Ear Cleaning

[D_T_W]

Going to have to get my ears syringed at some point in the next couple of weeks, and i need something to soften the wax in my ears before i go. Anybody know what the best stuff is to soften the wax, and then stop the wax building up again?

I've been told Almond oil is good to soften teh wax, but i can't put anything directly in my ear to clean it (like a cotton bud etc). I've used a couple of ear cleaning spray, but as i wear ear plugs when i'm on the bike I tend to get a bit of build up over a few days, and the stuff i've been using isn't as effective as i would like.

Cheers

[ShadownINja]

Use ear drops you can get over the counter. No need to put anything inside the ear; just lie on your side.

[maddog993]

If you can't get hold of the proper stuff (earex, otex, etc) then Olive oil is a good substitute for softening earwax (so my practice-nurse wife tells me)

[Firefoot]

My nan always used olive oil, seemed to do the job.

[Wings]

D_T_W said:

Going to have to get my ears syringed at some point in the next couple of weeks, and i need something to soften the wax in my ears before i go. Anybody know what the best stuff is to soften the wax, and then stop the wax building up again?

I've been told Almond oil is good to soften teh wax, but i can't put anything directly in my ear to clean it (like a cotton bud etc). I've used a couple of ear cleaning spray, but as i wear ear plugs when i'm on the bike I tend to get a bit of build up over a few days, and the stuff i've been using isn't as effective as i would like.

Cheers

Used olive oil etc. etc., nothing worked so ear (left) syringed by nurse at local clinic/doctors surgery, worked a treat

[Google [bot]]

In the shower just keep hot water running into the ear for a while then decant your head to one side. Clean the outside with a cotton bud.

• disclaimer: you can probably have the water too hot but I've yet to encounter this*

[Wildfire]

I have had loads of problems with trapped water in my ears after swimming etc. I used some "ear candles" my mum got from a health store.

Basically you lie down, stick them in your ear, get someone to light it and hold it and is softens the wax and sucks it out.

Very good results. A bit weird though.

[Nolar Dog]

Wildfire said:

I used some "ear candles" my mum got from a health store.

Basically you lie down, stick them in your ear, get someone to light it and hold it and is softens the wax and sucks it out.

I regularly use Hopi ear candles on myself and others. Fantastic way of "curing" ear and head troubles on a physical and emotional level for me.

[LMC]

I've syringed my own ears many times. I've never softened the wax first but that will make it easier to remove. Everyone knows someone who works in a hospital; here's the shopping list:

a 60ml syringe,
a 14g cannula,
a pointy thing like a cocktail stick,
a bathroom sink half full of warm (not too hot) water.

Simply strip to the waist, fill the syringe, attach the cannula to the end (remove and safely discard of sharpy part 1st obviously), poke it into your lug while angling it all towards your nose and squeeze the plunger with all your might !

You will probably need to repeat. Then you will find a huge big gob of wax hanging out (like a filter tip), which will need to be stabbed or hooked out. A loved one can help with this grotesque part. Other little bits of debris will just wash out with another small blast.

I suppose I have to put some sort of disclaimer here:

In theory you could perforate your ear drum doing this, or by poking the cannula in too far. Personally I have found that the pressure of water going through the cannula is quite fierce but I've never had a problem. Plus, when you do it yourself, then at least you know how its feeling and have some control over the pressure.

Each time I've done it, I could hear a gnats fart from 100 yards away after !

What have you got to lose, except for your hearing lol....

I'm a great believer in self help, but I'll leave the story of how I cleared my constipation for another thread

[insanojackson]

boo, consett tonight ha ha? x

[Gareth79]

Wildfire said:

I have had loads of problems with trapped water in my ears after swimming etc. I used some "ear candles" my mum got from a health store.

Basically you lie down, stick them in your ear, get someone to light it and hold it and is softens the wax and sucks it out.

Very good results. A bit weird though.

Ear candles are a sham, fraud, and don't work, there is no way they can even suck wax out, and the health risks from wax dropping in are severe:

http://www.cks.nhs.uk/earwax/management/detailed_a...
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/med/ear-oreil...

[Gareth79]

Additionally, while in the US I found the pharmacies there sell lots of ear wax removing kits and got one - one bottle was a peroxide solution to soften it, and then a small bulb to wash it out. I have found it works very well (if a litle laborious) and I haven't needed to visit the nurse since.