View Full Version : Ear Wax
what do you do about ear wax? can you go to a doc and have them scoop it out?
what about those remove ear wax you can buy at walmart?
thanks
Yes, you can visit a doctor and have a flushing done, but many well-established physicians tend to shy-away from such a procedure due to possible eardrum damage, so what I recommend is olive oil, and yes, it works better than any other product you can buy.
Warm several drops olive oil, drop into ear canal, then use a cotton ball to seal-off the ear canal while the oil does it's magic. I recommend applying the oil just before bedtime, that way the warm oil will have the night to soften and loosen wax build-up in the ear. I use this home-treatment/remedy on both my middle daughter and husband, and neither has had an earache since starting on it, and neither gets wax build-up anymore.
Heydude. I will post a picture (tomorrow) of the little glass bottle/w dropper I use. A special bottle/w dropper isn't a must, but it does make both heating and dispensing the oil, easier.
Tomorrow, didn't sound good to me, so here is that picture I promised you, Heydude!
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=792&d=1338011891
Notice the bulbous end on the dropper? It's like a ball on the end, and that helps accumulate oil before it drops, so you get a proper full drop. I recommend anywhere from 3-5 drops per ear. Re: warming, I just hold the bottle under the tap (hot water) for a few seconds to warm.
My son used to have horrible wax build up when he was younger. I would put a few drops of mineral oil in one ear, and he would lay down for a little while, to let it soften. Then I would flush his ear with warm water and a bulb syringe until it came out. Sometimes that can make the person dizzy.
One time the pediatrician's office cleared his ear and they used something called an "elephant" syringe. It was able to use a bit more directed pressure and worked really well.
I imagine the olive oil drops would work well too. But sometimes you need something like hydrogen peroxide to get it to bubble up and out........otherwise you just have soft wax that's stuck in there. I've seen the Debrox in the store and it looked like it might work well.
I've actually seen those ear wax scoops for sale, but I don't think I'd ever try them at home. The docs used to use them in the ER, but I think it might be a little too dangerous at home, for fear of hurting the eardrum.
fidgiegirl
5-26-12, 8:54am
I would second the avoidance of flushing. I had a horrible, awful ear infection when I lived in Mexico, and the docs flushed my ears several times. Well, it was too many. Then I got a fungus growing in there. By the time I went to the specialist she had to treat all the fungus (think athlete's foot in the ear) before she could even see what the heck was going on (because the infection was still present, too). I used to flush at home prior to that but discontinued the practice after that experience.
I have also put hydrogen peroxide in there in the past, but wouldn't do that anymore, either. If I HAD to do something, though, I'd try Mrs. M's or Cathy's tricks first, and then maybe I could be convinced to try the HP if that didn't work.
My brother-in-law swears by ear candling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_candling), but I would be too scared of setting myself on fire!
How would I know that I have an ear wax problem? I can't think that this has ever been a problem for me.
Like most things in our life, the dogs get treated for a health issues but us humans--not. I regularly flush dog ears.
IL.........usually, the person starts not being able to hear very well out of the ear with too much wax. Then it might start hurting too.
With the olive oil treatment, usually, by morning, a large clod or plug of ear-wax will release and come out with the cotton ball (when removed), however, if build-up has been let-go and is bad, a second treatment will be required, and, in some cases, an entire week of treatment will be needed in order to loosen/correct build-up.
Olive oil, is a natural close, to the bodies natural Cerumen (ear-wax), so even after wax build-up is solved, a preventative program of regularly applied olive oil will keep ones ears healthy.
One of the things many of us are guilty of, is flushing our ears under the high water-pressure when showering. Believe it or not, our ears require no cleaning, and no soaps or detergents (whatsoever). That is the purpose of Cerumen, which slowly builds inside the ear, catching dirt and any other bacteria, then, slowly (in people with normal functioning ears), the Cerumen, slowly flows to the outer ear canal to keep the inner-ear cavity clean and sterile. It's a natural process that needs no outside intervention, so keep Q-Tips, and other objects out of your ears. I do cheat every now and then Re: Q-Tip use, but I never push the cotton end down onto the eardrum when using.
