Impacted wax - reassurance please

[HashtagAnonyMouse]

Has anyone has issues in the past with impacted ear wax?

Long story short, I have been to my GP three times in the last fortnight as I am now on day 18 of being unable to hear out of one ear.

Doctor advised to try syringing at home, I have done this several times, occasionally painful so stopped. Dizziness and nausea on abs off. Tender gland below ear, occasional shooting pain down ear/neck/throat.

GP advised to use olive oil for softening. Finally this week was given sodium bicarbonate drops. On her advice I tried syringing again, the tiniest pieces of wax have come out.

In this time I have had virtually no hearing in this ear except a constant ringing. She cannot see if the drum is perforated and still advised to try syringing at home.

I'm really concerned I have some permanent hearing loss. For example, car volume would normally be 12, with this hearing loss I need it at 20 but if I cover the food ear up, I need the volume to be 40 just to hear clearly. I know it's a silly example but it shows the extent of the hearing loss I am experiencing and surely wax wouldn't cause such an effect?

Last check was Monday, GP advised wax is forward and only around 1cm in the canal.

GP has refused to offer a syringe appointment due to covid vaccinations taking place/time in an appointment but I am so concerned and I don't think she is taking me seriously.

Advised to wait until Friday, try to syringe again at home and call back next Monday if no improvement.

Any advice? I'm tempted to call abs ask for another GP but worried they think I am wasting their time. I have real concerns about my hearing. This hasn't happened before.

Thanks

I'm fairly sure the private clinics offering microsuction are still open. Might be worth a look.

Can you afford to pay privately? There are places springing up that do micro suction or ear irrigation along with hearing checks. They are still open as classed as medical. But no need for GP referral, you just book an appointment and see someone who specialises in just that.

I had similar a couple of years ago. Completely deaf on one side. Found somewhere nearby, and it was sorted for £50 for the session. Worth every penny. The places around me advertise on the radio. And some opticians also offer the service plus places that offer hearing aids etc.

And yes, wax can absolutely have that effect. When I had mine done, suddenly everything was really loud once the wax was cleared! So it can "just be wax". And even if it isn't, the wax needs to be out before anyone can examine your ear drum.

Could you afford to go for private microsuction? I had this in October- no hearing from one side and muffled in the other, and like you I didn't want to go to the GP because of Covid. I found a private ear nurse - best £60 I have ever spent!

She said that they rarely use syringing now and micro-suction is the preferred treatment. Apparently mine was caused by having a lot of wax anyway, but then getting it wet (this was when swimming pools were briefly open) so it clumped together.

If you are anywhere near central Scotland I can give you a recommendation.

Try not to worry. It can be very uncomfortable and disconcerting, but also takes a while to clear - up to 12 weeks. It can feel like you have complete hearing loss in that ear.

Make sure you’re using drops properly.
Put in ear and lie on side of good ear for 15 minutes, gently massaging blocked ear. Don’t put cotton wool in.

You need to use drops multiple times a day and it will get worse before it gets better as the wax soaks up the drops and expands.

Keep persevering. Obviously if you start getting new symptoms like new pain or discharge, speak to your GP again.
Good luck!

Thank you so much. I have had a quick Google search and I can see that boots offer it so I will call today and hopefully they are still taking appointments.

I would also agree with the posters encouraging you to look for a private clinic - I just googled and went to a lovely nurse in Bath. She was based at a GP clinic but had her own private clinic just for ear wax. It cost around £50 and she cleared the wax in around 30 minutes.

Cross-posted with you op!

Specsavers do micro suction

Use sodium bicarb daily. Day 18 is not that long in terms of timescale of impacted wax. I'd also vote for paying privately for micro suction. We took my grandma a few years ago and made a huge improvement to her hearing (she'd definitely had problems for more than 18 days!), worth every penny!

The micro suction is amazing. I went to a small practitioner who could also do a hearing test and tympanometry (or tympan-something) test as well.

Private micro suction. Best £35 ever spent.
You might find Boots make you wait a week so try small independent hearing centres.

Did you manage to get an appointment?

Haven't read the thread so apols if this is done - Boots £50 microsuction.

I want a pic of the wax they get out! Good luck op.

Thanks everyone. I managed to get an appointment booked in for next week

@MorrisZapp

I want a pic of the wax they get out! Good luck op.

Yes, the rule is that you have to post a photo

I get blocked ears often and by far the best thing is Otex ear drops. Olive oil and sodium bicarbonate do nothing for a total ear blockage IME.

These are amazing and you can literally hear the wax fizzing as it broken down. It's almost worth getting blocked ears for!