Getting Ears Syringed

alphaomega16 · 06-11-2009, 11:34 AM

Heya guys, long story short I was told by doc to put some olive oil in ears twice a day leading up to appoointment with nurses to have my ears cleaned.

Anyone ever done this before able to offer some advice.

**Leej** · 06-11-2009, 12:01 PM

I'm a few days into the olive oil. I'm having to have my ears syringed too regularly for my liking.

It's painless and as long as you keep the oil up beforehand should be trouble free. One tip is not to stand up too quick afterwards. The one time I had it done I was dizzy for a short while afterwards. It soon passed.

There is a thread somewhere on this, I'll have a gander.

EDIT: Ear syringing

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 12:05 PM

I have a constant battle with earwax.
Believe olive oil drops work if you like, it does sod all for me.
I use 'pre-syringe treatment' drops from the chemist.
Works better than olive oil/earex, and cheaper than the likes of earex.
I use that as a preventitive treatment and prior to syringing.
I love getting my ears waxed, I don't find it unpleasant at all.

nheather · 06-11-2009, 1:07 PM

Make sure you do the warm olive oil stuff as directed.

As for the actually syringing - it sounds bad because you immediately think of needles and stuff. It's nothing like that. There is a little pen like device that pulses warm water in your ear. The nurse holds a dish under the ear to catch the water and 'yuk' that comes out.

It's not unpleasent, in fact I find the warmness and pulsing quite nice (ooh err).

And if you have a serious wax blockage, the immediate increased clarity and strength of hearing afterwards is amazing.

Don't worry about it - crap name for a simple procedure.

Cheers,

Nigel

Tempest · 06-11-2009, 1:24 PM

Stupid question:

How would I know if my ears need doing?

When having a shower (power shower) I angle my head to one side and let a hot stream of water blast my ears then dry out with cotton bud afterwards.

At work I wear yellow foam earplugs (due to noise) for 9 hours a day.

Few times a week (perhaps an itch) I use a cotton bud in the ear (yes I know you are not supposed to, but I'm not dim enough to poke it in too far!)

So I THINK my ears are clean, but then again........

How would I know?

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 1:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempest

Stupid question:

How would I know if my ears need doing?

When having a shower (power shower) I angle my head to one side and let a hot stream of water blast my ears then dry out with cotton bud afterwards.

At work I wear yellow foam earplugs (due to noise) for 9 hours a day.

Few times a week (perhaps an itch) I use a cotton bud in the ear (yes I know you are not supposed to, but I'm not dim enough to poke it in too far!)

So I THINK my ears are clean, but then again........

How would I know?

It's rare for both ears to wax-up equally, so hearing loss in one ear is the tell-tale sign for me.
Not total hearing loss, just 'muffling'.
I would get it done regularly, but they won't let me.
It has to be left until it becomes a problem.

Codehead · 06-11-2009, 2:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nheather

It's not unpleasent, in fact I find the warmness and pulsing quite nice (ooh err).

Glad it's not just me. I always leave with a big grin on my face.

alphaomega16 · 06-11-2009, 3:28 PM

hehe, thx for replies guys.

Got appoint next friday to get them done.

Singh400 · 06-11-2009, 3:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nheather

It's not unpleasent, in fact I find the warmness and pulsing quite nice (ooh err).

Not just me then!

orpheus · 06-11-2009, 3:43 PM

Why does the nurse always feel the need to show you what was just dug out of your ear?

**Leej** · 06-11-2009, 3:44 PM

If anyone's unsure about knowing when earwax is a problem, I'd pop to the docs and ask them to check your ears out. Can't do any harm

What you don't want to happen is have your ears completely block like someone's just put a cork in your ear, causing everything to muffle in your head, make you feel like crap, numbs the side of your head and can cause damage to the ear.

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 3:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orpheus

Why does the nurse always feel the need to show you what was just dug out of your ear?

I ask to see it!

alphaomega16 · 06-11-2009, 3:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orpheus

Why does the nurse always feel the need to show you what was just dug out of your ear?

Does she offer to put it in a small jar so you can take home ?

kayzee · 06-11-2009, 4:03 PM

I've had this a few times now. I really hate the build up! Go almost completely deaf, and this year, both ears decided to go almost at the same time

She couldn't get the wax out the first time either so was deaf in one ear for a week!

Used loads of olive oil though and when I went back it popped straight out. Biggest relief in the world that really is!

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 4:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphaomega16

Does she offer to put it in a small jar so you can take home ?

I have a candle made out of it.

