[Max598]

this thread makes me want to start taping my ears shut when i go to bed! The number of bug-in-the-ear incidents is scaring the hell out of me haha

 

[BattleBrat]

ear plugs for sleep wouldn't kill you, and would keep the critters out 

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

ear plugs for sleep wouldn't kill you, and would keep the critters out 

That's a much better idea than taping your ears shut...  Downside is that you might not hear the fire alarm go off...

 

[AstralStorm]

Quote:

Let the audiologist know upfront that this is a cerumen-related visit.
 
And get a hearing screening while you're there!

Quite a few audiologists around here (Poland) don't have good enough equipment to do more accurate measurements than just screening ones - about 5 dB sensitive 1-10kHz.
 
(My story I've posted previously is pretty old.)

 

[Redcarmoose]

 
 
 
 
So after reading this thread I find this guy on my front door. Just thought I'd throw in a q-tip in the photo.

 

[Redcarmoose]

 

[anadin]

 

[Redcarmoose]

  lol 

 

[JackKontney]

FYI cerumen (the active chemical in earwax) is, in fact, an insect repellent.
 
It also keeps the tympanic membrane from drying out.

 

[JackKontney]

Excellent basic article on earwax...
 
http://www.speech-language-development.com/cerumen.html

 

[RADI0HEAD]

I clean my ears with a Q-tip every day after a shower. Been doing this for over 30 years. I know doctors will tell you not to do this but I've never had a problem with my ears. YMMV

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

I clean my ears with a Q-tip every day after a shower. Been doing this for over 30 years. I know doctors will tell you not to do this but I've never had a problem with my ears. YMMV

It can cause problems since you are essentially just shoving the ear wax to the back of your ear.

 

[Mkubota1]

Quote:

I clean my ears with a Q-tip every day after a shower. Been doing this for over 30 years. I know doctors will tell you not to do this but I've never had a problem with my ears. YMMV

Me too.  I'm thinking as long as you stay on the outer canal area, around where tri-flange IEM tips end, you should be fine.  I think what often happens is people get over-zealous and go too far or rub too hard.  It's like brushing your teeth- you actually can over-do it.  I think if my inner ear started to hurt and it didn't go away within a few days, I'd seek professional help.  Same thing with the eyes or any other part of my body I value greatly.  It's too much to risk playing doctor.  Heck- if I were a photographer and I lost one eye, I could still go on.  But if you lost hearing in on ear, in this hobby that would suck to say the least.  And while you're at the audiologist, you might as well get some impressions made for customs too!

 

[RADI0HEAD]

It can cause problems since you are essentially just shoving the ear wax to the back of your ear.

My guess is some people could be pushing ear wax into the ear but the way I clean my ears with a Q-tip it's highly unlikely.

How do you prevent pushing earwax into your ears every time you insert your iems?

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

My guess is some people could be pushing ear wax into the ear but the way I clean my ears with a Q-tip it's highly unlikely.

How do you prevent pushing earwax into your ears every time you insert your iems?

Deep insertion IEM tips can't push ear wax as deep (triflanges can't do this either) like Q-Tips can, they still can't reach in as far either.  You do make a good point though, we do push some ear wax deeper each time we use IEMs, but it's not as deep as a Q-Tip.  A Q-Tip can go much deeper than an IEM due to it's size and collapsable tip.  An IEM tip can only go so far due to the tips size or the IEM's size.  It depends on how deeply you shove the Q-Tip in.  If it passes the point of what IEMs allow (I couldn't get my Etys with small tri-flanges in as deep as I could a Q-TIp) but still not have pain involved, then it begins to become a problem.