[KJ869]

for regular cleaning I just use 3m earplugs, the 3 flange type. if theres wax it pretty nicely comes out with the plug and some water, and damaging the ear is pretty hard. I ned to get some wax removal thou in the summer. Last plain trip messed up my left ear and theres so wax near my eardrumm what about once a week starts to make ring if I dont press the ear for a second.

 

[imported_euphoria_attack]

i am a medical student and in a tute session the other day we were talking about the issue of 'flushing' ears. the common approach to syringe out ears is to aim the fluid up the top of the ear canal in the hope it will return around the blockage, flushing it out. it is important not to aim directly at the eardrum as perforation of the eardrum is a real possibility. unfortunately there perforation of the eardrum is uncomfortably high at 15% according to one author.

that is why syringing is not recommended practice here in australia - ear suction is preferred even though most gps will still perform the procedure (- it is a procedure). suction is simply safer.

a quick search for more information yielded the following from BMJ:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...i?artid=116671

*disclaimer, i am a first year student!

 

[plainsong]

Ok, who else read that and found it scary? The doctor did put me off to a nurse, and how the heck do I know how well the nurse aimed?

But they are taking the multi-day treatment, I start tonight. Hopefully all will be well.

 

[ipodstudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong Ok, who else read that and found it scary? The doctor did put me off to a nurse, and how the heck do I know how well the nurse aimed? But they are taking the multi-day treatment, I start tonight. Hopefully all will be well.

Me! I had the same problem and have often had my ears rinsed out with warm injected water. I still use tips occasionally but I'm very wary when doing so....

 

[plainsong]

Well treatment one went a bit like this -

1- Take a shower, get out, get dressed and all that
2- Lie down on bed with bad ear facing up
3- Warm-up ear drops in hand
4- Drop 20 drops into ear
5- Wiggle my ear to get it good and in there
6- Seal the ear with a cotton ball - lightly
7- Wait for a very boring hour
8- Get up, go to kitchen, fill up cup with warm water
9- Go to bathroom, fill included plunger thing with the water, tip my bad ear towards the sink, and flush out. (very careful and gentle in this step)
10- Repeat rinsing

And I kinda feel a difference and I kinda don't. If I move around the skin outside my ear, everything sounds completely normal for 5 seconds, then it goes back. There's also some irritation in there. And there feels like there's a lump of something there. So either it's better or it's worse.

11- repeated with the other ear. The other ear still feels fine

And tomorrow I go to back to the nurse, although a different nurse this time, I believe.

 

[Born2bwire]

Metallica's my q-tip

 

[Stoner]

Some people just have very very narrow, or mazed ear canals, and at the same time doesn't know how to operate a Q-Tip, thus thrusting whatever's on the walls of the ear canals further in, instead of out.

I have giant ear canals, so Q-Tips are not a problem. Although I don't drill my ears every damn day w/ it like some people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood Consider yourself lucky. I know someone who had a roommate bump into her when she was using a Q-tip, and it pierced her eardrum. SHe was bleeding quite a bit from the ear. Now she has permanent hearing damage.

OMG, that's sick. Ok, you're just making that up.

 

[ipodstudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoner Some people just have very very narrow, or mazed ear canals, and at the same time doesn't know how to operate a Q-Tip, thus thrusting whatever's on the walls of the ear canals further in, instead of out. I have giant ear canals, so Q-Tips are not a problem. Although I don't drill my ears every damn day w/ it like some people. OMG, that's sick. Ok, you're just making that up.

My ears are definately different sizes, at least the canals. Makes things even more complex

 

[zeplin]

The myth that Q-tips should never be used simply isn't true (according to the doctors I've been to). I've had many doctors tell me that they are safe. And as I have asked, they tell me the correct way to use them. Of course, like with all things, if you use them incorrectly you will risk damage (sometimes permanent) caused by injuring something. I've used q-tips for well over 15 years now and have never had any problems. My hearing has always and is currently top notch. In fact, it is actually better than it has ever been. My audiologist told me that my hearing is extremely accute and that I can hear what most people can't (this is in result of taking many diiferent types of hearing tests). No matter what, ear wax will always build up and there will always be some that is way back in there out of reach. This has happened to me from both going without cleaning my ears with q-tips, and with q-tips. The solution to both of those results are the same...soaking your ear canal with a solution/liquid to help loosen that unreachable wax. I just wanted to say that if used right, q-tips are perfectly safe. Only stick them in as far as a couple mm past the rim of the ear canal, which is not much at all, but it helps get the majority of that daily wax build-up out.

 

[plainsong]

It was nice of them to see me today, May Day's eve. The place was a ghost town. I saw another nurse for this one, and apparently the remo-wax just took time to kick-in because both ears are wax free now. It was like people were living in there.

And the stuff that came out, no Q-tip could have gotten.

I suppose different doctors and nurses have differing opinions, but the culture in my neighborhood is decidedly against Q-tips. The doctor thought they should come with warnings to not use in the ears, the two nurses were of the same opinion, as well as the local pharmicist. *shrug* Well at least these kind people's combined smarts got my ears back in tip-top shape.

 

[pedxing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demolition These things are ubiquitous in Japan. Possibly in other Asian countries, too. There's a description of them at this page (scroll about 1/3 down the page to the blurb titled "What's The Stick With The Little Spoon on the End?"). I have a few of these things. The Japanese call them mimikaki (mimi = ear and kaki = rake/pick). Very effective if you have flaky earwax, rather than the wet or gummy variety. D.

That's the device I use. I have flaky ear waxes. Everyone else in my family have the gooey type, so they have to use something else like a Q-tip.