Ear Wax - A Novella

Thoughts and input on anything related to wet shaving or men's grooming.
User avatar
Ben
Posts: 2806
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:17 pm

Post by Ben »

The fellow who comes to the USA just for an ear cleaning will also be taking me and my family out for a fancy dinner every night he is in the country. You've been warned.
Hell-bent ... hell-bent for Feather!

"As your attorney, I advise you to take a hit out of the little brown flask in my shaving kit."
— Dr. Gonzo, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by EL Alamein »

Resurrecting this old thread because I've recently irrigated my ears using a Waterpik. As an aside, while reading this I thought this topic best in the Gentleman's Forum but since it's so old here we go.

For the last few years I've had instances where my left ear was nearly completely closed and I was almost deaf in that ear. After a few months a little chunk of wax would fall out and I'd be able to hear again.

For the past few months my left ear has been almost completely blocked. I tried Debrox and I tried Hydrogen peroxide to no avail.

Recently I read an article where a gentleman with the same problem advocated using the Waterpik loaded with Hydrogen peroxide to remove a plug. So after watching a few youtube videos I purchased one and got down to business yesterday morning.

What came out of my left ear was huge pebble of wax, about the size of my index fingertip. I was flabbergasted. But I could now hear! From my right ear a pebble about half that size came out. I could hear much better in that ear after that. What came out of my ears must have been there for years. I am not a Q-Tip user in general (I merely use my index finger wrapped in tissue paper to dry my ears after a shower) but I will admit to using a Q-Tip last week before this irrigation just to try and loosen what I thought might have been a small amount of wax. It was to no avail and I didn't go deep and there was no pain.

I used the lowest setting on the Waterpik stream and kept the tip away from my ear while I shot towards to top of my canal. The jet was soft enough and gentle enough to loosen everything and there was no pain. I may have been taking my hearing in my own hands but it's like a miracle for me.

I also had tinnitus and would hear my own heartbeat in my left ear when there was silence in a room. Now it's gone.

Now I just have to maintain things. Seems I'm what's referred to as an over-producer (my father had the same problem). I'll try using some drops a few times on a weekly or monthly basis to keep the wax accumulation low.

As I'm not a physician I am not recommending this just recounting my experience. If you're suffering from such a problem it's worth getting your ears irrigated.

Chris
User avatar
drmoss_ca
Admin
Posts: 10731
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:39 pm

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by drmoss_ca »

I think you were lucky and you got away with it. The traditional ear syringe has a bit more kick that a WaterPik, but at least we can look to see where to direct the flow. I worked for a year at a clinic that used a WaterPik instead of a large steel syringe, but I didn't find it as good.

And for Boxing Day fun, I'll reveal that my mother picked up a cattle drench at a farm sale many years ago. A huge brass syringe with with a blunt steel probe in place of a needle, the whole thing about two feet long when closed. Used for squirting medicine down a cow's throat. I kept it on the windowsill in the office, and occasionally, with the right patient* I'd agree we should syringe out a deaf ear and then pick this thing up as if about to use it.

*right means they laughed rather than ran screaming.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by EL Alamein »

Dr. Moss, good story.

Chris
Bill_K
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2018 12:40 pm
Location: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by Bill_K »

EL Alamein wrote: Tue Dec 25, 2018 7:26 pmFor the past few months my left ear has been almost completely blocked. I tried Debrox and I tried Hydrogen peroxide to no avail.
What a remarkable coincidence: I just got back from my Doctor's office, where he irrigated both of my ears to clear the occlusions.

Prior to that, my hearing had degraded to the point where every morning I was functionally deaf until I pulled on my ears and yawned until I could hear again (sort of). I tried using Cerumol (https://www.cerumol.com/) and while it did soften the wax it didn't get rid of it so into the Doctor's office I went. He said the Cerumol definitely made things easier for him.

