[lilkoolaidman]

I didn't know where to post this, but since I'm wondering in regards to my IEMs, I felt it belonged here.

So, I learned recently that using q-tips is quite dangerous (whoops), so what I want to know is, how would you safely clean your ears? Can you clean them everyday? Is it safe to use a tissue and your finger? I'm mainly concerned about wax getting on my IEMs and I want my ears to be as wax-free as possible, but I don't want to ruin my ears either

 

[durden]

q-tips are dangerous - according to the medical field. Asking my doctor he said that as long as you don't insert them too deep, you're alright. Just be careful. I clean my ears daily after I get out of the shower. I don't produce excess amounts of wax, but I make enough that my ears itch constantly without cleaning.

I have heard some people say they use hydrogen peroxide. Just tip your head to one side, pour some in, let it soak for 10-15 seconds, tip your head back and let it drain. Also, some doctors use pressurized water (sounds like cases where one has alot of ear wax). I for one just use q-tips with a little bit of water on em.

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilkoolaidman /img/forum/go_quote.gif I didn't know where to post this, but since I'm wondering in regards to my IEMs, I felt it belonged here. So, I learned recently that using q-tips is quite dangerous (whoops), so what I want to know is, how would you safely clean your ears? Can you clean them everyday? Is it safe to use a tissue and your finger? I'm mainly concerned about wax getting on my IEMs and I want my ears to be as wax-free as possible, but I don't want to ruin my ears either

First of all, ear wax is healthy, unless it's compressed or excessive. It is the mechanism your body uses to protect your ears against germs.

The easiest simplest way to keep it from getting excessive is to let warm water get in your ears in the shower or tub, and then tilt your head to let the water run out. That's about it really.

 

[h41cyon]

Q-Tips are dangerous if you are stupid and don't know how to do it right. If you have an IQ over 100, you should be fine. Perhaps if you have abnormal ear canals qtipping could be bad, but most do not.

I regularly Q-Tip after a shower (daily), so I already got water in my ears. Just take one, twist it in, go slow so as not to go too deep, and voila! I've been doing it this way for the past 15 years and my doc has never noticed anything wrong w/ my ears. They are always clean and I never get any ear infections.

QTips work, don't diss 'em.

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by h41cyon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Q-Tips are dangerous if you are stupid and don't know how to do it right. If you have an IQ over 100, you should be fine. Perhaps if you have abnormal ear canals qtipping could be bad, but most do not. I regularly Q-Tip after a shower (daily), so I already got water in my ears. Just take one, twist it in, go slow so as not to go too deep, and voila! I've been doing it this way for the past 15 years and my doc has never noticed anything wrong w/ my ears. QTips work, don't diss 'em.

I completely disagree. QTips are bad. It's not just the risk of puncturing your eardrum that's bad. There's also the fact that using them too much can compress the wax in the inner ear. And the fact that ear wax is beneficial in the first place. Not having ear wax can cause problems with your ears.

Here's an article by an actual medical doctor:

All Ears: Earwax - Good

 

[RASeymour]

For years I had excessive ear wax, so much so that twice a year or so my ears would block up ( partially from q-tip use, I might add ). Then, I had to go to the walk-in clinic and have them blown out. They take a huge plastic syringe and fill it with warm water and then blast your ear, a few times. The chunks of ear wax would come out in to the basin you hold under your ear. Not unpleasant, but annoying to have to go in there ( and just a bit embarrassing ).

Ear wax isn't unique to IEM wearers. Doctors get it with the stethoscopes ( at least that is what nurses have told me ).

You can do the same thing with home ear kits, available at any drug store. There's a solution that will soften up the ear wax. After letting the solution soak in, take a shower right away and use the included blue rubber bulb to blow out the wax.

I do this every few months, when I start to see ear wax on my tips (harder now with the shures and black complys). More in the summer than in these frigid Wisconsin winters.

Ear wax is natural but it mucks up the filters on IEM's. I loved my q-jays with the xxs tips. Goes in deep and super comfortable. But wet ears (after a shower) and ear wax had me changing the filters every month. Even with cleaning I find I need to change my Ety filters every six months.

 

[xraycat]

I was always wondering the same thing. I've had to have my ears irrigated a couple times at a walk-in clinic. The experience is actually pretty enjoyable and the difference in my hearing before and after was amazing. I'd guess that I produce an excessive amount of wax as well and will probably buy and try one of those home kits as there is always wax attached to my IEMs everytime I use them.

 

[cn11]

I got a massive ear infection from using those home kits back in April. Not pleasant at all. I guess water tends to not drain out of my ears as readily as it should (I used to get infections a lot as a kid after being in a pool). I personally will never use one of those kits again. The infection was so bad that I had to go several times to an ear/nose/throat specialist, and get my ear swabbed out and a wick with medicine reinserted. I've vowed now that if I ever feel my ears getting the least bit clogged up, I'll just go in for another cleaning. The fee was only about $30. And he did it without the pressurized water.. just used a hooked tool to get down in the canal, followed by suction. Totally worth it once or twice a year in my book.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Q-Tips are just fine. I've used them daily for at least ten years with zero infections and zero ill effects. Doctors either say nothing or comment that my ears are clean.

You cannot push a wax plug into your ear further if there isn't a wax plug there to begin with. If you have a plug, get it cleaned out at the clinic. Once you're clean, you can use the shower jets to flush your ears during a morning shower and then clean up with Q-Tips. That's what I do and it works fine.

I don't find earwax "natural" or "healthy" or anything like that. It dries up into flakes that rattle around and make crunching noises when I turn my head. I don't see any point to leaving that in there when it can be easily removed without harm.

I suppose there's a risk from using toilet paper, too, instead of allowing the "natural" process of whatever cavemen did.

 

[Pianist]

Be careful with q-tips. I was cleaning my ears once with a q-tip as usual and as I was inserting it into my left ear, my hand shook for some reason - can't remember why - and the q-tip plunged deep into my ear canal. I felt some pain and I suspect that that incident might have been the cause of some hearing loss that I am experiencing now in that ear.

 

[theKraken11]

I think pushing back the ear wax with a q-tip is a real concern, but I'm going to ask a local pharmacist about this.

 

[Seamaster]

The key: use Q-Tip after shower when ear wax is still wet and soft. I wash my ears every time when take shower. Don't scrap too hard and try to go too deep when Q-Tipping.

 

[earthpeople]

Just agreeing with the q-tippers; use them after a shower. Everytime I've been in for a check-up, flu shot, whatever, I've asked to have my ears checked for wax build-up and they always tell me my ears are very clean and nice. If you wash out your ears in the shower, you can remove any major pieces and the q-tip will clean up the rest of it nicely, along with helping to dry out your ear.

 

[expresado]

I clean it with this spray. Take it lightly its just advertisement - YouTube - Audispray - Audispray Junior - Werbung

 

[heishiro]

i use regular cotton buds after shower, sometimes i feel itch inside my ear when i use Ep630
thats why i switch to ear-buds Pk2 never felt any itching moment again