Do you get your ears cleaned? PCP or specialist?

[FindingForward]

Hi all: I've always gone to my primary care office for ear cleanings. After that doc retired and I found a new one, I discovered this one doesn't do ear cleaning care at their office. They suggested I contact a specialist to have that done.

Is this no longer a routine thing done in a primary care office? I'm guessing I'll search for an ears/nose/throat doc, but since I haven't met my high deductible, the cost just shot up big time to see a specialist for this. Seems like overkill.

Was just curious if anyone here still goes to their primary care team for this?

 

[Jerry1]

Thankful that I don’t have that issue but if I did, I’d try some of the over the counter options. Seems like all that is done is flushing them out unless you have a significant problem. Seems like something that could be done at home.

 

[grasshopper]

I get terrible ear wax and wear hearing aids. I had an appointment to have a moulded ear piece made, and was told I had to have my ears cleaned before it could be done.

So a couple of weeks before I tried Debrox Earwax Removal Aid. Worked great, so great my HA don't get clogged every day like before.

Did a hearing test along with the mould appointment, and was told my ears were very clean and the test was excellent. Even recommended not to bother with the mould.

 

[JoeWras]

Thankful that I don’t have that issue but if I did, I’d try some of the over the counter options. Seems like all that is done is flushing them out unless you have a significant problem. Seems like something that could be done at home.

Agree. Here's my story.

My PCP did this. It was just the nurse continuously blasting water in my ear while I held a cup up to it. What came out was surprising!

After I had this done, my PCP said: "Why don't you get a home kit with a bulb and do this yourself every now and then?"

That was 15 years ago. That's what I do. Every now and then in the shower, I blast water in there using the bulb and with my head tilted. The stuff comes out after a few blasts. Sometimes flakes come out. Sometimes chunks.

 

[FindingForward]

I get terrible ear wax and wear hearing aids. I had an appointment to have a moulded ear piece made, and was told I had to have my ears cleaned before it could be done.

So a couple of weeks before I tried Debrox Earwax Removal Aid. Worked great, so great my HA don't get clogged every day like before.

Did a hearing test along with the mould appointment, and was told my ears were very clean and the test was excellent. Even recommended not to bother with the mould.

Huh. Guess I'll DIY it. Thanks all. I didn't think I could get the same results at home, but well worth trying before I fork over a couple hundred for a specialist visit. Thanks for above tip on Debrox - will look for this.

 

[Dawg52]

I get terrible ear wax and wear hearing aids. I had an appointment to have a moulded ear piece made, and was told I had to have my ears cleaned before it could be done.

So a couple of weeks before I tried Debrox Earwax Removal Aid. Worked great, so great my HA don't get clogged every day like before.

Did a hearing test along with the mould appointment, and was told my ears were very clean and the test was excellent. Even recommended not to bother with the mould.

I’ll try it. I’ve had to go in every few years and I can tell my ears are stopped up now. Even semi painful in one. I was just about to make an appointment. A nurse practitioner did it last time. If this stuff gets these ears cleaned out it will be a miracle worker. Ha

 

[NW-Bound]

Agree. Here's my story.

My PCP did this. It was just the nurse continuously blasting water in my ear while I held a cup up to it. What came out was surprising!

After I had this done, my PCP said: "Why don't you get a home kit with a bulb and do this yourself every now and then?"

That was 15 years ago. That's what I do. Every now and then in the shower, I blast water in there using the bulb and with my head tilted. The stuff comes out after a few blasts. Sometimes flakes come out. Sometimes chunks.

Instead of just water, use a very diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide. The bubbling helps dislodge the gunk. And the antiseptic kills any pathogen that happens to be floating in the water that is introduced to your ears.

An oral irrigator will also work well, turned on low so it will not blast out your ear drum.

 

[braumeister]

This is kind of amazing to me; I've never heard of ear cleaning before.

I use a Q-Tip every morning when I get out of the shower, just lightly to soak up the water in my ears, but that's it.

My understanding is that ear wax is generated as a way of flushing out any nasties that get in your ears, and is actually sort of a self-cleaning mechanism. Apparently, some have excessive buildups of ear wax and need to do something about it, so I've learned something new here. My sympathies to those who have to deal with this.

 

[Montecfo]

This is kind of amazing to me; I've never heard of ear cleaning before.



I use a Q-Tip every morning when I get out of the shower, just lightly to soak up the water in my ears, but that's it.



My understanding is that ear wax is generated as a way of flushing out any nasties that get in your ears, and is actually sort of a self-cleaning mechanism. Apparently, some have excessive buildups of ear wax and need to do something about it, so I've learned something new here. My sympathies to those who have to deal with this.

Same here. 1st I've heard of this.

 

[NW-Bound]

I use a Q-Tip every morning when I get out of the shower, just lightly to soak up the water in my ears, but that's it.

My understanding is that ear wax is generated as a way of flushing out any nasties that get in your ears, and is actually sort of a self-cleaning mechanism. Apparently, some have excessive buildups of ear wax and need to do something about it...

Yes.

I do not have a problem with excessive ear wax, but used to have to irrigate the ear canals to help with insane itching due to hay fever.

Scratching the canals with excessive Q-tipping (that's a new verb for you) often caused an infection. Hence I found a way to soothe the itch.

 

[badatmath]

This is kind of amazing to me; I've never heard of ear cleaning before.

