ear wax :-(

mickd · Post by **mickd** » 18 Dec 2004 3:47 pm

I suddenly went deaf in my right ear about a fortnight ago. The doctor said it was just ear wax and gave me a prescription for ear drops that turned out to be for sodium bicarbonate. She also said to try olive oil. So I dripped this stuff into the lughole for a week then went back for ear syringing and - NOTHING !. The nurse said I needed to do some more ear-dropping. I've had more olive oil than a pizza parlour and I'm fed up.
Has anyone got any positive ear-syringing experiences to cheer me up ? Playing with only one ear working just doesnt work for me

Gary Ulinskas · Post by **Gary Ulinskas** » 18 Dec 2004 4:16 pm

Hi Mick,
I worked in a plant doing a lot of riveting to build helicopters about 20 years ago. We were given these foam rubber plugs to put in our ears to protect them from the noise. Well, it turned out that when people wear those type plugs for 8 hours a day, it pushes the wax back into the ear instead of letting it naturally flow out, so a lot of people were getting your problem. When I would shampoo my hair, the movement of my scalp made it sound like there were rocks rolling around in my ears! I was sent to an ear specialist who flushed each ear with a warm fluid to soften up the wax. Then used this gadget that was a combination borescope and mini vacuum cleaner to go into each ear and suck out chunks of wax. Sounded and felt awful, but it did the job. After that experience, I only wore ear muffs in noisey places. [This message was edited by Gary Ulinskas on 18 December 2004 at 04:18 PM.]

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 18 Dec 2004 4:30 pm

Very seldom is ear is ear wax the cause of sudden hearing loss. If a CAREFUL cleaning with the round end of a bobby pin and an ear wash won't clear it up, it ain't wax.

A visit to an ear SPECIALIST will get you a detailed sonogram of just what is happening. They can tell you if it's "just wax", fluid, or degeneration of the ear bones.

It's about a hundred bucks.

It's not worth gambling your hearing on.

Ask Mr Green.

I lost my left ear for over a year for most purposes and found that it was fluid on the inside, the most common culprit.

I was given the decongestant most effective, an over the counter Loratadine, with a pseudoepinephrine*, (*stuff you don't want to take on a long term basis).

It cleared mine right up.

After a cold, I get left ear congestion, and I take Loratadine for a couple days, and I'm back to normal.

EJL

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 18 Dec 2004 4:46 pm

Forget the bobby pin whatever you do- you can't be careful enough around your ears...I developed something called pulsing tinnitus where i could hear my heart beat-from ear wax pushing against the ear drum. At the drugstore (chemist) there are over the counter drops that you put in, lie there with head turned for 5 minutes, then flush w/ warm water. Took about 5 days for it to clear up. Best of luck!

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Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 18 Dec 2004 4:47 pm

Hey man I can feel your pain. I've had similar problems with my ears. What worked for me is ear candles. I know it sounds ridiculous bit it works. You can get them at most drug stores. They are simply a hollow candle that comes to a kind of pointed end. You light the big end and stick it in your ear and you won't believe how good it feels. The fire makes a perfect vacume inside the hollow candle and the warm smoke enters the ear cannal at which point it softens the wax as the vacume draws the wax out of your ear. You can feel the wax leaving and hear it. once your done cut the candle open and you'll be shocked at the amount of wax that it gently draws out. This is a service that is sometimes offered at day spas for a premium. Good luck

Rick

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 18 Dec 2004 4:50 pm

I think I'd go for the bobby pin before I stuck a burning candle in my head....

But that's just me.

EJL.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 18 Dec 2004 5:00 pm

erik · Post by **erik** » 18 Dec 2004 5:02 pm

Funny, but an ENT specialist will rather easily put you on the table and remove it. Drops probably won't work. It may have attached to the skin on the outside of your eardrum. It needs to be ripped out by a pro. Had mine done once and only hurt a little. You wouldn't believe what the stuff looks like. After, I became extremely sensitive to crisp sounds. Just rubbing hands together created a sizzle. This, of course went away after a few days.

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-johnson

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 18 Dec 2004 5:20 pm

Being a veteran of ear infections since birth, I've had a lot of experience.

You can actually have an eardrum burst or more accurately "pop a hole" during an ear infection, and never know it. Most often it heals almost instantly. Then if it happens again, it will pop a hole in the same spot and do it again. (The eardrum heals even faster than the tongue.)

IF it somehow doesn't match up right, eardrum material keeps growing (it's like cuticle material) Most often on the outside of the drum as mentioned, but sometmes in the inside. It doesn't stop growing. That's when REAL damage can happen. It'll impact and disintegrate the little stirrup bone setup. Now they can make parts out of titanium, but the cost is more than a dozen steel guitars.

If you wake up with water running out of your ear, or in a wet spot during a painful ear infection, chances are this has happened. It's of no consequence unless your hearing doesn't clear up after the infection has passed.

