Do You Know How to Safely Clean Your Ears?

[@onenikkione]

After signing up to join the Air Force I failed the hearing test (one ear) ended up going to an old family doctor that irrigated my ear and was about to give up but he gave it one more try and out popped a chunk of wax. I passed that hearing test, went on to see many parts of the USA and travel abroad (South Pacific), met my wife, attended college. Big shout out to that doc and my parents for taking me there and their support.

[@dhamilton67]

A discussion on tinnitus would be helpful!

[@vinceandtheresa1243]

Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MJLDswnge]

For sure, and any way to relieve symptoms

[@Fredroc57]

YES!

[@2pugman]

YES ! The changing of the "tone" is annoying.

[@Lazzar1958]

It certainly would be a great segment!

[@johnhenry8424]

Two of the greatest Dr.s on You Tube. Thanks guys

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Our pleasure! Thanks John

[@dianepayne480]

I was born deaf in one ear and wear a hearing aid in my other ear. While on a Caribbean vacation a year ago, my good ear blocked with wax after snorkelling. No hearing for almost 24 hours. My son who is a scuba diver got some rubbing alcohol at the dive shop, was told to combine 1:1 with vinegar. After instilling a few drops at a time, my ear cleared up. Upon arrival home, my audiologist removed quite a lot of wax from that ear. I now make a point of having her check at least twice a year.

[@dontrend5956]

White vinegar?

[@dianepayne480]

@ Yes.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Wow good idea

[@Gary_and_Linda]

I dived for years and carried a small bottle of white vinegar and alcohol which I used to rinse my ears after diving. It works great and doesn’t hurt - except it smells like vinegar, of course.

[@Aawsomeguy]

I myself will only clean my ears out in the shower with a washcloth over my finger. Anything more than that, I leave for a medical professional.

[@77777771955]

From the time I was a young child, I was told to not put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. Have followed this advice for 70 years and never have had ANY ear problems.

[@guermeisterdoodlebug7980]

Me, too. Still use my elbow.

[@christinetripp-g8p]

Never had trouble with wax buildup until (realized later on) I started to routinely use my AirPods at the gym and other times thru the day. Not sure if that was a cause but the timing lines up. During a zoom about a month ago with my Family Dr, he said to use Olive Oil in the ear at night and suggested if that didn't help after a few wks, to come in and he would suction. But within 1 wk, a large wax build up came out. Such a simple fix, it had become so hard to be in a crowd and keep up with the conversation.

[@LilYeshua]

When I was six tubes were surgicaly installed next to my eardrums that were designed to drain fluid and to fall out on their own after one year. I wasn't allowed to get any water in my ears. I guess i fell into that habit for the next 57 years. Six months ago I had my doctor to check my ears and found out that my eardrums are occluded with wax in so much as he couldn't see my eardrums. After he recommended me getting and applying Debrox in my ears for two weeks I flushed the left ear with warm water using a bulb syringe and a nicely sized plug of earwax came out the left ear. I can hear so much better out of that ear plus i can hear high frequencies again. I still have to work on the right ear now as the wax in it seems to be more stubborn to remove. On a recent doctor visit i asked my doctor to check my ears again and the left ear is wax free while the right ear is still plugged. I play an electric bass in a group and it's crucial to be able to hear correctly.

[@johnhughes3963]

Here's the deal folks. These docs are seriously helpful...and respond to all comments! My wife pics my earwax perfectly! Love these guys!!!

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Wow, thanks. We don’t actually respond to all of the comments as there are simply too many but we do try to respond to as many as we can. Thanks for the positive support.

