My ears produce so much wax that I have to get a cleaning every 3 months AMA.

[Valcrist]

When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with otitis media in both ears. They had to put permanent tubes in both of them and I've been prone to ear infections and various other fuckery ever since. My ears produce a ton of mushy wax, so much that my ears just go deaf temporarily if I don't get them cleaned out. This also runs in the family, my dad has the exact same problem. I've spent two days being unable to hear out of my right ear, just got back from the ear doctor and I'm hearing well!

Anyone else deal with this, or am I an alien? Needing a cleaning every 3 months really sucks.

 

[fireworksordie]

that sounds so frustrating. but i have to imagine the cleaning process is relieving as hell

 

[Deleted member 9241]

Does diet effect ear wax production? I had a teacher in college that proposed a link and I still think of that once in awhile. This was like 30yrs ago lol

 

[Dalek]

How do they clean it out? Suction I suppose?

also-what do they do with the wax once they extract it? Candles?

 

[Stowaway Silfer]

Do you do anything for this at home or is it just the doctor check-in?

 

[Pau]

How do you feel about ear wax extraction videos?

 

[Polaris]

I've definitely had to have my ears cleaned out due to excess wax, but not to that degree. My sympathies!

 

[Valcrist]

that sounds so frustrating. but i have to imagine the cleaning process is relieving as hell

Click to shrink...

Yeah, sometimes it even feels kinda good!

Does diet effect ear wax production? I had a teacher in college that proposed a link and I still think of that once in awhile. This was like 30yrs ago lol

Click to shrink...

I'm gonna say probably not. I've been on three different diets in my lifetime and they were all pretty different from one another.

How do they clean it out? Suction I suppose?

also-what do they do with the wax once they extract it? Candles?

Click to shrink...

Suction or just using a scope and scooping it out. Depends on how bad it is.

Do you do anything for this at home or is it just the doctor check-in?

Click to shrink...

I do have these:

Q-Tips are a no-no for anyone. All they do is push wax in. Don't use 'em!

How do you feel about ear wax extraction videos?

Click to shrink...

I've seen a few... they don't really do much for me though!

 

[Kraid]

I don't have this issue, but I do have a ton of soft, almost watery wax that's constantly making my ear itch. My right ear drum has ruptured ~half a dozen times as an adult, so I have recurring ear problems and I'm very hesitant to treat them with water? I remember as a kid having to get wax cleaned out of my ear with suction and being in severe pain because there was a bunch of "granular tissue" on my eardrum? I've hated ear cleanings ever since.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

I see a lot of these little devices for sale, would they be of any help for home cleaning?

 

[Valcrist]

I see a lot of these little devices for sale, would they be of any help for home cleaning?

Click to shrink...

I've thought about doing this, but I'm wary of it. It seems like it might be a pretty good option, though. The first time I saw one, I almost bought it.

 

[Aarglefarg]

Just putting it here for visibility, that another dangerous and ineffective 'treatment' for ear wax blockage is Ear Candling. Nobody should use it.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZwkZUrtJmg

 

[Valcrist]

Just putting it here for visibility, that another dangerous and ineffective 'treatment' for ear wax blockage is Ear Candling. Nobody should use it.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZwkZUrtJmg

Click to shrink...

That sounds horrible as a concept even. I remember when I was little, curled up and crying from the pain in my ears and my grandmother yelling "POUR PEE IN IT" lmao

No, they didn't pour pee in it.

 

[AuthenticM]

Just putting it here for visibility, that another dangerous and ineffective 'treatment' for ear wax blockage is Ear Candling. Nobody should use it.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZwkZUrtJmg

Click to shrink...

I remember my aunt pushing this to my family 20 years ago. My mother was not believing it one bit.

My aunt is also an anti-vax conspiracy theorist who think that NASA never put a man of the moon and that a cabal of lizards rule the world in the shadows.

 

[The Argus]

Mine clog up every so often, I have very small ear canals. Instead of going to an ENT, I now just flush with some hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for 10 minutes. The I flush with warm water, and I'm all set.