Sad Eyed Lady
5-26-12, 11:25am
heydude, all this is good sound advise. But, I would add IF the oil drops and flush doesn't do the job then it is time to go see an ENT specialist. I had to do this when I had a horrible wax build-up. He does not use a flush, but a tiny vacuum type thing that pulls it out. Mine was found during a screening at a health fair I attended, and the person doing the screening told me it was completely stopped and I should see a doctor. After he was finished the ENT said "we should have weighed you when you came in, and weighed you when you leave - I bet you would weigh 5 pounds less!". I have no idea why some people secrete more wax in the ear than others, but it happens and needs to be taken care of in some fashion. So, if the other suggestions aren't enough in your case, there is always this option.
I had a friend who was into the ear candling too.
I was always too scared to try it.
"we should have weighed you when you came in, and weighed you when you leave " LOL!!
I don't know why.......but I just don't make ear wax. I feel cheated. ;)
Re: ear-candling, medical research has shown that the practice is both dangerous and ineffective, and does not help remove earwax or other toxins. (Taken from Wikipedia).
fidgiegirl
5-26-12, 9:39pm
Sad Eyed Lady, I had my ears vacuumed too, when I had the horrible infection in Mexico. It was awful! Very painful. But that's because I had the infection. If I hadn't, it wouldn't have hurt that much.
How would I know that I have an ear wax problem? I can't think that this has ever been a problem for me.
Like most things in our life, the dogs get treated for a health issues but us humans--not. I regularly flush dog ears.
When your ear gets so blocked by wax that it sounds like you're hearing underwater. I had to have my ears irrigated multiple times when I was in school. Too much wax otherwise.
I've done ear candling on a coworker and it does work. You can rip the candle apart afterwards and see what came out---and she could actually hear again! It's simple to do but you need another person to help you to do it safely.
gimmethesimplelife
5-27-12, 1:10am
Yes, you can visit a doctor and have a flushing done, but many well-established physicians tend to shy-away from such a procedure due to possible eardrum damage, so what I recommend is olive oil, and yes, it works better than any other product you can buy.
Warm several drops olive oil, drop into ear canal, then use a cotton ball to seal-off the ear canal while the oil does it's magic. I recommend applying the oil just before bedtime, that way the warm oil will have the night to soften and loosen wax build-up in the ear. I use this home-treatment/remedy on both my middle daughter and husband, and neither has had an earache since starting on it, and neither gets wax build-up anymore.I too have excessive ear wax and will DEFINITELY be giving your olive oil tip a try. Thanks for posting this, Mrs. M! Rob
thinkgreen
5-27-12, 1:34am
I have candled ears for family and friends for 20 years now with good results. As pony mom says, do not try to do this alone! You need a buddy to candle your ears. It is very relaxing to have it done as well. Yesterday, a family member's Doctor recommended they get their ears candled. That was a first - we've never had a Doctor recommend it before but this Doctor did. She is from Egypt so perhaps it is more accepted there.
You are most welcome, Gimmethesimplelife! :)
I have found that in order to no longer get the wax build up, I use a neti pot. I have found that clearing out the nose will ultimately help with the ears. After all, your mouth, nose and ears are all connected. The more congestion you have in your nose, the more wax you have in your ears. Hopefully with using a neti pot for a while, you will not get such a wax build up. Good luck (oh, and I like the olive oil idea too, if I do get the build up again, that is what we will use, rather than that chemical stuff which makes the ears quite raw. Thanks for the suggestions!)
Is ear candling just letting wax drip into the ear and letting it harden, then pulling it out?
From what I've seen Re: candling, CathyA, an actual candle is placed into the ear-opening, then lit.
Mrs M YOU ARE ALWAYS SO HELPFUL TO ME! WOW, SWEET!
Does the olive oil stay in your ear? I mean, will I wake up in the morning with oil all over my bedding?
How do you heat it and where did you buy your cool dropper?
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE EAR WAX when if you pick at your ear, now and then, these wax things will be on your finger! Also, I don't hear so well recently!
ENT specialist sounds good too, thank you!
thinkgreen
5-28-12, 9:00pm
I will try to explain how ear candles work. I've used them for years but the science of it isn't something I'm used to thinking about. So, here goes.