[@johnhughes3963]

@TalkingWithDocs yup..hey pick up the thread about tinnitus..I have it! Thanks guys

[@ChrisCapoccia]

i had to go get one of these drop kits recently because my one ear was all blocked up and i couldn't hear properly. not sure whether the drops really did that much by themselves, but there was a warm water flush kit that came with it and that really did the trick. it was this plastic bellow thing you filled with water and squeezed into the ear. the warmer water softened the wax and it flushed right out into the sink

[@WangChung69]

The 3 of you Doctors are awesome, you communicate in a highly effective manner and do not speak over your patients head, while making the subjects interesting.😊

[@DrSteveQatar]

First class advice from the three Drs, impacted wax and resulting tinnitus negatively impacts my mood and motivation so much, can be painful after flying. What a relief when it’s gone.

[@davidh.8513]

The VA hospital just called me a few minutes ago to check my ears on 1-13 25 and clean them as I was watching this video. I told her I just used used Debrox and a rubber bulb and flushed large chunk of wax out of my ear that the Dr. saw a couple days ago. That stuff really works good and I am still going in for my appointment to let them take a look anyway. Thanks so much for all your great videos Dr.`s Ft. Wayne, IN.

[@peterrudy9207]

Have used it myself and think it is very good . The best it had been said was Dr. Ear Drops ?

[@51ollie]

Managed to have both ears blocked with earwax. Irrigation of the ears, at my doctors actually made it worse. They suggested an ear clinic that used a micro suction method. This worked really well. The clinicians who carried out the suction procedure called the irrigation or syringing method medieval!

[@RiDankulous]

As well that ends well😊 I’m glad you solve the health problem

[@kenhoward3512]

My doctor, who has used irrigation numerous times, has never mentioned a micro-suction method, nor have I ever read anything about it. Time for Google...

[@tenkararod4618]

Irrigation is a reasonable and effective way to get wax out. It depends on the location and consistency of the wax, which method is most appropriate.

[@Cantinatollo1]

I've been treating with an Otolaryngologist every 6 months for the last 23 years and have my ears cleaned. The treatment is quick, painless and prevents wax build up.

[@randalljwarren151]

Good video! As a former scuba diver on the subject of ears. As I descended I would swallow a number of times to try and equalize the pressure in my ears. Sometimes I would feel a pop during this process. Other times just relief as the pressure was reduced. I equated the pop (which could be unpleasant) with the fact that I had let too much pressure build up in my ears at the time…

[@Hosef1ne]

I experienced hearing loss and went to an ear specialist who referred me to my doctor who then referred me to the ENT clinic. They gave me an appointment for the following year! Sadly, our totally under-funded NHS here in England is not much use these days.

[@peterrudy9207]

You could try some wax removal kits .

[@steveg2479]

Our NHS puts others at the front of the queue these days, which doesn’t help when added to the general mismanagement.

[@maureenhollison6261]

You can have ear wax removed by suction but it costs about £60 for both ears.

[@DoReMeaCulpa]

I appreciated this because my ears seem to get plugged with wax more than other people I know, and I have to use peroxide based ear drops to clear the wax every few weeks. I once had not just one but two plugged ears on a night my band was playing a gig. It is hard enough to hear each other on stage even at the best of times, but that night, my hearing was so muffled it was like trying to play underwater! I got my ears syringed out shortly after that, and boy, was it sweet to be able to hear clearly again. ( and no, not too worried about the effects of amplification since we don't play amplified very often and are not a rock band.)

[@pamelabrooks1944]

Thanks for the ear info. Wish they would put a warning on those QTip boxes for those unaware of the dangers. Also I vote for a video on hearing - how to protect and preserve it. Thank you for all you do.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Well we have a video about hearing loss coming tomorrow !

[@pamelabrooks1944]

@@TalkingWithDocs Wow - that's really a fast response.😁

[@judyjones8925]

I have tinnitus and hearing aids are recommended. However, when I wear them, my ear canals get VERY itchy. Hence, I have used Q-tips to scratch the itch. I also find they are a bit itchy after showering….but not nearly as bad. I am my own worst enemy. I will heed your message here and will also seek out an hypoallergenic version of the hearing aid tips, if such a thing exists. Always informative. Thank you, docs.

