I tend to have moderate wax buildup. About once every two weeks I bulb hydrogen peroxide into the ear canal and lay on my side about 10 minutes for the bubbling to stop. Squeaky-clean ears, and doctor-approved technique. |
The "DIY" (douche bulb and goo) route was originally suggested by my doctor over 30 years ago, and reaffirmed recently by my current physician. Although this method might not work for everybody, to suggest that the proper use of this method risks hearing loss is a silly and unsupported claim. |
How true, ear cleaning does wonders. Thank goodness Medicare pays for two cleanings a year. Most commercial insurance also pays, but final cost depends on your deductibles. For those thinking of the DIY route, please just say no. You risk the loss of your hearing, and without that all listening comes to an end. |
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If water comes out of the other ear while doing this, your head may be empty...a bad sign. Now that you mention it, I thought I did detect a little something on the other side. Uh-oh. Regards, -- Al |
People often don't use the Bulb Douche properly...you need to let the drops do their thing for 10 to 15 minutes, then keep blasting warm water in your ear until things start to shake up and wax starts to bail out of your head. I need this maybe once a year, so there's no fear of wax deprivation. If water comes out of the other ear while doing this, your head may be empty...a bad sign. Also, you can save the wax and use it for turntable spindle lubricant. |
Some years ago I developed a wax buildup in one ear which was severe enough to cause difficulty hearing people on the telephone, when it was used with that ear. I tried the Murine self-treatment multiple times and it was ineffective. A visit to the ENT dr. fixed the problem immediately and completely. Surprisingly, he found no wax buildup at all in the other ear. I now see him annually, and each time he removes a significant amount of wax from one ear or the other, usually not both.
He has indicated that in his experience there is no predictability or consistency as to when, how, or in which ear this tends to occur, even for the same person from one year to the next.
Regards,
-- Al |
It is ok to have your ears cleaned once in a while, but you shouldn't do it too often. Your body produces ear wax for a reason. It is there to trap dust particles, serve as a water repellent and prevent infection.
If you do not have an excessive amount of ear wax you can get similar results by putting ear plugs or cotton balls in your ears for an extended period of time. When you remove the ear plugs you will be amazed at what you can hear. This is a fun experiment if you haven't done it before. |
As a loud musician for years, I learned a while back (from necessity...maybe a doctor recommended it) about the ear drops/bulb thing. I'm amazed more people aren't hip to it as it's really safe and easy and gets amazing results. Takes a while but man...you remove wax, old car keys, maps of Cuba, a lost cat...and it really tweeks your hearing. |
Just buy Murine ear drops and warm water sprayer bulb from any pharmacy. |
It's way back there. They had to use this giant metal syringe thingy that shoots hot water in to soften the wax and then a stick with a hook on the end to disengage the ball of wax. Sound more painful than it is. Just mildly annoying with a bit of dizziness thrown in when they shoot the water against your eardrum. |
Around 22 years ago J. Gordon Holt thought he was losing his high frequency hearing, but it turned out he just needed his ears cleaned out by a doctor. |
I've often wondered about this. Is the wax way in the back where it's hard to reach? My ears are clean with no obvious sign of wax buildup. I suppose I should just ask my doctor to look at them. |
I do it every day and every shower taken.
Next time I'll experiment doing that before spinning some tunes. |
I too have benefited from this "mod" and highly recommend it.
Suggest all serious music lovers/audiophiles schedule an ENT appt. at least once per year. Whether a co-pay or the full ticket, the $$ spent offer the best payoff. A plus is the fact that other problems can be caught and dealt with early and effectively. |
