Improving My Hearing

I have had significant buildup a couple times (in the Spring) and before seeing my doctor, I had gotten and in the ear camera... for my iPhone... so I could look and it came with a little scoop to get wax out. I can’t recommend it other than for looking. But it was useful. 

I see my doctor every six months and he tells me if there is any buildup. A couple times he had his nurse us a gismo attached to the faucet that would spray warm water in and wash the wax away. It was very effective (no bees in there). However, it was one of the loudest things I have heard... I am not sure it is good for your hearing. 

After using bulbs and hydrogen peroxide cleaning agents made for the ears. I found something far simpler and I am sure much safer than using the professional ear jet. When in the shower every week or two I just gently apply a little bit of bar soap with my finger around the perimeter of my ear channel and then gently wash with my shower wand  by indirectly spraying warm water into my ear. It is easy to get the spray so it causes a rotation of the water in the ear. It effectively washes out the ear without the incredible roar from the professional tool. My ear channels end up clean as a whistle like the rest of me. No syringes and special equipment needed. 

My GP's nurse tried and tried to clean my ears using a water pick and probe. I felt a rush of blood to my head,  heat and dizziness. Almost passed out. Made her stop. Had to take off my shirt to cool and laid down on exam table till it passed. Never again. 

I went to an EEN specialest. He used a suction device. No adverse affects. Within 5 minutes he got both ears as clean as can be.

FWIW, just yesterday, I was at my ENT doc — he’s the Division Chief of Otology at Oregon’s only teaching medical center, so i take what he says seriously — and he is strongly against people using hydrogen peroxide for ear cleaning at home. Hydrogen peroxide can be damaging if overused and is definitely dangerous if you have a perforation in your eardrum or ear tubes, or have an active infection.

His recommended method is just 2-3 drops of either olive oil or mineral oil in each ear 2-3 times a week before bed. (You need only a tiny bit; you don’t want oil dripping out on your pillow cases.)  The oil is entirely safe, even should you have a hole in your eardrum, and as a natural organic solvent, it will dissolve or soften any wax build up and allow it to be discharged from your ears naturally without suction, flushing or other invasive measures. He’s also in favor, of course, of regular hearing check-ups and cleanings by a professional if needed.

@kirkwallace   I don't understand how/where the wax gets discharged using this method--does it drip out on your pillow?

Although if you're just using a couple drops 2-3x/wk., I guess there wouldn't much of anything discharged; maybe it would just collect in the ear?

As my doctor explained it to me, the ear is designed to naturally discharge wax so that it never builds up. Obviously this works better or worse depending on the individual; and (surprise) it works less well as one ages.

All the oil approach is doing is to help that process along; so, according to him, you never really notice any discharge. (I am guessing that he is assuming that one is showering and washing one’s hair and around one’s ears with some regularity.)  This is not a solution for dealing with ears that have a current excess build up, although I guess it might help even in that case. The ideal situation seems to be that one is starting the few drops a night 2-3 times a week method with a clean set of ears (e.g., post-professional cleaning).