Ear Wax

[kayakamina]

My left ear builds up ear wax so quickly that i need it syringed every 3 months.I have tried everything-keeping water out,using oil when the wax starts to accumulate,inserting oil daily but I still need the surgery sister to syringe. I feel I am taking up valuable time but what can I do? It is only one ear is that unusual?

[woofgang]

what does the doc say?

[kayakamina]

woofgang

Doctor says three things

Only case of it's kind that he knows of where ears are so different

Does not know the answer other than suggesting ear canal is misshaped.

Assures me that my frequent attendance at the surgery is not an imposition but the affliction is something i will have to live with.

[KebabMeister]

Do you use headphones a lot? I used to have the same problem as yourself, plus my ear canal are narrower than normal, and they were always blocking up.

I don't use headphones as much as I used to and I haven't been to the doctors for 2 or 3 years now. Also since I've been in Germany they've been very good either so whether that's because there's less polution too I don't know?

[Lonnie]

Ask to be referred to a specialist.

[Scarlett]

Yes, def go to an ENT specialist. Syringing is not great for you. It is very invasive. You could try Hopi ear candles- an alternative therapist near you will do this.

[tubeway]

I look in peoples ears for a living - and I dont think that it is that unusual to produce different amounts of wax in each ear. People with narrow or very bendy ear canals can have more of a problem with wax - but there is no hard and fast rule. People who use cotton buds tend to push wax into their ears causing them to block up faster. Pushing things into the ears (earplugs, earphones, hearing aids etc) can intefere with the flow of the wax, but very often this is just something that people have to learn to live with.

Some GP surgeries now remove wax by using a machine to suck out the wax - this is les invasive and much safer than syringing (which can damage the tympannic membrane (eardrum))

[alih]

it is probably teh valve in your ear to get rid of the wax build up that isnt working. I have to hold my nose and blow until the ear pops and that is supposed to clear the valve,