Used my ear camera

[bananaphon]

I've had a persistent ear infection over the last month. I've almost finished my third round of drops and one round of amoxicillin this week. No more pain and I can hear about 90% from that ear. I looked inside with my new camera and saw this 🤢 I don't want to dare start digging around as it was so painful the last month and has only just stopped making me feel unwell. I have a follow up gp appointment on 11th July but not sure if I should ask to bring it forward. I've also had micro suction twice in that time!

Hopi have been proved to do absolutely nothing.

I’m so buying an ear camera now!

Highly recommend watching Audiology Associates UK on YouTube if you like watching ear wax removals! 🤩🤩🤩

Mine was a brand called outact. I think they're all fairly similar and do the same job though

I've been using ear cameras for years. I clean my ears out every two weeks because I've had earwax problems my whole life. I follow it up with olive oil to keep any remaining earwax soft and malleable.

There's also Neel Raithatha, he's a Youtuber audiologist, lots of videos of him microsuctioning ears.

I think I'm in love with this section of Mumsnet 😄

I am so asking for an ear camera for my birthday 🎂

Audiologist here.

That is a pretty normal looking pice of wax. Its I possible to be certain without looking myself and being a le to move around bit it doesn't look like it's blocking either.

As others have said use olive oil (as long as no known perfs) but DO NOT use cotton wool. All that does is suck all the oil back up. A few drops in your ear at bed time whilst laid on your side and wait five minutes is enough. Then when you get up any oil that drops out can be wipped away. Do this about 3 times a week for a few weeks.

But your ear looks normal and infection free, and unless you have pain or other symptoms prob don't need a gp visit (however this is based on what I can see from one still picture)

Also if you are prone to wax build up, using olive oil as a preventative can help. So about once a week.

It feels ok for now. I used olive oil last night but now my ear feels a little blocked and my hearing feels more obstructed so I'm not keen to keep using it really. I hope they will pass. It feels better without it. Is it ok to just leave the wax then as it is? I had to have 3 rounds of antibiotics in the last month as it's been red and angry and very painful but it just seems like the wax is left now.

It's normal for olive oil to make your ear feel blocked and dampen your hearing.

But you don't have to use it. Or if you just want to prevent further build up use it now and again.
That lu.p of wax is very normal looking. Also keep in mind when using an otolight or videoscope to look in a ear it magnifies it so everything looks bugger.

Also it's not unheard of to have ppl have multiple rounds of treatment to get rid of thier ear infection. Yours does look clear (based of the one still picture I can see)

@Spacerader thanks for the advice! Ideally I'd like to get the wax removed but the audiologist last time was reluctant to go deeper as it was inflamed and wet at the time and I think it's still covering just ear drum. Frustrating!

@spacerader How lucky to have an audiologist join the thread to give us all a reality check...so what to us amateurs looks like an almighty wax boulder actually can be left well alone? That is perfectly ok and best not meddled with? Maybe I am better off sitting on my hands and not getting a camera as I can see great potential for making things a lot worse in there.

Yes I have one it's great it links to your phone via an app

I had an e-consult with the doctor who said I probably had ears blocked by wax (just a message, he didn't see my ears).
He said they don't treat this I would need to go and get them microsuctioned privately. £60.
However, I bought the Vitcoco ear camera, and I have no wax at all!
Don't get the one with all the metal attachments, these are very dangerous for your ears and cost extra.

Can someone recommend their ear camera and link to it

@Hohofortherobbers I have this one amzn.eu/d/09QXKuLe

Thanks 😊

@bananaphon you're like the Delia Smith of Sporner corner, I'm off to get an ear camera too.

They don't work, the wax that comes out is the candle wax.

I clean ears as part of my job. I have some amazing videos.

Would love to see these, can you post them or is it a breach of confidentiality?

this was a satisfying watch.

Update - the olive oil has worked really well. I only used a small amount on Friday and a lot of wax came out yesterday and today. No pics as they weren't very interesting! I can almost hear completely normal again now.

@turnipsandtiaras what is your job? Asking for a friend