Current Events > I just cleaned out my ears for the first time in a while, and HOLY SHIT

(+) Yeah! (+)

I didn't realize just how much of a blockage I had in my left ear. I literally had to hold on to the wall to avoid falling over because my sense of equilibrium went haywire. Plus now I have super hearing like a fucking bat. My right ear seemed to be fine. I may have even better hearing tomorrow once my ears dry out

For the record, I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb rather than something dangerous like a q-tip

Post pics

I've been debating trying to do this myself for ages.
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I used to get a ton of earwax before I started flushing them out regularly with one of those bulbs
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Why are q-tips dangerous?
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DemonBuffet posted...

Why are q-tips dangerous?

Pushes dirt and wax further into your ear.
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DemonBuffet posted...

Why are q-tips dangerous?

They just shove wax in. You're not supposed to put them inside the canal.
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DemonBuffet posted...

Why are q-tips dangerous?

Cuz you're just shoving that gunk deep in there.
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treewojima posted...

I didn't realize just how much of a blockage I had in my left ear. I literally had to hold on to the wall to avoid falling over because my sense of equilibrium went haywire. Plus now I have super hearing like a fucking bat. My right ear seemed to be fine. I may have even better hearing tomorrow once my ears dry out

For the record, I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb rather than something dangerous like a q-tip

I know this feeling too well, except my case can get extreme. Earlier this year, my "good ear" (left side) became blocked with excess wax that I was practically deaf in one ear. Over the counter stuff wouldn't work, but thankfully I walked into a Minute Clinic hosted by a CVS pharmacy to get it cleaned out. The doctor used a device that felt like a pressure washer for the ear and it flushed out rocks if wax.

The feeling was incredible after cleaning! Although it worries me that it was in 2017 that I also had to have it flushed out too, since before that, I didn't have it cleaned since 2011...
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You can also go to a general practitioner and s/he can do a flush of your ears . I get it done every 6 months or so. Takes less than 5 minutes. Feels good and gets all the wax out.
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GigaSPX posted...

treewojima posted...

I didn't realize just how much of a blockage I had in my left ear. I literally had to hold on to the wall to avoid falling over because my sense of equilibrium went haywire. Plus now I have super hearing like a fucking bat. My right ear seemed to be fine. I may have even better hearing tomorrow once my ears dry out

For the record, I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb rather than something dangerous like a q-tip

I know this feeling too well, except my case can get extreme. Earlier this year, my "good ear" (left side) became blocked with excess wax that I was practically deaf in one ear. Over the counter stuff wouldn't work, but thankfully I walked into a Minute Clinic hosted by a CVS pharmacy to get it cleaned out. The doctor used a device that felt like a pressure washer for the ear and it flushed out rocks if wax.

The feeling was incredible after cleaning! Although it worries me that it was in 2017 that I also had to have it flushed out too, since before that, I didn't have it cleaned since 2011...

How much did it cost at CVS?

Thinking about getting this done
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I have to get my ears flushed about every 3 months

Been using qtips for 29 years and never had an issue, nor has anyone in my family

Get good
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NeuralLaxative posted...

Been using qtips for 29 years and never had an issue, nor has anyone in my family

Get good

A lot of heavy dependent on ear canal shape
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Fucking gross!

I clean my ears at least once a day.
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treewojima posted...

I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb

and it just dissolves the wax? how long do you have to let it sit in there

Kaiganeer posted...

treewojima posted...

I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb

and it just dissolves the wax? how long do you have to let it sit in there

TC talk us through the procedure
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Tag

I'll detail my ear spelunking expedition when I get to work in a little bit

TheoryzC posted...

GigaSPX posted...

treewojima posted...

I didn't realize just how much of a blockage I had in my left ear. I literally had to hold on to the wall to avoid falling over because my sense of equilibrium went haywire. Plus now I have super hearing like a fucking bat. My right ear seemed to be fine. I may have even better hearing tomorrow once my ears dry out

For the record, I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb rather than something dangerous like a q-tip

I know this feeling too well, except my case can get extreme. Earlier this year, my "good ear" (left side) became blocked with excess wax that I was practically deaf in one ear. Over the counter stuff wouldn't work, but thankfully I walked into a Minute Clinic hosted by a CVS pharmacy to get it cleaned out. The doctor used a device that felt like a pressure washer for the ear and it flushed out rocks if wax.

The feeling was incredible after cleaning! Although it worries me that it was in 2017 that I also had to have it flushed out too, since before that, I didn't have it cleaned since 2011...