 

[Walter White Walker]

I had temporary ear tubes when I was around 5 years old and ear infections all the time until I was 20. They can still gunk up, but thankfully I don't get the infections any longer.
I just use an ear wax removal kit every so often and it does the job. Debrox works great, but so do the store brands.

 

[HeySeuss]

Does the wax develop so quickly you can hear it grow? That'd be a cool superpower

 

[rusty chrome]

I remember my aunt pushing this to my family 20 years ago. My mother was not believing it one bit.

My aunt is also an anti-vax conspiracy theorist who think that NASA never put a man of the moon and that a cabal of lizards rule the world in the shadows.

Click to shrink...

I've only ever met one person trying to sell me on getting this done and she is extremely anti-vax. What's going on here? 🤣 I do wonder if it's a cultural thing, because her whole family does it thanks to her and they ignore the dangers of it.

 

[shaneo632]

I had them cleaned out and went to see an Apocalypse Now screening the same night, fucking hell my ears were ringing.

Took me like a week to adjust to how loud traffic was.

 

[thetrin]

It must be pretty awesome if your ear is extra gummed up, and a doctor just cleans the whole thing out in a single session. That would be so gratifying.

 

[nilbog]

My ear plugged up once years ago and I had to go to urgent care to get it resolved. Same thing happened to my dad once also.

Every 3 months is a different story, sorry you are going through this OP.

 

[Bentendo24]

Q-Tips are a no-no for anyone. All they do is push wax in. Don't use 'em!

Click to shrink...

Only amateurs don't know how to properly use qtips on their ears. You gotta twist while you push my friend

 

[DazzlerIE]

Hey OP, I syringe my own ears at home every six months or so. If you're willing to try it, you could cut out the trips and do it yourself. It's super easy and relatively harmless. I just did it last week and went from clogged ear with pressure feeling to 100% fine

 

[John Caboose]

I've thought about doing this, but I'm wary of it. It seems like it might be a pretty good option, though. The first time I saw one, I almost bought it.

Click to shrink...

I bought one like it a few weeks ago. I like it. Recommended.

 

[Waggles]

Is it like this, op? Paint me a vivid mind picture.

 

[AuthenticM]

What's going on here? 🤣

Click to shrink...

oh there is a link between this and anti-vaxers through "natural health medecine", homeopathy and new-age mumbo-jumbo. In the west, that demo is mainly middle-class white people.

 

[Akronis]

I have this issue plus eustachian tube dysfunction, I hate my ears

 

[Muffin]

My SO uses one of these.

 

[Landy828]

When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with otitis media in both ears. They had to put permanent tubes in both of them and I've been prone to ear infections and various other fuckery ever since. My ears produce a ton of mushy wax, so much that my ears just go deaf temporarily if I don't get them cleaned out. This also runs in the family, my dad has the exact same problem. I've spent two days being unable to hear out of my right ear, just got back from the ear doctor and I'm hearing well!

Anyone else deal with this, or am I an alien? Needing a cleaning every 3 months really sucks.

Click to shrink...

Hmmm

I believe our son has this. Although it has slowed down a little bit. He has never had tubes, or any infections though. He was putting out so much ear wax we had to clean his ears every 3 days. It's super dark too. Never seen anything like it. Dude is only 3.

You aren't alone OP.

Edit** our doctor has us use child safety q-tips. They only go in a little bit and his ears have pushed things out successfully for 3 years now. We haven't run into a problem with it compacting anything. This picture is after about 7 days from last cleaning, just did it for this thread.

Warning, gross picture! 🤣🤣🤣

Spoiler: Gross Ear Wax Pic

 

[Ferda]

I do have these:

Q-Tips are a no-no for anyone. All they do is push wax in. Don't use 'em!

I've seen a few... they don't really do much for me though!

Click to shrink...

I've always wanted to get my ears professionally cleaned but haven't, think I might check these out.

 

[Freezasaurus]

I usually have to get my ears cleaned out once a year or so. My doctor says my ear canals are "weird" because they kind of have a little shelf at the top where wax can get stuck wheras most people's are completely angled so the wax can drain normally.

