Ear Wax Why does my GP surgery no longer syringe

JAK57

It sounds to me that you GP is not at all helpful. You could try Acu Life Soft Tip Ear Wax Removal Syringe available at Boots and other Pharmacies over the counter. This instrument is meant to flush the wax out of your ear after softening up first with Olive oil drops. I don't know how you can tell if the wax has been removed. You may have to return to your GP surgery so they can look into your ear with their special instrument which has a light. Perhaps you could make an appointment with a different doctor at your surgery. The problem is if your surgery is like mine you will have to wait 2 weeks for a non urgent appointment. Your issue would appear to come under that category. he may refer you to the ENT department at your local hospital but again you will probably have another long wait for an appointment. Hospitals (ENT departments) do carry out ear syringing. There does not appear to be a quick solution .Good Luck!!!

coffeehound

For £70 you can buy a Kitty Hydrofloss oral irrigator that apparently some surgeries use for ear irrigation. I'm not recommending people go blasting their ears themselves though. I did give it a go once and didn't get anything out, though perhaps if I'd done the two weeks' softening first it would have worked.

A youtube video by (apparently) a doctor was saying that olive oil can go rancid in the ear and he recommended liquid paraffin (baby oil) instead. Some of the proprietary drops are made of glycerin and dilute hydrogen peroxide solution which apparently helps things along by fizzing up and breaking up accumulations. I have both those in the cupboard so might give it a try.

WearyWoman

You don't want to damage your ear. If thinking of purchasing a syringe make sure it is a recognized brand from a reputable pharmacy. Do not buy one on line that comes from China or Asia. it is not worth the risk for the sake of saving a few pounds.I have no idea how you can check if the wax has cleared from your ears. If they are still feeling uncomfortable i would suggest you make a routine appointment with your GP now, as you probably won't be able to get an appointment for about 10 to 14 days. Then if they do feel better then you can cancel your appointment. I am not sure whether pharmacists have the equipment or expertise to look into your ear to see of the wax is still there.

GreatExpectations

i had problems with wax in my ears. My GP told me to put Olive Oil in my ears not both at the same time which would loosen the wax but did give me any further advise, except to say go back to see him in 3 months. I used the olive oil for about a month , 2 weeks for each ear the purchased the Acu Life Soft Tip Ear Wax Syringe from Boots. The joint action did the trick and i have been back to my GP this week and he confirmed the wax had been cleared and there was to damage to my ear. He told me that as you get older wax is more likely to build up in your ear and the olive oil treatment should be done to both ears every 6 months.

ripplyuk

My elderly MIL went to the GP with severe ear wax, which was starting to affect her hearing. He gave her olive oil drops. The next morning she woke up completely deaf, and very frightened. The olive oil just seemed to add to the load. Still they refused to syringe them and we now have to yell at her for her to hear us.

I thought the stringing with water was replaced by the vacuum type thing they use in hospital. But it seems a lot of them have just stopped doing anything and going private is the only way.

teddysmum

If your mother-in-law sees a pharmacist, they will probably prescribe sterile saline water, which worked for me (and the dogs).


They are now able to diagnose and give treatment for number of conditions, with no charge if the person has free prescriptions, but the drops are cheap to buy, anyway

TinaRobin

As you grow older ear wax is more common. I visited my GP earlier this month and he said syringing in no longer undertaken at the surgery but I could pay to have it done privately. He suggested I used olive oil drops for 2 weeks in both ears. It is messy but I think it is making a small improvement. I certainly have no intention of paying over £50 to have them syringed privately.

Mayday

I was hearing perfectly well before I had my shower yesterday morning; after it I had a water blockage in my left ear which won't shift - consequently my hearing is very impaired

And it's beginning to worry me as I already have a slight hearing impairment in my right ear.

Being Christmas, everywhere is closed for next 3-4 days, so suggestions welcomed.

HitAndMiss

My GP gave me some ear drops to put in my ears for two weeks and arranged through his reception staff for the practice nurse to syringe my ears just over two weeks later. This resolved my ear problem and I could hear properly over Christmas. Obviously GP practices have different rules/opinions over syringing. However I suspect it comes down to funding issues.

want_to_save

i go to get mine vacumed every 6 months, have historically had issues with ears and infections and excema so got tissue damage in the canal and this is the only thing that works without me sticking things in my ears. ask for a referral?