Blocked ear wax

PerfectChristmas

I agree with the oil for the ear. I'm awful for having blocked ears from wax (and not infection).

With my last one, once I'd done it for a week and it had softened I used an Aculife Ear Wax Removal Syringe from Amazon (Can't link as new but google will find it) It's not directed at your ear drum so the water safely runs out with the wax and the hearing difference is amazing!

Might have to do it a few times to get it all out and it's gruesome when it comes out but boy is it fascinating!

bluelass

Otex is the best I tried for getting rid of wax. You don't need to buy the one with the bulb syringe (combi pack) the drops alone work well. The nurse at my doctors surgery told me they are good even for bad cases of impacted wax and should make having to them syringed unnecessary which they did. Lots of soft wax will come out around 4 days of using them. The eurax ones were useless for me I might as well have used olive oil.I f you have pain or any smell or discharge make sure you see the doctor or nurse first before you put any in, to rule out any infection. The Otex has a fizzing sensation but I enjoyed it knowing it was breaking the pesky wax down.

SailorSam

I've just got home after going to the 'walk in' to have my ears stringed, it's great to be able to hear again i wouldn't have believed it could make so much difference. Only problem is my tinnitus has come back, i souldn't hear it before. If i'd known i would have gone on the train rather than drive. After it was done i could feel myself going dizzy, felt terrible walking through the shops back to the carpark and i sat in the car for 10 minutes before coming home. But i've got the radio on and can hear what they're saying and it's not on full volume like it has been.

KaiserBill

I have been having this problem for some time now. My doctor explained to me that it is a common thing as we get older, for some reason the wax seems to get harder.

Normally I have to get my ears syringed every few years. I normally soften it up beforehand by putting olive oil in them for a week before I go.

I have tried Otex, but sadly for me it simply did not work. Having read this I am now going to try the sodium bicarbonate drops. I would very much prefer not to have my ears syringed so much.

teddysmum

I've found that, as I'm older, I often get sticky eyes and waxy ears on waking. However, the wax is soft and easily wiped away (except on the occasion mentioned above).

pendragon_arther

Olive oil or, and I know this is hard to believe, swimming down to the bottom of the swimming pool deep end where the pressure will loosen the wax. It does work, I've done it.

tyllwyd

Another thing a nurse recommended to me was to use steam (boiling water in a bowl, sit with your head under a tea towel - obviously with all safety precautions, because a friend of mine at school managed to burn her legs badly by doing that with the bowl balanced in her lap). It didn't work for me but might be worth a try.


If you need your ears syringed, you might find they are more fussy now about how long you have put oil into your ears beforehand - our gp wants you to do it for a few weeks first.

teddysmum

Some GPs will not provide a syringing service. My son had to pay for his (not at the GP surgery).