How's your earwax?
Dec 22, 2009 at 8:35 PM Post #33 of 59
On occasion I use something called "Murine" and, similarly to the Otix, it comes with that mini baster type thing and has in-ear bubbling action.

Never had anything that looked like mud-monster come out, but on occasion little pebble sized fellows. The day that I clean my ear and Swamp Thing comes out, I'm getting new ears.
 
Dec 23, 2009 at 2:52 AM Post #34 of 59
Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I clean daily with Q-Tips.

Despite all the talk about pushing a plug deeper in, you can't push a plug if it isn't there in the first place. I use the shower to irrigate my ears every morning and then use Q-Tips to clean out the loosened wax. Works great, I never get buildups and can still hear a 20kHz tone at 37.

As for the whole "you'll hurt yourself" argument, I think using contact lenses is a far more delicate operation, yet millions do it themselves. Ear cleaning is practiced by other cultures, as well, and is seen is a basic cleaning process. You do have to be careful, but you can safely clean your own ears.


Me too, for the past 41 years and I have never had an earwax problem.

A couple of months ago, I went to an audiologist to get IEM impressions and she told me I had the cleanest ears she'd seen in a long time. I told her I used q-tips daily and she said it was not wise to do so and then proceeded to yammer on about why...as she filled my ear with foam! After 41 years - that's nearly 30,000 q-tips! - no wax and she still chided me!!!

My father had a wax problem until I suggested he use q-tips and never again after that.

I wonder how much the medical profession makes cleaning out ears?
 
Dec 23, 2009 at 4:58 AM Post #35 of 59
Quote:

Originally Posted by intoflatlines /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have always had problems with earwax buildup in my ears. My earwax gets very hard also. Whenever I go to the doctor for a general checkup, I always have to get wax removed so they can get a good look at my eardrum. It is incredibly painful (words can't describe) and they usually get out some nasty dark looking earwax.

I am Asian, and some people say that Asians have more earwax issues than others, but my aunt claims, from her experience, that Asians have less earwax than others.

In preparation for getting custom IEMs, I decided to do a deep cleaning of my ears to remove/soften any wax before I go to the audiologist for impressions. I bought one of those over the counter earwax removal things by Otix. Pretty much it's a hydrogen peroxide (I think) solution and one of those blue things with a bulb on it that you use on babies to clear out their airway. I forget what it's called. On my second day of using it I was rinsing out my ears with the bulb filled with warm water, applying high pressure with the water and an enormous slab of earwax came out. I'm talking HUGE. It was dark brown, hard, and kind of tar-like. If someone else showed it to me and told me that it came out of a human's ear I wouldn't believe them. A chunk of similar size came out of the my other ear too.

Anyone have a similar experience or am I just "special"?


When I was a kid, I had to have my ears irrigated by the family doctor a couple of times each year due to wax buildup. It hurt like hell, was nasty smelling and was very dark brown/orange. I have two children that had to get irrigations growing up.

These days I use the shower daily, and the bulb (and carbamide or hydrogen peroxide) to clean my ears routinely. But yeah, I've seen some large, nasty wads come out of my and my kids' ears with the consistency of beeswax.
 
Dec 26, 2009 at 5:07 AM Post #36 of 59
Quote:

Originally Posted by Get_Zwole /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just get it done when im already at the doctor so insurance covers it 25 bucks for me copay.


how much is it w/o insurance? or at an audiologist?(do all audiologists even do it?)
 
Dec 26, 2009 at 5:42 AM Post #37 of 59
Quote:

Originally Posted by IDK /img/forum/go_quote.gif
how much is it w/o insurance? or at an audiologist?(do all audiologists even do it?)


I really couldnt say to be honest. I wouldnt think it would be more then around 60 bucks or so but i could be wrong.
 
Dec 26, 2009 at 5:44 AM Post #38 of 59
I use one of those asian earwax removal stick, usually once every 2 weeks. Last time I tried to check to audiologist, he said my ears are fine, no need to do any cleaning.

Mimikaki_take.jpg
 
Dec 26, 2009 at 6:59 AM Post #39 of 59
I can hear earwax crackling in my ears right now. I need to pick up some Otix and give it a try. I'm afraid something nasty will come out. If any do, pics will follow.
tongue.gif
 
Dec 26, 2009 at 8:12 AM Post #40 of 59
Quote:

Originally Posted by IDK /img/forum/go_quote.gif
how much is it w/o insurance? or at an audiologist?(do all audiologists even do it?)


You want to go to an ENT doctor (otolaryngologist), not an audiologist. In case it's something other than wax. You can get a referral from your primary care physician, that means two co-pays, but that's the end of it.

For me that means 2 x $10 .. best $20 I ever spent!
 
Dec 26, 2009 at 10:34 PM Post #43 of 59
I still can't find my card reader. If anyone has either a USB or PCMIA CF card reader send it my way
wink.gif
.

If anyone else has earwax shots, post them here.
biggrin.gif


After reading responses with similar stories, I'm starting to think that the thing I pulled from my ear isn't all that big and people might be disappointed after I talked it up so much..
 
Jan 17, 2010 at 2:55 AM Post #44 of 59
FYI, you should put drops in both ears for 4-5 days before having your doctor flush them out to avoid any pain. My doctor, WON"T flush my ears out unless I've put the drops in to soften the ear wax. Would have thought your doctors would have had a similar policy...
 
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