I use a Q-Tip every morning when I get out of the shower, just lightly to soak up the water in my ears, but that's it.

My understanding is that ear wax is generated as a way of flushing out any nasties that get in your ears, and is actually sort of a self-cleaning mechanism. Apparently, some have excessive buildups of ear wax and need to do something about it, so I've learned something new here. My sympathies to those who have to deal with this.

I have never heard of this either.

 

[ERD50]

I get an occasional build up in one ear. Had the nurse/assistant do it one time - never again, I do it myself.

When they did it, the spray blast was sometimes hitting my eardrum directly (which she couldn't really tell), and was like jet engine loud, though not really too painful.

I've done the lay on the side with warm oil, then water/peroxide mix, then flush, but that's kind of awkward. I found that a bulb syringe with plain warm water, shot it at just the right angle to flush things out seemed to work as well and much easier, and no chance of irritation from the hydrogen peroxide.

-ERD50

 

[bjorn2bwild]

I get an occasional build up in one ear. Had the nurse/assistant do it one time - never again, I do it myself.

When they did it, the spray blast was sometimes hitting my eardrum directly (which she couldn't really tell), and was like jet engine loud, though not really too painful.

I've done the lay on the side with warm oil, then water/peroxide mix, then flush, but that's kind of awkward. I found that a bulb syringe with plain warm water, shot it at just the right angle to flush things out seemed to work as well and much easier, and no chance of irritation from the hydrogen peroxide.

-ERD50

I have a problem with excess wax build up in my left ear only.
Once, when the ear canal became impacted to the point where I could not hear, and being a DIY kind of guy, I decided to try self removal.
The procedure I used, not a recommendation, - a few drops of mineral oil to soften the wax overnight.
Next, a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, again overnight.
Now the tricky part – using a Mityvac and a soft, blunt ended tube of the correct diameter, I carefully sucked out the goop.
It’s safer than it sounds, you can hear the sucking sound as the tube end slowly approaches the ear drum.
It’s amazing how much gunk was in there! I have not yet had to repeat the procedure.
When I later mentioned this to my PCP, he just shrugged and said “be careful”.

 

[MC Rider]

Debrox and squeeze bulb. I had it done recently by a nurse assistant. Not hard to do at home.

 

[disneysteve]

We do this all the time in urgent care. You don't need to see ENT and you can just walk into urgent care any time.


PLEASE NEVER USE Q-TIPS IN YOUR EARS! NEVER, EVER, EVER. It says so right on the box. You can't do anything good with a Q-tip. You can only do damage.


If you do have wax buildup, it is perfectly fine to use an over the counter product like Debrox for a few days and then try flushing with the bulb syringe that comes with it. Lukewarm water. Too hot or too cold will cause dizziness. If you can't get it out, then go to urgent care. It is much easier for us to remove it if you soften it up first with the Debrox. Plain peroxide works but Debrox is thicker and stays in there better rather than running right back out.

 

[Koolau]

I've never had my ears cleaned. I use a Q-tip at the outer edges after a shower. Some wax is removed - but not much. Never had a serious issue with my ear hygiene. I guess I got lucky on that health front.

 

[disneysteve]

I use a Q-tip at the outer edges after a shower.

That's fine but they should never be inserted into the ear canal.

 

[GenXguy]

I have read about people getting permanent tinnitus (or it increasing in intensity) from having their ears cleaned.

 

[JoeWras]

My doc says, "Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. "

 

[Sunset]

Instead of just water, use a very diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide. The bubbling helps dislodge the gunk. And the antiseptic kills any pathogen that happens to be floating in the water that is introduced to your ears.

An oral irrigator will also work well, turned on low so it will not blast out your ear drum.

+1
I use this or a cup of warm water with an ounce or two of vinegar in it. Both to be hostile to bacteria or other nasties.
I use a bulb when on long trips and have a battery operated squirter for at home.
This one https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Ear...2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRm&psc=1

 

[Jerry1]

I use a Q-tip at the outer edges after a shower.

That's fine but they should never be inserted into the ear canal.

I don’t claim to be an authority but I’ve been cleaning my ear canal with q-tips my entire life. I’m sure if you’re careless enough to jam it in there and hit your ear drum, you’re in for some hurting but I’ve never done that. I’ve also been lucky enough to never have any wax buildup. I can see how trying to dig some wax out with a q-tip could be a problem but I’ve never had to do that. Mostly, I just like getting all the water out of my ears after a shower. And, of course, if there’s an itch, I’m going in there with a q-tip and give it a scratch.

I remember a movie. Wish I could remember the title. It was a coming of age movie and the older woman told the younger guy what q-tips were for. He was so delighted when he got his first go at scrubbing his ears out. His mom told him never to do that and the woman basically told him they wouldn’t be that size/shape if they weren’t meant to go there. I kind of agree. They should put a little wink next to that warning on the box.

 

[Sunset]

To soften the wax , I use olive oil for a couple of days before the flushing. A few drops in each ear. It does run out, so have a Kleenex handy. Whatever remains seems to soften the wax.

 

[Act2]

My Dad had terrible ear wax issues, and I think he had his audiologist and/or ENT do the ear cleaning. He had an at home kit but I don’t think he used it.

 

[teej1985]

My doc says, "Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. "

is there anyone alive who is flexible enough to stick their elbow in? lol

 

[rk911]

i am an over-achiever when it comes to ear wax so i have the wax removed every 6-months by my 'ear doc'.