[@mtadams2009]

I was a bit surprised she did not mention wax ear cones for removing ear war. I have had issue with excessive ear wax and have had to have an MD remove it. I have also used the wax ear cones with varying degrees of success. Sometimes they work great and sometimes they have not. Thanks again.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Thanks for sharing

[@topdiy707]

I feel itchy when I have a lot of earwax so I usually remove them once a week. Thanks for the interesting and useful conversation from the doctors.

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

This episode is very eerie.

[@Joy21090]

I see what you did there. :-)

[@TalkingWithDocs]

🤣

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

@@Joy21090 The eyes have it.

[@honestchris7472]

Surely you mean earie.

[@MichaelLevine-n6y]

@@honestchris7472 Eerily so perhaps.

[@melissabrown6254]

Thanks for the info. I avoid using them to clean my ears now, once I learned how dangerous it was.

[@semiproactive9625]

I use Q-tips after first shaving the area. Thanks Docs.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Good stuff!

[@MJ-um8yk]

I had an accident with Q-tips, exactly as described by the docs. I normally use them to dry my ears after showering, leaving them just inside the ear canal to absorb moisture. But one day, a door swung open and hit me, pushing the Q-tips deep into my ear and perforating my eardrum. The pain was intense - one of the worst experiences I've had, comparable to an electromyogram. Thankfully, my eardrum healed quickly. My ENT specialist inserted some paper inserts to aid the healing process, and I was fully recovered within two weeks. Despite the accident, I still use Q-tips to keep my ears dry, especially since I wear headphones for extended periods for work and need to prevent excessive moisture buildup. Lesson not learned, I guess - old habits die hard! : )

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Can’t believe you are brave enough to still use them!

[@ClausPelz]

Maybe 10 years ago I told my primary care doctor that I get a lot of ear wax and that I would like to have an ear doctor clean it.... he told me to go to Walgreens and buy earwax remover. Every time I used the earwax remover I had to do it several times a day, then flush it with a bulb and 3 or 4 days later I ended up with my ear being irritated or infected... such bad advice! Just last month I ended up in urgent care because after using earwax remover my ear was completely blocked. The nurse at urgent care flushed it with a spray bottle and minutes later my ear was back to normal. They suggested to have my doctors office to do the ear flushes going forward.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Now you know!

[@lenimbery7038]

I've had my ears plugging up about once a year for the last few years as I age. I've bought a power cleaner and some ear oil and I just do it myself as where I am, I have to wait a month to see my family doctor to look and verify, then wait another week or two to get back in for a nurse to use a water bottle to pressure wash them out

[@bawilms]

Timely for me. I have an ENT appointment scheduled because my ear is blocked up with wax and I've not been able to clear it with drops.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

No way! Good luck

[@terryjbrown6953]

I constantly have problems with my ears for years! I have listened to the doctors, they have told me to put vegetable or olive oil in my ears, I have put debrox, I have put peroxide, I even have flushed my ears out and they still get bocked up every 3-4 months. I have gone to the ENT 3 times for them to clean them out, but they never truly get them all the way cleaned out because the wax is all the way up on my ear drum and they don't want to get to close and accidentally hit my ear drum so they leave some in their but that's why I think this keeps happening. It's funny how you guys were talking about what has been taken out of the ear. 50 -51 years ago, when my little sister was about 2 or 3 years old, she kept digging in her ear, so when my mother brought her to our pediatric to get looked at, my mother found out that she stuck a rock in her ear. When the doctor took the rock out, they were astonished that she had pushed a rock that was a size of a quarter in her ear, and nobody could understand how in the world she got it in their 😂!!!

[@28_babyshark]

When I was 9 years old, I learned the hard way by cleaning your ears with a q-tip. Since then, I add 4 are surgeries because of it. The first one was a full reconstruction and they have to cut me back behind my ear to drill into my head to get into the master cavity. About 6 months later a second one to remove the cyst that some how grow. Then in 2019 I had 2 more surgeries. Another full reconstruction of the inner ear and masteroid cavity because of all the infection. The Doctor had to remove a infection size of a quarter behind my eardrum. If I haven't the surgery when I did, Doc said I'll be dead within a year because of the infection would have spread to the brain. Then the last one to redo the skin graft. Bottom line is, only go to your Doctor to have your ear cleaned out.