Ear candles are hollow. They are typically made of fabric which is coated with beeswax or paraffin and molded over a form. The bottom end is tapered to small and has a hole in it. The top end is completely open and that end gets lit. The small tapered end sits in the ear with the hole above the canal. When the candle is properly positioned you will get no smoke out the bottom and the flame on top will burn steadily without flickering. I always use something to shield the person's skin and hair so they don't get any ash or wax falling on them. No wax should go into a person's ear. A little bit of ash sometimes falls through the candle and is easily wiped away with a tissue or q-tip.
The candles work like a chimney. A chimney lifts the smoke up and out of the house. Ear candles create a slight suction as well as a bit of warmth. The suction lifts the ear wax and it mingles with the wax of the candle. If you open a candle that has been burned but not used on an ear the drips inside are the same color as the candle wax. If you open a candle that has been used on an ear the wax drips inside are ear wax colored. The amount of color can indicate the amount of wax removed.
Thanks, Heydude. :)
By inserting a cotton-ball into your ear after applying the oil, any residual oil will be absorbed by the cotton-ball, so no worries over oil getting on your pillow/bedding, etc.
When warming, I simply hold the bottle under the tap (hot water) for a few seconds. Warming, makes the olive oil more watery, so it runs deep into the ear canal better, and warm oil is more comfortable than room-temperature oil. Additionally, I like to think warm olive oil starts working immediately (on contact) helping to soften and loosen hardened, compacted wax.
The bottle in the picture came from a local natural heath food store, but if you can't get your hands on an empty one, you can always purchase a bottle of essential oil (or the likes of). Essential oil bottles, are the identical size as mine, and also come with a dropper. Heck, if I were looking to buy another, I'd go to a Pharmacy and have them order one for me.
In your case, from what you are telling me, I'd use 3-5 drops of oil (nightly), for a solid week, then reassess the condition after the first week.
P.S. Here (http://www.sks-bottle.com/Essential-Oil-Dropper-Bottles.html) is a great website that carries the exact same bottle I have. (The Amber Essential Oil Glass Vials would be ideal).
Also, do not fill bottle (full) with oil. (Just enough to treat your ears/per session). If you plan on treating your ears for a solid week, you can store a weeks worth of oil in your bottle, but don't let oil sit idle in the bottle for extended periods.
Thinkgreen. Thanks a bunch for explaining the candling process.
During ear candling, as a shield I use a small paper plate with a hole in the middle; the candle goes through the hole and the plate protects the side of the head/face from falling ash.
Mrs. M !!!!!!!
I did it. I put a dropper full of olive oil in my ear and sealed it with cotton. I slept all night like that. When I woke up, I took out the cotton and was hoping to have the olive oil spill out with wax. But, there was nothing there. My ear was empty. Where did it go?????? Inside my brain!
Tussiemussies
6-13-12, 11:53pm
Hiheydude,
Another way to clean wax out of your ear is to put hydrogen peroxide into the ear canal. It will fizz for a bit leave it in for about 2 minutes antehran drain it out onto a cotton ball.
I really think at this point you need to see an ear specialist. My brother had a problem hearing out of one of his ears and when he went to the Dr. The found he had a huge plug of wax in his ear that had to be treated under the Dr. It was successful. They used a very high concentrate of hydrogen peroxide for days and then he was able to flush it out,.
For some reason I get this feeling that you don't want to go to the Dr.?
Good luck with this issue and keep us up to date...
Tussiemussies
6-13-12, 11:56pm
PS. If you try the hydrogen peroxide make sur you don't get it on your hair or it could change your hair color? Not sure though...
i would love to go to a doctor.
but last time i was at a doctor, they looked in my ear and said "no wax in there"
i am pretty sure they were just of the school that believed in never reaching in to the ear. i know i have wax.
Tussiemussies
6-14-12, 1:31am
That is so strange...maybe there is a better specialist out there for you. Hope so, it must be so irritating.
heydude........what makes you think you have so much wax?
My doc had me do the hydrogen peroxide and it worked like a charm. One difference is that he had me do it it in the shower. Let warm water run in your ear for a bit, then put the peroxide in and keep your head tilted to hold it in. Then after a minute or two rinse it out and tilt your head to let it drain out. As far as dying hair, I don't think you need to worry. Over the counter medicinal peroxide is a low enough mixture that it doesn't do anything. At least it didn't do anything to my beard when I was cleaning my ear with it and spilling it all down my face...
they feel irritated and then i stick my finger in there and some crusty thing falls out. hahahahaha.
also, i do not hear as well.
last night i had a dream that a pickle came out of my ear! hahahahahhaha. all this olive oil thoughts.
