Ear Wax Problems

[HappyHiker]

Went to my doctor yesterday and she told me I had quite a bit of war in one ear. Hadn't had any issues with that ear. She recommended her PA do an ear irrigation to remove the wax.

Okay. Did it. Lots of squirts from the machine; lots of probing...

But today, the day after, my ear is plugged up and I can barely hear out of it. No pain; just lack of sound...

So went to drug store this morning and got an ear wax kit and will try to see if that clears up the blockage.

If not, I guess I'll call up the doctor's office and get a referral to an ENT.

Any one else ever have a similar issue?

Concerned with the hearing loss in my ear...and kind of ticked off, truth told...

[iris lilies]

Funny you should bring this up. Just in recent weeks I’ve had an ear wax problem. I’ve never had a problem or even been aware of earwax in my life but now that I’m old, I guess it’s a problem.

I went to have a hearing test and the audiologist didn’t test me the first time because I had too much earwax. So I Bought a drugstore kit and tried to get rid of it myself. Went back to the audiologist and she said much of the wax was still there so I finally made an appointment with the doctor and had someone in her office flush my ears.

But now that is disturbing to know that it comes back that fast.

My hearing was better after getting rid of the earwax, but I’m still probably a candidate for hearing aids.

[Tradd]

I’ve had a bad ear wax problem since I was a kid. I was in maybe 4th grade and both ears sounded like I was underwater. Went to the doc and he irrigated both ears. Relief! OMG, so much wax. My mother joked I could start my own wax museum! LOL. I’ve had to get my ears irrigated once a year for decades. Since I started diving, though, all the time underwater softened the wax a lot so it falls out on its own.

[pinkytoe]

Had this problem about a year ago after a plane flight. Had the ear irrigation done and it took a day or two for hearing to return. Hope some time will help yours.

[HappyHiker]

Had this problem about a year ago after a plane flight. Had the ear irrigation done and it took a day or two for hearing to return. Hope some time will help yours.

Thanks! Me, too.

[Greg44]

I had extreme ear pain after flying into John Wayne Airport (Santa Ana Ca) last year - heard that planes decend quicker there. After a few days when we returned home I could
barely hear out of one ear. I did flush my ears and not much wax came out, but it seemed to do the trick. When I went for my neck surgery - the doctor checked my ears
and helped herself to pull out the wax - on camera - so could see. She asked if I used Q-tips --- maybe! Well she told me to stop! I was good for a few months, but I hate
the feeling of water in my ears after a shower and went back to using Q-tips after showers. She said wax doesn't get deep in the ears by itself and it is pushed their by
the Q-tips!

[iris lilies]

Yes I know about Q-tips, don’t use them.

[catherine]

When I go for my physicals, the doctor always tells me I have a build-up of ear wax. Occasionally I have had partial blockage in one ear, which is annoying. And then, one random day, it just goes "pop" and I can hear normally again. The earwax removal kits do help a little, but there's not an instant fix. And I also don't try to remove it myself with Q-tips or paper clips or anything else..

[HappyHiker]

Thanks for your comments & tips. Here's a status report: I sent a message to the Doc about not being able to hear from my right ear. I've been using the drops from the kit for 1.5 times...no results. So went back to Doc today. A nurse who was really experienced with ears, found a lot of wet wax--from the drops. She used more water (but not from the machine), using a syringe this time. She got out a large glob of wax with out much effort. It was softened from the Debrox.

My ear popped after wax was removed. Now I can hear from that ear again. So very relieved!

In the future, researching said it's good to do some softening at home prior to having the irrigation. The nurse offered to do the other ear, but I said I'll come back only after I've spent some time softening the wax at home. She recommended warm water mixed with some peroxide...live and learn, eh??

[Tradd]

My docs never used a machine to irrigate. Just a huge metal syringe.