[@Little_Sidhe]

OMG 😱

[@ryarr88]

I had a bout of vertigo ,inner ear related,according to the ENT. He did try to flush out wax with a syringe and cut my ear inside...some times the person cleaning wax does not feel the pressure or temperature the way the patient can. I will only clean my ears out myself using the rubber bulb type squirter from now on .

[@susansmith3344]

My ears produce a lot of wax. My otolaryngologist advises me to pour peroxide into my ear at the beginning of a shower. When the bubbling sound stops then rinse it out under the shower stream. He says to do this every few days. I always thought straight peroxide would be too strong but this has helped clear my ears so my hearing isn’t blocked.

[@jcilliers4412]

I am using hydrogen peroxide (the medical use type) for blocked ear canal. It works well. I love to hear an feel the bubbling in the canal.

[@Green_Leaf]

I use a Milwaukee M18 SDS Plus hammer drill with a chuck attachment to gently hold the soft-tipped “Q-tip”, then place the drill in hammer-mode to polish the inside of my ear. I haven’t had an earwax problem for years! Kidding aside, I only clean the earwax right after a hot shower and only the outer part. No Hammer Drill required.

[@geirha75]

We have this kit at the pharmacy store. There is a tiny spray box with oil and a bulb ear syringe. According to the instructions, give it a good three times spray inside your ear. Block your ear with some cotton. Let the oil work for one hour. Then remove the cotton and flush the ear with water from the bulb. Works for me.

[@cookmaster3626]

Can you please post the name of the kit. I am sure you still have the box to find the name of this kit. Thanks in advance!

[@bho6486]

Thank you for the information. It is timely. I have a blocked ear now and get them if I wear ear buds too much. It's so frustrating. I'll try the oil and see if that works.

[@Ahmedkhan8802]

Years ago I had a "severe" case of wax impaction in one ear, enough that I noticed I had a hard time hearing in that ear. My PCP had his assistants drop in oil, then had me lie still for about 5 minutes until it penetrated the wax, then hosed it out. The glob of was was enormous. Repeated the procedure on the other ear, and problem solved. Since then I've hosed out each each ear every time I shower, and haven't had a repeat of the problem. Good segment.

[@Petesworkshop2225]

Occasionally I get water in my ear from a shower, it's horrible. How do you rinse your ears?

[@Ahmedkhan8802]

@@Petesworkshop2225 I stand directly below the flow and bend my neck as perpendicular to the floor as possible.

[@theheinzification]

Decades ago during my military time (mandatory for males in Austria, nowadays you can do some social services instead) my right ear suddenly lost a lot of hearing, but than it came back again. That happened on and off for some time and it got worse quickly. So I went to the doctor, which was handy, as I worked as a paper pusher in a kind of mini military hospital. The doctor told my, my eardrum is perforated and it looked horrible. He sent me to a specialist in a town nearby. Said specialist simply cleaned out my ear insides and that was it. No lasting damage, never had problems again.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Wow that’s lucky

[@stevewalters9472]

Thank you for having Dr. Ginty on your program. She provided some valuable information which I am going to share with my grandkids.

[@violetsareblue49]

I’m in my third week of an ear infection and Eustachian tube dysfunction bilateral. I’m on my second round of meds, doing nasal rinse and on my last day of Afrin. Worse I’ve ever had. Loss of hearing. Hope it gets better soon.

