The Official Head Fi Ear Wax Thread

how to clean them??? home remedies?

Ear wax buildup is normal, it will only become a problem when it causes ear pain or you have a loss of hearing.  If you have either of these, there is one safe way to clean your ear. 

This is what my doctor did when I got mine cleaned, so I know it works (more on my weird outcome in a bit):

• Get room temperature water and fill it in a clean bucket, large bowl, container, etc.
• Use a syringe (bigger = better) or other object that can force water into something.  Something like this would work: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SOJXGA/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001FPEDHA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1CJQ9VQ1ENSVMN2BE5BQ
• Forcefully squirt the water into the ear that's causing problems.  Repeat this step until the ear wax comes out. 
• Dry your ears with a cloth afterwards.

Now for what happened to me...  I went in and got some ear drops since I thought I had an ear infection, doctor confirms.  About a month later, the pain comes back.  So I go back and ask for my ears cleaned.  We clean the ear like stated above and a full-sized bug pops out of my ear (it's dead).  So apparently some bug crawled into my ear and began rotting (that's what my doctor saw, the rotting).  After clearing the bacteria, the bug remained.  Then my doctor checked me again and saw some build-up.  We cleaned the ear out.  Fun little story

thats crazy that there was a bug in your ear. I personally wouldn't trust anyone sticking a syringe in my ear though....

Quote:

Originally Posted by seaskimmer 

thats crazy that there was a bug in your ear. I personally wouldn't trust anyone sticking a syringe in my ear though....

It's not really a syringe, there is no needle.  It's just a big hole on one end that just hangs outside your ear canal, it doesn't go in. 

Yea I saw thee amazon link but I don't like the idea of high pressure water in/near my ears. Wouldn't even trust myself doing it.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by seaskimmer 

Yea I saw thee amazon link but I don't like the idea of high pressure water in/near my ears. Wouldn't even trust myself doing it.....

Gotcha...  There really isn't any other way to do it though that is as effective. 

Ok that bug thing is just plain crazy!  Im not sure if seeing a picture of that would be super cool or super gross...or both?

I clean my ears every morning and I can listen to music in the train journey without producing any ear wax. However, on my way back in the evening, my ears produce some ear wax and its a little annoying. So is there an easy way to clean my ears during the day while I'm at university/work?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max598 

Ok that bug thing is just plain crazy!  Im not sure if seeing a picture of that would be super cool or super gross...or both?

I couldn't get a picture, I was expecting ear wax, so I didn't bring a camera to take a picture of ear wax.  It was half decayed, so it was gross looking, and scary that that was in my ear for the last month (or two).

I live on an island and people are very careful not to clean all the ear wax out. The earwax is what kills the bugs they believe. I'm sitting on this couch and I feel something crawl into my ear. All I can say is you say to yourself "this can't be what just happened.............that can't be true?" about two weeks later I was cleaning my ears with q-tips and this big clear long earwig like dead bug comes out. HA

Quote:

Originally Posted by naviman 

I clean my ears every morning and I can listen to music in the train journey without producing any ear wax. However, on my way back in the evening, my ears produce some ear wax and its a little annoying. So is there an easy way to clean my ears during the day while I'm at university/work?

I would recommend against cleaning your ears that often (especially if you are using Q-tips; these push ear wax back into the deep part of the ear (very bad).  Also, ear wax plays a role in our immune system helping us fight infection.  Only clean when it causes pain or hearing loss.

When I got my impressions made monday, the audiologist was all fire and brimstone about some oxidized wax in my ear canal, I told him I would talk to my family doctor. I did, and this is what my family doctor had to say:

Debrox kit, drops twice a day for 3 days

then with a  50/50 warm water/ hydrogen peroxide solution use the bulb as directed to wash your ears out.

That's it.