 

[The Silver]

Going deaf and feeling that pressure in your ear from the wax is a terrible feeling.

I used to have to get cleaned once a year but now I use wax softener and then flush it out with water/hydrogen peroxide, good as new.

 

[Fatoy]

Hey OP, I syringe my own ears at home every six months or so. If you're willing to try it, you could cut out the trips and do it yourself. It's super easy and relatively harmless. I just did it last week and went from clogged ear with pressure feeling to 100% fine

Click to shrink...

What do you use for this? I currently need to get mine syringed / suctioned once a year, because otherwise they get bad enough that water gets trapped in them and runs the risk of getting infected. Proactive use of drops prevents it from building up, but it's really difficult to remember to use those regularly enough to make a difference. At-home syringing would be ideal.

 

[DazzlerIE]

What do you use for this? I currently need to get mine syringed / suctioned once a year, because otherwise they get bad enough that water gets trapped in them and runs the risk of getting infected. Proactive use of drops prevents it from building up, but it's really difficult to remember to use those regularly enough to make a difference. At-home syringing would be ideal.

Click to shrink...

It's a really satisfying rabbit hole to go down. Such an amazing feeling when you dislodge the wax and superhero hearing kicks in! I use a kit I bought off Amazon. You want the solution to soften the wax, a spray bottle, and the right nozzle to go into your ear canal. The one I bought was approximately 25 bucks and came with sachets for creating a saline solution to use in the bottles.

I believe this is the exact one I bought and it worked a dream.

I used to go to the doc every six months to get the procedure done, now I just do it myself at home

 

[Mancha]

When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with otitis media in both ears. They had to put permanent tubes in both of them and I've been prone to ear infections and various other fuckery ever since. My ears produce a ton of mushy wax, so much that my ears just go deaf temporarily if I don't get them cleaned out. This also runs in the family, my dad has the exact same problem. I've spent two days being unable to hear out of my right ear, just got back from the ear doctor and I'm hearing well!

Anyone else deal with this, or am I an alien? Needing a cleaning every 3 months really sucks.

Click to shrink...

If it makes you feel better, I have the same issue lol. So no op, you are not alone. And yes, it sucks, can relate with the alien feels too.

 

[Hecht]

Yep. Had tubes in my ears as a kid and in my twenties had to go to the doctor to have them unclog my ears because I would go deaf in whichever one was blocked.

Thankfully doesn't happen as often these days, but I still try to clear out that glorious dark brown gooey goodness every so often.

 

[Ultron]

It's a really satisfying rabbit hole to go down. Such an amazing feeling when you dislodge the wax and superhero hearing kicks in! I use a kit I bought off Amazon. You want the solution to soften the wax, a spray bottle, and the right nozzle to go into your ear canal. The one I bought was approximately 25 bucks and came with sachets for creating a saline solution to use in the bottles.

I believe this is the exact one I bought and it worked a dream.

I used to go to the doc every six months to get the procedure done, now I just do it myself at home

Click to shrink...

I use this kind of thing too! It works great and has relieved me from the occasional clinic visit to get it done which cost way more.

I do still use q-tips like a rebel though. If you just rub *around* the ear and don't jam em in there it usually doesn't push any in. Though I've definitely messed it up once or twice and had to go to the spray bottle to undo my mistake.

 

[Rookhelm]

OP, how big a difference is your hearing after a cleaning?

 

[RetroRunner]

I have to get mine cleared every 3 years or so, I've thought about getting the waterpik thing the doctors use and just try it myself

 

[Deleted member 2802]

Just putting it here for visibility, that another dangerous and ineffective 'treatment' for ear wax blockage is Ear Candling. Nobody should use it.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZwkZUrtJmg

Click to shrink...

I know some people who swear by this.
🤦‍♀️

 

[The Deleter]

Doesn't getting your ears cleaned regularly cause clogs to happen more? Someone told me that when I expressed interest in getting my ears cleaned and I've never thought about it since.

 

[Mancha]

I see a lot of these little devices for sale, would they be of any help for home cleaning?