[@billmarshall3082]

I've been,cough,using HP in my ear for several years when my ears get very itchy.I can hear the wax boiling out and then I turn my L ear downward to expel the 'solution'.However,my right ear will be on the lower edge of aching when I do the same procedure which will solve that problem.(When it 'boils' it sounds like bacon frying.)...My hearing is very bad,I'm 74 and my doctor is not crazy about this idea.I also us it at about 10:1 with salt water for stubborn sinus infections,again my Dr disapproves of this but for bad infections it is the only thing that will eat through the mucus and eliminate the pressure.I now have a steroid spray that seems to work well.Thank you for these videos.God bless

[@jaguilar11009]

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP ❤😊

[@TalkingWithDocs]

You're welcome 😊

[@maryjonorum107]

I have used Qtips my whole 70 yr life….until now. Great video. Thank you!

[@eezyclsmooth9035]

I am NOT a professional but , I know (from experience) about this topic. I have always had itching in the ear. For relief, many years ago I would use My car KEY!As you can imagine this eventually led to blockage. I went to the ear Dr. who took care of the problem. I still have itching and (Carefully) use an ear pick. When I have "Blockage" I use Debrox (to soften the wax). Next I use a device called a "Wush" (a rechargeable Ear water pump). It works Perfectly!!👌 I also have an ear camera to see inside my ear!🤔. NO more need for the ear Dr.

[@lesliemaitland3551]

Maybe your guest doctor could come back to address treating blocked eustacian tubes, which can be a side effect of a bad cold.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

That is a great topic!

[@DarthFurball]

Great suggestion. Second that

[@carolinecaiger6717]

That was my issue for years. I had difficult root canal surgery that ended with an extraction. Several years of suffering with a blocked eustachian tube later, I had a dental implant put in. Cured the blocked tube!

[@MediJun]

I just realized I've been cleaning my ears the wrong way. Thanks, doc! 🙏

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Happy to help!

[@kenhoward3512]

When I began wearing hearing aids, about 7 years ago, I found that even the tiniest bit of ear wax would plug the hearing aid, so I started using ear drops, followed by water in a special syringe to flush out the wax every 3 - 4 days. It's a tedious ritual (20 minutes for each ear, twice a week), but it seems necessary for me. I wonder what other hearing aid wearers do?

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Thanks for sharing your strategy

[@marcelhorisberger9256]

That’s exactly happened to me. I lost hearing on my left. I used drops to dissolve it then used Cotten sticks to clean it out. Nothing worked. After got it cleaned out at the hospital my hearing came back. Sadly since then I have tinnitus.

[@Moodyunicorn1111]

Awesome as always! Thank u

[@cathylaycock5598]

My Dr uses lukewarm tap water to syringe the excess wax out of the ear canals. Last year I had to have my syringed, my hearing was affected quite a bit. My ear wax increases a lot after colds or Covid. I need to get them done again soon. I think it also might affect Tinnitus ❤️😊🇨🇦

[@TalkingWithDocs]

It sure can

[@duaynenaugle4186]

I had some wax buildup in my ears and went to the doctor to get it cleared up. I walked out of there with bleeding ears and had bouts of vertigo for about 4 months ,

[@Theclaw1981]

I’ve had various ENT specialists do wax removal different ways. One would pick it out manually with a small instrument, another had a machine that sucked it out, and most commonly now the approach is water irrigation. I use an over the counter device that sprays warm water into your ear under adjustable pressure, while taking a shower. It seems to work pretty well.

[@RichRich1955]

A while back I had an ear infection and the side of my face swelled up. Dr looked in and says "looks ok". Nothing prescribed. I then went to an ent. ENT said " looks ok". I took metal tweezers and used the handle end, scraped out substantial amounts of old, dark wax buildup from the outer ear. No problems ever again. I'll do it monthly.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Wow

[@marshamagic8551]

@@TalkingWithDocsis that safe?

[@RichRich1955]

If I do it too aggressively I'll have a temporary problem. I have surfers ear aka exotosis. Small bony protrusions from getting cold water in the ear canal too often. Dr can still see the ear drum so it's not bad. Painful surgery if it's substantial.

