[ardgedee]

Quote:

I looked through this entire forum and I can't find any information regarding what the procedure would be like that my audiologist I went to told me she wanted to do on me. Most people here say to drop oil. But the way the audiologist spoke to me, it seemed like she wanted to do something more "professional". :S

 
Your audiologist wanted to charge you to clean your ears because, basically, if there's a lot of ear wax or it got impacted the removal is a fairly involved process. That crud has to come out before the impression material can go in. Removal is an added service, so the extra $70 for it seems reasonable to me.
 
To clean your ears yourself: Go down to your local drug store and get a bottle of Debrox or whatever cheaper house-brand version the store offers.
 
A couple days before your appointment, start using it, following the instructions to the letter. After each use (if you use it more than once), clean the outer ear and outermost part of the ear canal only with a Q-tip to dry the ear. Let your ears dry thoroughly before you put any IEMs back in.
 
I've noticed that when I spend time in major cities, my ears start producing a whole lot more wax than usual. I think it's the pollution.
 
Quote:

Since I'm going to be booking an appointment in the next few days, whats a good product for cleaning out all the wax in your ears? I really don't want to book an appointment only to have to reschedule due to wax buildup. Also, can anyone tell me what would make the perfect bite block just in case the audiologist doesn't have one? Right now I'm comtemplating buying a pack of cigarettes and using that as a bite block.

 
Probably too soft. The bite blocks I've seen are hard plastic. When you book the appointment, ask if they have bite blocks. They probably do, even if they don't usually use them.

 

[serious7]

Quote:

As I have posted previously if your ears are too waxy you will have to reschedule and get them cleaned, I would recommend getting them professionally cleaned. I have been down this road in my first set of impressions.

Could you tell me what the process is called of getting them professionally cleaned so that I can research more about it online? 

 

[spekkio]

If I am not wrong it is called syringing

 

[tomscy2000]

"Syringing" merely refers to the act of using a syringe to siphon softened cerumen from the ear. I don't know if there's a specific name for the procedure itself.

 

[anoxy]

Not to be rude, but What? How do you have that much gunk in your ears that you need to get it professionally removed? No offense intended, but don't you use q-tips?

 

[phlashbios]

You should never use qtips in your ear canal and any doctor or audiologist would tell you that. Using qtips can cause compacting of wax against the ear drum, or even damage the ear drum itself. The only part of the ear that should be cleaned with qtips is the outer part of the ear.

 

[anoxy]

Hm, well I've been using q-tips my entire life and I had no compacting of wax. Clean as whistles.
 
I usually get one side a little wet, then roll it around the inside of my canal, obviously not going so deep as to touch my eardrum. Then I use the dry side to do the same and clean up any moisture, and finish off the outer part of my ear. Works like a charm.

 

[tinyman392]

Q-Tips actually just push back ear wax deeper into the ear...  Not a good idea. 

 

[gidion27]

Qtips are indeed for the outher part of the ear. I am waiting for some one to post pictures

 

[tigon_ridge]

I haven't cleaned my ears in over 10 years. There may be nothing to clean, anyways. My hearing seems fine. o.o

 

[pOOB73]

Quote:

Hm, well I've been using q-tips my entire life and I had no compacting of wax. Clean as whistles.
 
I usually get one side a little wet, then roll it around the inside of my canal, obviously not going so deep as to touch my eardrum. Then I use the dry side to do the same and clean up any moisture, and finish off the outer part of my ear. Works like a charm.

Same here. Using Q-Tips almost every day, very carefully not trying to push anything in, but getting stuff out. The audiologist confirmed that the inside of my ears were squeaky clean too before taking the impressions. Did some DIY hearing test a couple of weeks before I went there and despite being almost 40, I could still hear frequencies slighty above 18khz. So I assume there's no wax lumps deeper inside the ear.

 

[FullCircle]

Quote:

So I went to the audiologist today but she said she couldn't do it because i had wax and she said it had to be professionaly  removed and she said the removal of wax would cost $75. Her cost to do impressions also cost $75. So that's $150 in total. Is wax removal a normal thing to be charged on? 

 
 
   yes

 

[Sorensiim]

I've made a habit out of tilting my head to the side while I'm in the shower. Daily rinse of my ear canals right there. I use a q-tip to carefully dry them afterwards. 

 

[fuzzyash]

theres a couple threads on head fi about ear cleaning to look up
basically theres syringing (big syringe that pumps water into your ears) or diluted hydrogen peroxide (better to buy the ones in store)
just go to a family doctor and get it syringed- doesnt take more than a couple mins for 2 pumps per ear to take out the ear wax
i find it completely bs that they charge $75 for something so simple- but dont try it without a professional as i think they are capable of blowing out your eardrums
if you want to do it yourself, i think better to get the premade hydrogen peroxide
and dont you q-tips to clean out your inner ears- they just push in and compact the ear wax more

 

[tinyman392]

I've had my ears cleaned twice in my life (not for doing impressions either)...  First time, an earwig crawled into my ear while I was asleep.  It was in there for a good month without me realizing until I couldn't hear that well out of that ear   The second time a fly flew into my other ear and decided to lay there and die...  That one stayed in there for less than 24 hours since I knew about it.  Moral of the story, don't let bugs get into your ear, they don't like to come out!