He also mentioned that I use it prophylactically once in a while, and that I should chew gum because the muscles used in mastication are anchored close to the ears and the motion will help clear the wax. I can see myself using Option #1, but chewing gum? Really?
Bill
User avatar
mrjediconsular
Posts: 107
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:10 am
Location: boise,idaho

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by mrjediconsular »

i have had the best luck with a little instrument call a ototek loop
Jordan
slackskin
Posts: 361
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:27 am
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by slackskin »

I don't mean to hijack this thread but the information is valuable to US military veterans and should be publicized.

The VA has changed its position on hearing aids. Nowadays the VA will give you a super-complete hearing test and (if needed) top-of-the-line heading aids from the top manufacturers FOR FREE except a small copay for the office visit. If needed, VA also provides accessories such as remote controls, TV streamers, Bluetooth cell phone connections, and remote microphones. The package can easily run USD$6,000-8,000 if purchased at retail on the outside.

To quote the VA web page -- "If hearing aids are recommended and fit, the hearing aids, repairs, and future batteries will all be at no charge to you, as long as you maintain VA eligibility for care." Your hearing loss does NOT need to be service-connected. Also, Oticon's current generation hearing aids (and likely other manufacturers too) are engineered to combat tinnitus.

Please visit the following websites for details:
https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/psas/Hearing_Aids.asp
https://www.hearingtracker.com/ask/what ... -va-offer
brothers
Posts: 21513
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by brothers »

Slackskin, this is good information. This is the first I've heard of this program. I might decide to go in and have mine checked. Thanks.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
User avatar
JarmoP
Posts: 618
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:27 am
Location: Finland

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by JarmoP »

I myself noticed about a year ago that my left ear was almost deaf one morning. So I could not use a phone to the ear that I usually put it against.
And also playing some instruments like ukulele sounded unnatural. It was scary.

Otherwise I felt healthy and soon I sort of had guessed it was ear wax. Because my ear canals have always been narrow and I have never been able to use any kind of ear protection plugs when working in noisy places. So I put off a visit to a doctor for a few days and then one morning in the shower an idea came:

Why not tilt my head and try let the water run into the ear. Same thing could have worked I think also in a bath tub with head under water and tilting head the "wrong" way. Remember from youth when you swam and afterwards could not hear much with water in the ears?
I don't remember if that worked straight away, but after repeating the procedure, I could hear well again.
Jarmo
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by EL Alamein »

Jarmo, it can't hurt to see a doctor and possibly get your ears irrigated.

From my experience posted above hearing can be temporarily restored at times through a small amount of wax loosening but there could possibly be much more. And if so it will build up until nothing will help it until you get irrigated.

Another possibility is you have different problem - hearing loss for whatever reason not related to ear wax. Best to let a doctor diagnose and handle the issue.

Best of luck to you.

Chris
User avatar
JarmoP
Posts: 618
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:27 am
Location: Finland

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by JarmoP »

Maybe it won't hurt much, but since then I had the described problem and solved it the way I did, I have not had any hearing problem again.

In my mind it was probably just that some "wax" had come out as normal, more than usual. And I had felt if any hairs in my ears. Believe they grow too when you are 60 years old and I have an ear/nose hair trimmer. And then erroneously pushed wax back and closed my very narrow ear canal.

I would visit a doctor if I believed that the wax do stay in my ears.
Jarmo
User avatar
John Rose
Posts: 445
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:11 pm
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Contact:

Re: Ear Wax - A Novella

Post by John Rose »

My hearing was down to something like 10% when I thought to try irrigating them with a rubber syringe and warm water.

Image

It worked, and I got back up to my normal 50% hearing. (I blame Led Zeppelin for that.)
I would recommend sitting down while doing it, such as sitting down in the shower.
Wikipedia wrote:Affected people generally prefer the irrigation solution to be warmed to body temperature,[37] as dizziness is a common side effect of ear washing or syringing with fluids that are colder or warmer than body temperature.[29][36]
See also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caloric_reflex_test - useful to know when you are in a coma. :whistle:

Later, I went out and bought a second rubber syringe just for flushing out sections and feeds of fountain pens. The nozzle is a perfect fit for the little tube that accepts the ink refill cartridge or converter.
"If this isn't nice, then what is?" - Kurt Vonnegut's Uncle Alex
Post Reply