[@marymccabe5774]

My husband was raised in old fashioned times. Farmers and several children and never went to doctors. Today, he obsessively cleans his ears with Q-tips after each bath. One time the Q-tip broke off in his ear. It was a cheap made brand. Don't know how he could not have known it broke off but anyway he had hearing issues. Finally, days later he discovered the problem and got it out someway on his own. No doctor, once again. I highly recommend seeing a doctor about issues like that. He has had repercussions from some of his silly doctoring.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Wow that’s nuts. Yes our tough farmers rarely see the doctor. Walk it off 😀

[@sandramichaud8033]

Happened to me…I used the vacuum to get it out. Carefully

[@45coopaloop]

Thanks for posting this video my follow up question to round out the discussion on ear plugs though is if you do use ear plugs and you don't clean the ear wax out aren't you just pushing the ear wax in deeper? So if you do use ear plugs should you or should you not clean out your ear wax??? Thanks for all your videos Paul and Brad you guys are awesome :)

[@mrslcom]

If you have excessive ear wax then ear plugs are probably not a good idea as they have the potential to push the ear wax further into your ears.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

So the short answer is that it’s probably ok because they don’t go far enough in to push the wax in too far and it will make its way out

[@45coopaloop]

@@TalkingWithDocs Thanks for the reply, you guys are really helping people take their healthcare into their own hands, the net benefit of what you guys are doing with this channel is huge😊

[@Username-hb1qi]

Thank you for posting and sharing.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

You bet. Thanks for watching and sharing

[@martyb3783]

I have used cotton swabs in my ears for over 50 years with no issues. The trick is to not let them touch the sides of your ear canal during insertion. Turn the swabs while pulling them out and don't use them like a plunger.

[@lindacoffin5110]

It seemed counter intuitive to put oil in my plugged ears but I think I might be a believer now!

[@TalkingWithDocs]

There is evidence for sure

[@dtg6196]

I use the wax earplugs that swimmers use. They sit on top of your ear, stay put, and stop all noises. You can twist off the amount you need and press them over your ear. They won't come off while you sleep.

[@traceyflater]

I have had the dome come off of my hearing aid in my ear twice! You have to be very careful that it's on there securely.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

That’s tricky

[@riverbender9898]

Thank you for that important guidance.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

You are very welcome

[@nancyhynes8775]

Good topic!

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Thanks Nancy!

[@philedwards2679]

I suffer with blocked ears at least once every year. I visit a clinic that vacuums the wax out of your ears. Works a treat and is instant relief. 👍

[@WimpyGimpy]

Glad it works for you. I had a doctor that used suction on me and it felt like he was pulling my eardrum out. Went to another doctor later who use water and after a few times visiting him he told me to get an ear bulb and do it myself. Been doing it for years with good results

[@jgallone]

@@WimpyGimpy Do you just use water, or do you use mineral oil or peroxide when you irrigate your ear yourself?

[@c.marmion8430]

Do you need to soften the ear wax with oil before having the suction procedure done?

[@philedwards2679]

@c.marmion8430 There's no need to soften the earwax first, but I'm sure it wouldn't matter to do so.

[@WimpyGimpy]

@@c.marmion8430 I only had suction one time and it felt like they were pulling my eardrum out of my head (it hurt) bad. Irrigation works way better for me. Someone at the hospital told me oil does not work because the wax is oily in the first place. Over the counter ear drops might work better. I do it after a shower by putting warm water in the sink and using an ear bulb (any) place that has ear plugs like a store or pharmacy like CVS Walgreens etc

[@WayneLubin]

Thank you.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

You're welcome!

[@kthompso43]

As a senior, I've tried at least a dozen prescription and non-prescription treatments for my itchy ear canals, without success. Some of the pharmaceutical products even makes it worse. Most of my internet searches are ads for "snake oil", and are worthless. I think my doctor gets kick-backs for prescribing his favorite ear treatments, because they, too, have provided no relief. I sure could use some competent advice.

[@jacobheinz8236]

What do you recommend for eczema in ear canal?

[@louspeed1]

I have my MD irrigate my ears at my annual visit. It's like a spa treatment!

