old DS had to have his syringed on holiday as he had an infection behind some blocked wax. He screamed the place down

Oh I LOVED it. All that gunk coming out, and the relief afterwards at actually being able to HEAR

I think if you olive oil before hand to soften up what's there it's easier

If its sore, then its likely to be an infection, so leave it alone amd see the doctor. If its just blocked and irritating, use Otex drops to see if that shifts it - if not, get them syringed (painless - unless you have an ear infection, but that hurts anyway).

I've had my ears syringed quite a few times and it's never hurt - although I can imagine if there's an infection there it would. It's quite a nice feeling really .

Otex has never worked for me. I can feel the fizzing while it supposedly melts the wax, but it's never cleared a blockage or made much useful difference.

You could try warmed up (not hot!) olive oil for a few days - but if that doesn't help, then you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse.

thanks guys. I'll try the Otex drops tomorrow. It definitely doesn't hurt, just feels strange and annoying and it's making me feel a little bit sick.

I love getting my ears syringed.

If you've been swimming a lot I think it could be more likely to be middle ear rather than something otex would solve. By all means try it but you might do well with a good decongestant too til it's gone. Worked for me one year both ears were blocked up but not infected.

When I had blocked ears my gp advised menthol crystals. You put a few, only a few, Too many is eyewateringly painful, into hot water and inhale them.

It unblocks everything in that area.

Chemists sell them quite cheaply.

My gp gave me a steroid I had to inhale through my nose with head hanging off the side.
Bloody marvellous stuff and cleared them in a week.