Ear Wax - Won't shift - any wise ideas

[surreylady]

I have a very blocked ear - somewhat deaf (on one side) and buzzing - have tried Otrex etc but although it is shifting not really curing - any ideas - natural solutions that have worked very welcome THANKS

I use a drop of warm olive oil - but I don't know if it's safe

Sleeping on a warm hot water bottle? Lie on it as if it were a pillow and wax will melt and drain out. If it's inner ear (which it may be of there is a buzzing ) then see a doctor. Mine prescribed steroid inhaler used for hayfever.

There's a strange contraption called a Hopi ear candle, which I have used. You can get it from a health food shop and it feels absolutely lovely and it does help, but it involves holding a lit candle in your ear (with a protective ring around it) so it's good if you have someone to help you.

Also warm olive oil in your ear and some cotton wool as a bung will soften the wax.

Your practice nurse will be able to help - I've had mine syringed in the past but I'm not sure they still like to do this.

i second the hopi ear candles, you buy from health shops or hairdressing/beauty supplier.

it will take a few treatments and someone will need to do it for you as well, its very relaxing.

save up and go to the salon for them its worth it!

If you use olive oil you should really get it from the chemists - all cleaned up. We use a bicarbonate of soda mixture - the pharmacist will make it up for you with distilled water. Less messy than olive oil.

I have to have my ears syringed every couple of years. You have to use something like Earex for about 4 days to soften it first.

Any warm oil will do, bog standard olive or almond oil is best. A couple of drops twice a dayfor a week may help. If not, then see your practice nurse as it may need syringing.

I don't advocate hopi ear candles as you can inadvertantly perforate your eardrum or cause burns with them.

Olive or almond oil is the best thing, slightly warmed. (Warm the receptacle, not the oil).

If your ear isn't clear after a week of oiling twice a day see your practice nurse for syringing.

Hello, normally a lurker but have to say please avoid ear candles. DH is a Dr (ENT) and it is surprising the number of cases he has seen where people have caused more problems using candles.

This is from the NHS website:

Ear candling

Ear candling should not be used as a method of removing earwax. It involves burning a hollow candle with one end in the ear canal to create a negative pressure to draw the earwax out of the ear canal. Clinical studies have shown that ear candling is not an effective method of removing earwax. You should never attempt to remove earwax yourself, at home.

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=394&sectionId=11

olive oil or sodium bicarb drops

otex iscrap

the ear candles are a con as well as being dangerous - they always open them up and show you the stuff they've 'drawn out' of your ear, but in reality the candle itself generates the gunk even if burnt in clean air.

Depending on the amount and how old the build up of ear wax is, determines the treatment I recommend to my patients. If the wax is very dark, warmed olive oil (warmed on a radiator for 10 mins prior to instilling), 2-3 drops, place cotton wool to cover the opening of the ear canal (don't poke it down) lie on your side with the "offending ear" uppermost for 10 mins. do this for 7-10 days prior to ear wax removal. The oil softens the wax, making it easier to remove. If the wax is lightish in colour (dark honey) same as above but with sodium bicarb drops. It helps to breakdown the wax, making it easier to remove.

Am very happy to stand corrected on the Hopi ear candles - they were recommended to me by a homeopath.

So is syringing still done in GP practices? I'm actually wondering if I need it again as I feel a bit hard of hearing!

It certainly is. I do it at least once per clinic, usually 3 or 4 times!!

I am the Queen of Ear Syringing

Ear syringing...ahhh, perhaps the most soothing thing I have ever had done.

I realised I had been walking around as deaf as a post for the best part of a year.

Right! I'm getting down that clinic! Thanks

The thought of having my ears syringed makes me shudder, because when my dad has it done it knocks him about for some reason.

DH has his done without a problem.

Oh its lovely...all that warm water swoosing into your ear. The bubbling and popping as the hardened chunks of gunk come loose...the satisfaction at seeing what you've been lugging around in your ears in the kidney bowl.

I WANT IT DONE AGAIN. I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING!!

I've always loved the idea of having my ears syringed (slight wierdo emoticon)

lol maidamess, I don't know where to laugh or throw up.

LOL maidamess, I have some patients who love having it done! They come every few months and get really disappointed when I tell them it doesn't need doing!

It's strangely satisfying syringing ears; you look into a canal totally blocked with wax, all brown and gungy, then syringe them out and peer into a lovely clean pink canal with a lovely pearly eardrum at the back.

OK, I am weird too

Have been trying to get appointment to get ear syringed, I telephoned last week and first appointment is 12th June. Does anybody know of anywhere else you can go, without it costing too much. It's making me feel sick and cant hear a thing out of my left ear. HELP!!

This works, but soften the wax first with ear drops.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000SOJXGA/ref=yaawwodpi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Peroxide wash. I think it is 2% you use but please check! Dilute it to the right % with warm water, drip it into your earhole using a pipette and it will feel very cold and fizz and crackle a lot. When it stops crackling, put a piece of cotton wool on your outer ear and tip your head sideways to drain it.

The crud that comes out is a sight to behold!

There's no quick fix. Oil or drops for a week before syringing.

Our nurse won't syringe any more as it can do some damage if the ear drum is weak in any way. I had mine microsuctioned which is less invasive but still requires some softening with oil before. It's a tiny hoover that is swished out with water but no water down the ear so safer.

The ent guy I saw was very, very anti Hopi candle as they can push the wax further in to the ear.