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Nice work

[@Petesworkshop2225]

Great video!

[@AncoraImparoPiper]

I drip a little bit of coconut oil into each of my ears after every shower. It has reduced the frequency of blockage. I only have to syringe two or three times a year now.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Nice. And it smells good 😀

[@dandoneral5405]

I've been cleaning my ear drums with cotton swabs every morning for the past ten years. I haven't harmed my ears yet. However, I dip the swab in coconut oil before inserting the swab, as far as possible, into my ear. It eases itchiness in my ears.

[@tonydaniels6352]

I'm surprised the ENT doctor didn't mention micro suction. That's the most common method used to remove excessive wax these days.

[@billbright1755]

Normal ear canal cleaning is really very straightforward. Surfer’s ear is problematic in that bone growth can create a difficult to clean and drain portion inboard of the obstruction.

[@BruceWase]

I tried a product called EAR WAX MD and it seemed to do a remarkable job of removing the blockage that was there.

[@elainemiller8452]

I have narrow canals and wear hearing aids the audiologist doesn't have a small enough instrument to remove my wax build-up so I go to ENT, who has a tiny instrument and suction ,every 2 months to have wax removed. I was told ,regarding flushing, that I didn't need all that liquid in my ears. The buildup, although very small, can affect my hearing

[@tubamanandy2]

Real question is how do you clear the Eustation tube ?

[@exbankerbob1]

I am a 79 year old male who had life long problems with impacted ear wax. I didn’t specifically track it but I imagine it was at least annually. After an irrigation by my doctor I started to just hold each ear up to the shower every day with a fine stream of water. This was about ten years ago and I have never had another impacted wax event. If you ever have an ear doctor on again please ask them about this. PS your video about plastics confirmed things my daughter scolded me about. I hate when she’s right. Lol.

[@haroldgreen1425]

I've worn hearing aids for many years now and my audiologist suggested I make a solution of one part vinegar, one part alcohol, and one part warm water. With a small squeeze bulb (mine came in a kit with ear drops) I stand bent over my bathroom sink with one ear facing down and squirt the solution into the ear a few times and then the same with the other ear. I repeat that a couple of more times. Afterward I can often find orange debris in the sink that washed out of my ears. I do this every couple of months and my ears normally stay clear as any excess wax can plug the hearing aids so they don't work well. I haven't had any issues with excess ear wax since I started doing this a few years ago.

[@stanmatej35]

you guys are great , thanks i just use the point off my bic pen cover cap. verrry carefully !

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Oh man. Bic pen. Throwback

[@elizabethflagler-ec9fo]

I use a small bit of cotton batten to keep the oil in the ear so no leakage.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Good advice thanks

[@SamPhappalapa]

I've found mostly hydrogen peroxide with a couple drops of vinegar and rubbing alcohol for 10 minutes followed by flushing it with warm water effective

[@jcilliers4412]

Same with me. Hydrogen peroxide works well. I use the medical use type.

[@yvonneupshecomes9948]

I cannot tell my hubby enough times to please stop putting cotton swabs in his ear Is there such a things as Ear Police cause thats me Thank You for the great video

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Ear police 👮 🤣

[@rosej9686]

Same with my hubby. They don't listen. 🤷‍♀️

[@gloriayouchisonbrown7734]

I use peroxide in my ears

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Yes this is one of the liquids used for softening

[@guermeisterdoodlebug7980]

Not only good info, but she’s cute, seems very sweet. I love her personality.

[@wattsmichaele]

My body has always produced a lot of skin oil, ear wax etc…..after being partially ENT doctor cleaned my ears with these tiny tools and a type of vacuum….removing gross ear worm things….every ten years or so I go to him and “poof” clean ears and amazing hearing. I’m in my seventh decade….just my advice as a patient to others:)

[@margaretshaw9168]

thank you for this information .. Love The ENT

[@joseenoel8093]

I no longer swim under water at public pools... First feeling a little bad tingling, taking a plane ride in spite of sent me to doc's upon arrival, Hlx' Betty Boop for the troops, Dementia Diva mom offered a warm bag of warm against my ear as "That's all they ever had"... Thank goodness for antibiotics what horrendous pain!

