Blocked Ears!

[buffymad]

Have been using ear drops to get rid of built up wax but not helping much! I can't get an appointment with the nurse to get my ears syringed until next Wednesday but can't cope with being half deaf until then! So my question is has anyone used the ear syringes you can buy at Boots (and probably other places) and are they just as good as what you get at the docs? I'm desperate!!

[daniela31]

the eardrops won't get rid of all the wax by themselves. The idea is to soften the wax so making syringing easier. So it might be best to suffer for a few days until you can have it done by the nurse next week. I know it will be frustrating not being able to hear properly until then, but best way really rather than cause an infection which could make you feel worse.
:-)

[Nosha123]

i hear Ear Candles are very good - never used one myself... you literally shove it in your ear and light it and the burning draws out the wax....

[Joeyjake]

Try warm olive oil - helps me.

[sqad617]

Once you have softened the wax with warm olive oil etc, no harm will come if you follow the instructions from the Boots syringe and do it yourself. Six days is a long time to wait.

[saxy_jag]

What I'm about to say isn't always advised by health care professionals, so it's up to you as to whether you copy me or not.

When I've had this problem before, the first thing I've done is put something like Earex in for a couple of days, plugging the ear with a bit of cotton wool.

Then I get a squeezy bottle and fill it with lukewarm water. I attach a length of plastic tubing to the nozzle, which you can get from a wine making supplier. Then I tip the bottle upside down, point the end of the tube into my ear and squeeze the bottle. If I work the end of the tube around a little (and NOT poking it right into the ear), I can usually dislodge the offending wax.

I find the whole process easier if I do it whilst I'm in the bath, and I sometimes get my partner to help with holding up and squeezing the bottle. Very undignified, but it does work.

I will stress here, though, that I am completely in control of the end of the tube that goes into my ear, and I do not poke it down any further than where it touches. Neither do I have any pain or any other ear conditions that may render this process dangerous.

As I said, it's not generally a recommended procedure and you'd do it at your own risk, but it works for me.

[sqad617]

saxy_jag, that is excellent advice.

[giginfoman]

you seriously sad sack get a life!!