Bobby pin aside, a "hearing center" that takes cash walk-ins and does complete testing of the drum, and the internals is worth the money. Occupational clinics are probably the best.

A lot of things can go wrong.

Another one is taking pain medication. Overuse of oxycontin and from what I've heard common pain meds can make your ear very vulnerable.

Eh..?

EJL

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 18 Dec 2004 5:36 pm

I'm telling you guys an ear candle works.

Give it a try.

Rick

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 18 Dec 2004 5:47 pm

My day jobs have always required that I wear those push-in ear plugs, and my right ear canal is shaped a little strangely, apparently. But twice, in the last 8-10 years, I've had to have stuff dug out of that right ear. Hurt like the dickens, and made a hard plug about the size of my little finger tip, but it was like somebody maxed the 2K slider on an EQ immediately! I suppose I'll have to have it done 1-2 more times before I retire, but no drops, candles, or antihistamines would have worked--just grit my teeth, and let the doctor dig!
Merry Christmas!

Stephen Dorocke · Post by **Stephen Dorocke** » 18 Dec 2004 6:10 pm

I also had a positive experience with the candles. Not only did using them clear up any ear issues, but it also cleared up my sinuses as well. Being used to dealing with summer time allergies, hay fever, pollen, mold, etc., those are gone as well. My head feels much clearer in general.
From what I understand, it's a technique that dates back to ancient Egypt.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 18 Dec 2004 6:23 pm

Any Doctor will tell you to never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.
I have never heard of the candle cure but is sounds feasable but I do'nt know if we can get them in the U.K.
Try a proprietry softner like earex and if that dosent work see the Doc again.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Billy

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 18 Dec 2004 6:43 pm

I come from a long line of heavy wax-producers, so I've had some experience with this problem. Every few years my ears get so packed with wax that it cuts the brights and I have to go to the doctor to get them professionally cleaned out.

I have indeed tried candles and found that they helped a little bit but not enough for the extent of my condition.

Also, going to the doctor was fruitless unless I had first softened up the wax for a few days using Debrox drops or any of the other OTC drops (or hydrogen peroxide, which is basically the same thing). The trouble I had with drops alone is that they would soften the wax and it was like melting wax: it would form a smooth coat over the eardrum and make things worse! So the solution, for me, was to use the drops for 3-5 days and then go to the doctor and have him or his assistant flush out the ears. That works like a charm for me. But for those 3-5 days before the doctor's appointment, my ears might actually be worse, so I have to time it when I don't have any gigs or anything critical coming up that I need good hearing for.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Your mileage may vary.

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 18 Dec 2004 7:46 pm

Eric,
I have had a bad time with ear infections too. My right ear drum wont burst any more and the steroid ear drops that the Doctor gives me form a scab on the ear drum. I went to an ENT and had to pull those chunks of crap off of my ear drum. My right ear still rings constantly.

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D.S. Rigsby
Wilcox SD10 3&5

Stephen Simms · Post by **Stephen Simms** » 18 Dec 2004 8:29 pm

As to the ear candles.....save your $$$. These were "big doings" in Zimbabwe a few years back. I gave it a go.....and sure enough when I was finished they cut the candle open and showed me all the "ear wax" that it had sucked up. Having a few extra candles on hand I formed my hand into a fist and inserted a new candle and lit the top. When it had burned down to the same length as the others I blew it out, cut it open and to my amazement it contained the "ear wax" that it had managed to suck out of my left hand as well........You might check with the Chemist for triethanolamine polypeptide oleate-condensate it has worked well for me.[This message was edited by Stephen Simms on 18 December 2004 at 08:42 PM.]

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 18 Dec 2004 9:33 pm

Twice in my 44 years of living I have had to go the doctor with ear problems. They put some softner in my ears, let it set for a few minutes and came back and took some kind of water gun and washed my ears out. When I walked out of the office the door closed behind me and I nearly hit the ceiling. I got in my car and started the engine and it was loud. I thought my engine was a quiet one but it turns out my ears were just stopped up. So I know firsthand what you are going through. I did not lose hearing in either ear but I started swelling right above my ears and a good cleaning solved the problem.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 18 Dec 2004 10:26 pm

I'm with Rick on this one. I get a lot of wax buildup, I think all the hours mixing in the studio aggravates it. The Ear candles really do the trick. there are some good websites with info- for anybody with serious buildup, it takes 5-8 candles per ear. And yes, you can burn them and open them up to see the melted candle wax, but a candle full of nasty ear crud is pretty unmistakeable. They've really saved me on a few sessions. Whatever you do, don't put ANYTHING deep enough into your ear to clean it out on your own. The cells in your ear canal grow outward, slowly moving wax and trapped contaminants with them. Sticking in a Q tip, bobby pin, etc. just defeats the whole system.

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 19 Dec 2004 1:07 am

I can hear you... this sucks for any musician.
I got a cold last Sept, flew back on a plane transatlantic, and it lodged in my sinuses and inner ear big time.

I have had 3 months of a dozen things for it.