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 4:42 PM

I'm amazed how many use the intensely unpleasant expedient of olive oil.
It makes me shudder when I remember how unpleasant the feeling was.
if it didn't leave you feeling as deaf as the earwax itself, it made you feel 'greasy'.
Your chemist will sell you own-brand Hydrogen Peroxide ear-drops that are far more effective and far more pleasant to use.
I actually like the 'bubbling/fizzing' sensation of it actually destroying the earwax, rather than just softening it like olive oil does...eventually.
Just don't overdo Hydrogen Peroxide drops, or you'll strip the ear of all wax!
Couple of nights a month, tops.

**Leej** · 06-11-2009, 5:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

if it didn't leave you feeling as deaf as the earwax itself, it made you feel 'greasy'.

Ah yes, can't beat that greasy feeling on my neck.

kayzee · 06-11-2009, 5:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

I'm amazed how many use the intensely unpleasant expedient of olive oil.
It makes me shudder when I remember how unpleasant the feeling was.
if it didn't leave you feeling as deaf as the earwax itself, it made you feel 'greasy'.
Your chemist will sell you own-brand Hydrogen Peroxide ear-drops that are far more effective and far more pleasant to use.
I actually like the 'bubbling/fizzing' sensation of it actually destroying the earwax, rather than just softening it like olive oil does...eventually.
Just don't overdo Hydrogen Peroxide drops, or you'll strip the ear of all wax!
Couple of nights a month, tops.

My doctor recommended using olive oil over anything you can buy from the chemists! Works fine for me and doesn't feel horrible at all. Guess everyone's different though

DVD-Man · 06-11-2009, 8:11 PM

Can I just clarify that the Nurse injects the warm fluid into YOU and not the other way around?

Liam

alphaomega16 · 06-11-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVD-Man

Can I just clarify that the Nurse injects the warm fluid into YOU and not the other way around?

Liam

1 Last thing I forgot to ask, what do I do about having a shower.

Do I have to avoid getting water in ears or does it not matter whilst using the olive oil ?

bitofatit · 07-11-2009, 12:32 PM

I hate getting this done - I am virtually deaf in one ear! Thing is last time I had the ears done it relay hurt in one ear. Stuff came out ok but I think I may have a perforated eardrum - although not confirmed. My thinking was that as the nurse put the warm water in it removed the wax but forced water behind the eardrum. It hurt somewhat and made me feel dizzy. On the up side I could hear so clearly it was revelation; but after a few weeks back to the usually.

In short for me probably it needs doing but have avoided it for yeras. Using olive oil works fine - I don't leave it in too long as when it gets through the wax I get an umcomfortable feeling on my eardrum.

P.S I am a wimp with dentists and ears etc..

the whistler · 07-11-2009, 12:48 PM

There is an alternative to syringing. Some health centres now recommend micro suction. Its still necessary to soften the wax before treatment and then its simply sucked out.

In my area, theres a specially trained nurse who travels around the health centres with the suction machine.

I had this done a few years ago, and found it quite painless and no messy water syringes.

Might be worth asking your doctor about this option.

bekko · 07-11-2009, 10:03 PM

I thought medical posts were supposed to be locked or is that just mine.

Jay · 07-11-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekko

I thought medical posts were supposed to be locked or is that just mine.

I guess it's because he's not directly asking for medical advice, but to be fair I didn't see your thread so ain't got a clue why yours was locked.

If Bob down the road said I've cut my head open what can I use to stitch myself up, that would be lcoked. But if bob had his head stitched up and asked what was better for headaches nurofen or paracetamol that would be allowed I guess.

My threads are often locked because the mods have a conspiracy against me, maybe they don't like you either

bekko · 07-11-2009, 10:40 PM

Glad it's not just me then

alphaomega16 · 08-11-2009, 6:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekko

I thought medical posts were supposed to be locked or is that just mine.

Wasnt specifically asking for medical advice as I had gotten that from the doc just some users personal experience as all the doc said was to put OO in ears up until my appoint that was it.

Wasnt sure if I had to avoid getting water in ears and had to just keep the ear greased up so wax didnt harden or if there was anything else I had to do

Glad I am able to warm it up a bit as cold OO makes u flinch when it goes down the hole lol.

alphaomega16 · 14-07-2010, 2:16 PM

Just got back from queensway as I have been having trouble with my right ear and I just thought it was all the heat getting to it and it was a bit sore but apparently I gotta go have them done again.

Half deaf in the right ear and there is a squishy sound when I press on it and apparently the left ear is worse than the right even though I can hear fine still lol

Is this to be expected in adult life getting this done frequently lol. I looked this thread up to find I only had it done november last year :O

I said to him I had done nothing with my ear such as putting anything in it such as cotton buds or oil since they was last done and he said thats ok I wasnt supposed to but do you think it was the heat wave we had that caused this problem or does it sound like just quick build up and is there anything I can do to prevent it from occuring so quick next time.

I will be asking the nurse when I go back to queensway next week (1 week of the ol olive oil again /sigh lol) but until then I thought id ask here first since others seem to have had it done previously.