Click to shrink...

I wouldn't do it. Going to a doctor appointment is far more safer and I like my super hearing - when I'm not all waxed up every 3-6 months thank you very much. Also wouldn't ever do the burning candle non sense because that's not just even more dangerous.

 

[DarthSpider]

Went deaf in my left ear just last week from blockage. Went to a hospital that night only to get turned away and then the next day I spent 8 hours in the waiting room at a local ENT the next day because they were the only place open on a Sunday. Once the doc finally saw me, I was done in 2 minutes.

It's only the 2nd time it's happened in my 40 years, but I do feel like my ears produce a lot of wax. I used to go in for cleanings about once every 6 months, but a lot of that is because it feels good and I'm probably a bit more paranoid about it than I needed to be.

 

[shoyz]

I get blocked up every few years. I bought one of these Rhino spray bottle ear cleaners that flow water in your ear to clean it out. In fear of hurting myself doing it wrong I went to a walk-in clinic and they used the same exact thing.
If it's an intermittent blockage (going in and out as I press against my ear) I do the hydrogen peroxide rinse, let it bubble and then flow out, although I see conflicting opinions on if it could be an irritant/if you should mix it with water.

Apparently it's an issue primarily for wet waxers, and dry waxers don't get blocked up? Unfair.

 

[Ultima_5]

Do you use ear buds? I️ did for years and led to issues. Pretty much stopped after I️ started limiting my time with them and switched to over ear

 

[Valcrist]

OP, how big a difference is your hearing after a cleaning?

Click to shrink...

Depends, tbh. Sometimes the change is pretty big. My earwax problems are pretty situational... this time for instance the difference was night and day. I was hearing in mono for a few days. Now I hear everything and I'm much happier.

I get blocked up every few years. I bought one of these Rhino spray bottle ear cleaners that flow water in your ear to clean it out. In fear of hurting myself doing it wrong I went to a walk-in clinic and they used the same exact thing.
If it's an intermittent blockage (going in and out as I press against my ear) I do the hydrogen peroxide rinse, let it bubble and then flow out, although I see conflicting opinions on if it could be an irritant/if you should mix it with water.

Apparently it's an issue primarily for wet waxers, and dry waxers don't get blocked up? Unfair.

Click to shrink...

My wax is always wet and mushy, so I'm probably a bad candidate.

Do you use ear buds? I️ did for years and led to issues. Pretty much stopped after I️ started limiting my time with them and switched to over ear

Click to shrink...

Nope! I've never worn them. My ears are sensitive and I have issues with pressure, so I don't. I also don't wear ear plugs for this reason. Also, over the ear noise cancelling headphones hurt my ears a lot for some reason. Not sure why. Just gives a feeling of pressure/causes pain.

 

[Arttemis]

I have waxy ear build up at a crazy rate, too. Have you tried a daily peroxide rinse? It's supposed to retard the rate your ears start producing wax if used daily.

 

[HStallion]

Do you make candles out of what comes out of your ear?

 

[Antrax]

I see a lot of these little devices for sale, would they be of any help for home cleaning?

Click to shrink...

I have one and I love it. My SIL is an audiologist and she said it's fine as long as I don't go in too deep. Outer ear area only.

On the other hand....

Only amateurs don't know how to properly use qtips on their ears. You gotta twist while you push my friend

Click to shrink...

...she says Q-tips are a no regardless of technique. A significant chunk of people she sees for hearing loss are Q-tip users and there's basically no situation where she thinks they're safe lomg-term.

 

[rObit]

I'm with you friend. I was recommended to get those tubes in my ears as a child but my parents were against it so it never happened. I get ear infections once a year like clockwork and they plug pretty frequently, messing with my hearing. It can be enormously frustrating at times. I've tried all the different peroxides and water-based cleaning options, but that stuff always just seems to make things worse somehow. The only thing that ever helps with the infections is going to the urgent care and getting them to give me some prescription-strength drops. Wish I could just order that in bulk and have some on hand, I usually end up waiting it out until the pain is pretty unbearable before I go in hoping that it's a false alarm.