The only thing that allows my estacion tubes to breath long enough to mix a session is cortison nose spray. And that is no good in the long run.

Estacion tube blockage, the channel that drains the inner ear,
and alows you to equalize pressure on a plane or when scuba diving,
is one of the main causes of sudden hearing level loss.

The ear drum won't move back and forth properly because of inner ear back preasure damping the travel.

Get to an Eye Ear Nose An throut ( sinus) specialist NOW.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 19 December 2004 at 01:10 AM.]

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 19 Dec 2004 1:17 am

Mick, I've had that happen a few times and here's what I do to remove the wax. You need some Hydrogen Peroxide, a large plastic cup and one of those big bulb ear syringes they sell at the drugstore specifically for this purpose.

Get in the shower with all this stuff and turn your head to one side and pour Hydrogen Peroxide in to your ear. You will hear loud bubbling sounds and it will tickle a bit. Give it a couple of minutes to start loosening the wax ball. Fill the glass with warm water, squeeze the bulb, stick it in the warm water and fill it up. Then pull your earlobe out to open the canal a bit and forcibly squirt the warm water into your ear canal. Keep filling and squirting until a big ol' nasty lump of wax comes out and you can suddenly hear. Repeat the procedure with the other ear. This works - I guarantee you, and it's safe. And fun.

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Rick Alexander
57 Fender Stringmaster T8, Rickenbacker BD6, Remington Steelmaster D8, 57 Fender Champ, 47 National New Yorker - Music Man and Peavey Amps . .

Dave Boothroyd · Post by **Dave Boothroyd** » 19 Dec 2004 2:01 am

I lost a lot of the hearing in my left ear years ago due to the loss of flexiblity in the joints between the little bones.
It does actually have a good side though. Because I have not heard a loud noise in that side for thirty years, my left ear still thinks I'm 25 and never raced motorbikes or spent years listening to loud music.
So my frequency range is still very good, if I use a hearing aid on that side.
The reason for my post is a bit different though. My previous hearing aid had a very odd compressor/limiter built into it, and I could not get on with it at all. So I got out of the habit of using it. I could still do my job, Lecturing. I could still play my guitars, but I found that I just wanted to do it less and less. It was no pleasure any more.
Then I got a digital aid where I could program the compression.
It was like being 18 again. I fell in love with the sound of my favourite guitars all over again. On Steel I knew when to block and when to let it ring. I enjoyed singing again. And when I found a couple of new CDs with songs that just blew me away, I wanted to play them over and over- like I used to do years ago.
It seems that it is the sound quality that gets to me, when that is gone, the music doesn't do it for me.
If you are having hearing problems, get it fixed, get help. It's worth it, whatever it costs you, Honestly!

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Cheers!
Dave

T. C. Furlong · Post by **T. C. Furlong** » 19 Dec 2004 9:11 am

My two cents... Go to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor and have him/her use the softener and water machine to remove an earwax plug. (inquire first to make sure the doctor has and will use a machine)I did it and it did not hurt at all. The plug that came out the first time I had this done was the size of a cigarette butt. I know, pretty gross but might be interesting to someone who has this problem. It was explained to me that some of us produce large amounts of earwax and others none at all. Also I have had the regular manual "dig it out" method done and in my opinion, it is not nearly as effective. The increase in hearing sensitivity after cleaning is a result of the brain compensating for high frequency and even some low frequency loss. It can take a day or two for the brain to reprogram itself. I find it entertaining to walk around and listen to the sound of my clothes rubbing. I am also careful when handling my keys. It's like Superman's hearing!

If you suspect a blockage, deal with it with a professional because the risk of damaging your hearing with a "do it yourself" method is just not worth it. Also, I have been told by one doctor that if you leave a blockage in, it can cause a serious infection.

I go every two years for an ear cleaning. At $85 a visit, it's a bargain.

TC

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 19 Dec 2004 9:22 am

my hearing was impaired from power tools, chainsaws, nail guns, grinders, weed eaters, & certainly amplified Musik too
(i do were ear fones & goggles w: the tools)
my local doctor used the warm water & machine.
He sucked out the accumulated wax
no pain, felt great - don't take long either
i do it once a year now
better than the dentist for sure...

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 19 December 2004 at 09:22 AM.]

mickd · Post by **mickd** » 19 Dec 2004 10:18 am

thanks for all the replies

I forgot to mention that this came on after a cold (maybe that was a fluke, maybe not). Also, I have been using bees-wax earplugs for the last 10 years to stop the early planes coming into Heathrow waking me up. I mentioned this to the doc, but she didnt think it was a contributory effect.
I am due to have another ear-wash tomorrow morning. If that doesnt work, I will see about following up some of your much appreciated suggestions.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 19 Dec 2004 10:43 am

ANY artificial ear plug can shove accumulated wax (the body's own ear plug) back down into the ear canal, where it hardens and sticks. It's a good idea to have an ENT do a professional wash and wax job once a year.