Earwax/clogged ear canal

[AnnoyedGrunt]

Hi Dr. Steve,

Earlier this week I woke up to find that I could barely hear out of my right ear, almost as if I was waterlogged after swimming. After a few seconds of panic while still groggy I stick my finger in my ear ( I know, I'm an animal) and I discover a shit load of ear wax must have been dislodged while I was sleeping. So I clean things out and I go along with my day, no hearing trouble. The problem is that the exact same thing happened again this morning. I'll admit that I've been lax with my use of q-tips all my life so is it possible that I'm just way overdue for a cleaning or is this a symptom of a larger issue like an eardrum that's about to burst or something else disastrous?

I know there's already an ear wax question asked in thsi forum, but I figure it can't hurt to ask again.

[Dr Steve]

Hi Dr. Steve,

Earlier this week I woke up to find that I could barely hear out of my right ear, almost as if I was waterlogged after swimming. After a few seconds of panic while still groggy I stick my finger in my ear ( I know, I'm an animal) and I discover a shit load of ear wax must have been dislodged while I was sleeping. So I clean things out and I go along with my day, no hearing trouble. The problem is that the exact same thing happened again this morning. I'll admit that I've been lax with my use of q-tips all my life so is it possible that I'm just way overdue for a cleaning or is this a symptom of a larger issue like an eardrum that's about to burst or something else disastrous?

I know there's already an ear wax question asked in thsi forum, but I figure it can't hurt to ask again.


Grunt:

When you say the "exact same thing happened this morning" do you mean you discovered another shitload of wax in your ear? Or do you mean you got the waterlogged feeling again?

You may just have another clod of wax in that ear. If there's any pain with it, don't try to clean it out yourself, seek the help of a professional. In my office, I love it when people come in with clogged ears...I have the stuff to clean them out (a MASSIVE chrome syringe and a few other toys)
http://www.intermed.co.za/img/instruments_earsyringe_big.jpg

After looking in the ear with an otoscope and diagnosing a cerumen impaction (ear canal clogged with wax), we'll often use warm water with a little peroxide in it to lavage (rinse out...jeez, can't we just use english words?) the ear canal...after a few pumps, big globs of hairy wax come out and ploop into the container pressed up against the neck under the ear that catches the lavage solution.

It's very satisfying for patient and doctor...one of those "I came in with a problem and I left cured" situations that don't happen every day.

Now, there are other things that can cause a sudden decrease in hearing ability...all of them can be diagnosed in the doctor's office.

One quick question: can you "pop" your ears? If not, you may have a problem with fluid behind the eardrum or even an ear infection (though I would expect pain in the latter).


Hope this helps. There can never be too many earwax threads, in my opinion.


your pal,


steve

[TooCute]

Be glad you're not a dog. We get dogs all the time with all kinds of wax and not only do we [I]lavage[I] it out, we also take tweezers and pluck all the hair out of the ear canal so it doesn't happen again. That's GOTTA hurt!!!!

[Gunner S]

Grunt:

When you say the "exact same thing happened this morning" do you mean you discovered another shitload of wax in your ear? Or do you mean you got the waterlogged feeling again?

You may just have another clod of wax in that ear. If there's any pain with it, don't try to clean it out yourself, seek the help of a professional. In my office, I love it when people come in with clogged ears...I have the stuff to clean them out (a MASSIVE chrome syringe and a few other toys)
http://www.intermed.co.za/img/instruments_earsyringe_big.jpg

After looking in the ear with an otoscope and diagnosing a cerumen impaction (ear canal clogged with wax), we'll often use warm water with a little peroxide in it to lavage (rinse out...jeez, can't we just use english words?) the ear canal...after a few pumps, big globs of hairy wax come out and ploop into the container pressed up against the neck under the ear that catches the lavage solution.

It's very satisfying for patient and doctor...one of those "I came in with a problem and I left cured" situations that don't happen every day.

Now, there are other things that can cause a sudden decrease in hearing ability...all of them can be diagnosed in the doctor's office.

One quick question: can you "pop" your ears? If not, you may have a problem with fluid behind the eardrum or even an ear infection (though I would expect pain in the latter).


Hope this helps. There can never be too many earwax threads, in my opinion.


your pal,


steve

That happened to my friend one time, he described it as "They put a bunch of water in my ear and took a tube and sucked the wax out"

That kid once pulled a ball of was the size of a finger out of there one time.

[AnnoyedGrunt]

When you say the "exact same thing happened this morning" do you mean you discovered another shitload of wax in your ear? Or do you mean you got the waterlogged feeling again?

Actually, both. The second time I woke up again with diminished hearing, though I figured it was more wax and was right. While I do describe it as being waterlogged that probably isn't it considering I haven't gone swimming at all this year.

One quick question: can you "pop" your ears? If not, you may have a problem with fluid behind the eardrum or even an ear infection (though I would expect pain in the latter).

I can pop my ears and there's no pain, though I remember that I had to see the doctor maybe 7 years ago because one of my ears wouldn't. She gave me a nasal spray and I think it cleared up eventually.

[Dr Steve]

Actually, both. The second time I woke up again with diminished hearing, though I figured it was more wax and was right. While I do describe it as being waterlogged that probably isn't it considering I haven't gone swimming at all this year.
I can pop my ears and there's no pain, though I remember that I had to see the doctor maybe 7 years ago because one of my ears wouldn't. She gave me a nasal spray and I think it cleared up eventually.


Ok, I think you can buy a MURINE EAR KIT and just clean out your ears every 4 months and keep this from happening again. OR you can just wait until they clog up again and give 'em a good talking to with the syringe. If have any symptoms that won't go away, or have pain, drainage or fever, go see your doctor instead of messing with it yourself.

have fun!