[@leonceboudreauxwolf]

A warm bag of warm, Betty Boop, troops, Dementia Diva, taking a plane ride in spite of sense ?? Wth are you talking about ??

[@ronorange990]

And the number one concern, ipods or other widely and frequently used hearing apparatus used by the throngs (especially youth)….germs, wax compaction etc.?

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Probably the volume

[@michaeltorrey3603]

For years I develop this hard ear wax that cannot be irrigated out. Once after they tried to remove it they shoved it all the way to my ear drum. I had to have it vacuumed off my ear drum. I’ve tried debrox which only backs up and gets stuck between the wax plug and my ear drum becoming very uncomfortable. Getting an appointment with an ENT specialist is always a long wait. But I found an audiologist clinic that uses a scope and curet to remove the wax plug. Faster appointments and fast treatment. So if you have that hard ear wax problem I suggest an audiologist first over an ENT.

[@SportbikeUnitedRiderz]

1:46 that's correct. In my case I was using a Q-tip which kept packing the wax in my ear causing blockage and hard to hear. Big mistake. Now I'm just letting migrate out normally.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Let it ride!

[@deanyanko3326]

Yes using swabs and inserted ear plugs pushes wax against ear drum which causes dizziness, I flush out ears with warm water and yes an empty dish detergent bottle.

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Yes. Be careful though

[@chairmanmike5858]

I'm a woodworking hobbiest and I use a helmet resperator and ear plugs. Trading off lung protection over risk of potential ear problems. It's important to use fresh ear plugs - I've seen some tradesman use old plugs from the floor of their pickup truck. 😜

[@maxwellmarovich2975]

I've been using an elephant ear washer in my ears for decades. I get wax build up like clock work every 6 months. I'll tilt my head over the sink and spray (with caution) inside my ear until all of the wax comes out. I would not be able to afford going to the doctor to get it done professionally so often, plus these days it takes months to even make an appointment. We have to do it ourselves.

[@jackiebennett3762]

What’s an elephant ear washer

[@hellegilbert3000]

Thank you for the informative video.

[@garyruth8]

I use inserted hearing aids and since I have excess wax accumulation, I see an ear specialist every 6 months to have it removed. Inserting the hearing aids every day seems to eventually cause wax impacting.

[@rajneeshjaret1629]

Very informative

[@colincampbell8311]

Any wisdom for people who wear hearing aids?

[@bryanleaman5942]

I'm definitely one of those who produces a lot of ear wax. Loosening it with hydrogen peroxide and flushing with water has worked, but it takes several days repeating that to get out loosened and flushed well

[@judyheard6266]

How do you relieve ear itch without qtip?

[@genemiller4953]

I was surprised that they didn’t discuss the over the counter irrigation system that you see advertised all the time. Personally I have for years irrigated my own ears using a small baby bulb type of thing and I just hit each ear 2 or 3 times while taking a shower. I do this about 2 or 3 times a year. It easily flushes out my ear wax and I can tell the difference after I’ve done it. Been doing it for 20 years and as far as I know it has worked good for me. However I have to admit that info in this video has given me pause by doing this. Otherwise I believe my hearing is good for pushing 80 without using any hearing device….yet.

[@mellowyellowmom7631]

My daughter was complaining of a plugged ear. I was thinking of taking her to the clinic. But she said something was really wrong. When I looked in there I saw a blob of wax. I very carefully used tweezers to pull it out. It was a HUGE plug of wax!!! I don’t know how she heard anything at all before it was removed!!! I never saw anything like that!!!

[@jojoncat]

Great topic! Since we are on ENT now, are you going to discuss Neti pot?

[@TalkingWithDocs]

Ha it’s on the list

[@Colorado18]

thank you

[@TalkingWithDocs]

You're welcome