Update when you can, Heydude.
Mrs. M, given the topic of this thread perhaps you should've said "UPDATE WHEN YOU CAN, HEYDUDE!!!!" :~)
fidgiegirl
8-6-12, 10:15pm
Mrs. M, given the topic of this thread perhaps you should've said "UPDATE WHEN YOU CAN, HEYDUDE!!!!" :~)
:laff:
Originally posted by Jp1.
Mrs. M, given the topic of this thread perhaps you should've said "UPDATE WHEN YOU CAN, HEYDUDE!!!!"http://dunkorator.franken.de/smileys/eteehee.gif
i am going to go to a doctor. i can't handle oil in my ears at night. i'm not doing it right. it is all dried up in the morning? nothing is in there in the morning. thanks anyway!
Dude, just ask the doctor to flush out your ears. You will feel so much better afterward!
Blackdog Lin
8-15-12, 9:07pm
What Tradd said. I went through a period of this in my 40's, and no home remedies would help. A doctor's appointment, a little embarassment (why oh why would I be embarassed about an ear wax problem, a natural body function, but I was embarassed), and a few dollars later: RELIEF. Back then it was a "power washer" method, but it didn't hurt and it did the trick.
Get the doctor's appointment and get it fixed. Some of us just have this problem. As Tradd said, you'll feel so much better afterward.
What Tradd said. I went through a period of this in my 40's, and no home remedies would help. A doctor's appointment, a little embarassment (why oh why would I be embarassed about an ear wax problem, a natural body function, but I was embarassed), and a few dollars later: RELIEF. Back then it was a "power washer" method, but it didn't hurt and it did the trick.
Get the doctor's appointment and get it fixed. Some of us just have this problem. As Tradd said, you'll feel so much better afterward.
I've had problems with ear wax since 5th or 6th grade. As the family doctor said, I simply produce *too much* of it. The first time it was bad, it got to where I couldn't hear - in both ears. It was the power wash method, but OMG, the stuff that came out! My mom joked I could build my own wax museum, but I said it would be brown, not white! :0! Even now, in my early 40s, I still need to have the doctor flush out my ears now and then.
Square Peg
8-16-12, 5:53pm
I had my ears flushed at the doctor's. My hearing improved after. It felt so good!
You can flush your ears yourself. I need to do it about every 4-5 months, as I use foam earplugs to sleep. My husband snores too much. :(
I just put warm water in a bowl, and start dipping the syringe and flushing while holding my head over the sink.
You can flush your ears yourself. I need to do it about every 4-5 months, as I use foam earplugs to sleep. My husband snores too much. :(
I just put warm water in a bowl, and start dipping the syringe and flushing while holding my head over the sink.
Anne, that might work if your wax isn't too bad, but the little bulb syringes you can get at the drugstore never worked on my wax. Too much. Had to go to the doctor for a more powerful flush!
Ouch, Tradd. Does it hurt your eardrums when you go to the Dr? It's painful enough for me with my 20 cc bulb.
Originally posed by Heydude.
i can't handle oil in my ears at night. i'm not doing it right. it is all dried up in the morning? nothing is in there in the morning. thanks anyway! Most home-remedies I know of do require a certain amount of tolerance related to treatment. If your ears are dry in the morning, you aren't putting enough drops of oil in them before bed.
Additionally, with long-term wax-buildup, several treatments may be required, even a regimented treatment program that extends beyond a week or two, until noticeable change.
And yes, whatever amount of oil you deposit within the canal of your ears, will not come pouring out in the morning. Olive oil, is almost a perfect genetic balance/match of the natural wax produced in ones ears, so your body absorbs and utilizes much of the oil put in, and, a certain degree (amount) of the oil deposited will have absorbed into the hard/compacted wax-buildup, loosening and softening it.
To add, I've doctored the entire family (at some point in time) using this recipe, and so far, it's been 100% successful on every count.
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