How much did it cost at CVS?

Thinking about getting this done

Without insurance and paying cash, it was $99. It was well worth it for me since I tried scheduling an appointment with two different ENT doctors and their offices wouldn't book me until some 3-4 weeks later. Plus, they would count the ear cleaning done for me as "surgery" so it is hell a lot more expensive since one charged me over $300 last year.

Screw both of them because all I had to do is walk in, pay an absolute cheaper price in comparison, and get it all done in 10-15 minutes. It's worth it.
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GigaSPX posted...

TheoryzC posted...

GigaSPX posted...

treewojima posted...

I didn't realize just how much of a blockage I had in my left ear. I literally had to hold on to the wall to avoid falling over because my sense of equilibrium went haywire. Plus now I have super hearing like a fucking bat. My right ear seemed to be fine. I may have even better hearing tomorrow once my ears dry out

For the record, I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb rather than something dangerous like a q-tip

I know this feeling too well, except my case can get extreme. Earlier this year, my "good ear" (left side) became blocked with excess wax that I was practically deaf in one ear. Over the counter stuff wouldn't work, but thankfully I walked into a Minute Clinic hosted by a CVS pharmacy to get it cleaned out. The doctor used a device that felt like a pressure washer for the ear and it flushed out rocks if wax.

The feeling was incredible after cleaning! Although it worries me that it was in 2017 that I also had to have it flushed out too, since before that, I didn't have it cleaned since 2011...

How much did it cost at CVS?

Thinking about getting this done

Without insurance and paying cash, it was $99. It was well worth it for me since I tried scheduling an appointment with two different ENT doctors and their offices wouldn't book me until some 3-4 weeks later. Plus, they would count the ear cleaning done for me as "surgery" so it is hell a lot more expensive since one charged me over $300 last year.

Screw both of them because all I had to do is walk in, pay an absolute cheaper price in comparison, and get it all done in 10-15 minutes. It's worth it.

It's free in the UK
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Okay, so my left ear was the one feeling the most clogged, so I did that one first. Used a little Tupperware container propped on my shoulder to try and catch the water, but it was still super messy - do this over the sink in your bathroom or something. At first, it was just kinda yellow/brown water coming out, but nothing much in the way of debris. I was getting impatient since I had been at it for quite a while, when suddenly my ear felt like it was full of water that wouldn't drain out, like if you had just gotten out of the pool. It started freaking me out, but I kept going hoping to clear whatever was in there.

Then suddenly I felt something land on my hand, and the pressure on my ear was gone. I looked at my hands and saw a GIGANTIC clump of compacted wax, hair and dirt, about an inch long and over half an inch in diameter. It looked like one of those pellets that owls spit up after a meal, with all the bones and stuff they can't digest. It was the freakiest thing I've ever seen come out of my body.

My right ear was much more boring - no clumps or even that much in the way of flakes of wax.

All in all, I'd rate the experience 10/10 would recommend

Jesus Christ that is sick.

My left ear is constantly clogged and I have to yawn to pop the pressure, so I probably have something equally bad in mine too

EpicMickeyDrew posted...

Kaiganeer posted...

treewojima posted...

I used warm saline water and a small squeeze bulb

and it just dissolves the wax? how long do you have to let it sit in there

TC talk us through the procedure

This not the aftermath. Did you just use a saline solution? Did you use a wax softener? Etc.
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When I was a kid, my mom used to pin me down and like shove tweezers in my ear to clean out the wax.
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I clean out my ears every month but i use those ear drops that you put in and it fizzles in your ear and liquidfies the wax out
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No wax softener this time, I just kept flushing my ear with water. Unless it's super compacted, water alone will loosen it up if you're patient. I used saline water since I had a big bottle left over, but any clean water source is fine (including tap).

There are many ways to do it, I just made due with what I had on hand. I've used wax softener before, you just cock your head to the side, put a couple drops in your ear and let it sit for a few minutes (you can hear it bubbling, it's kinda weird)

treewojima posted...

Then suddenly I felt something land on my hand, and the pressure on my ear was gone. I looked at my hands and saw a GIGANTIC clump of compacted wax, hair and dirt, about an inch long and over half an inch in diameter.

God, that really is an amazing feeling, I remember having that happen back in high school. I had used some of the ear drops, then later on was laying in bed reading when suddenly that ear got all clogged up. Moved my jaw around and poked around the outside of my ear for a minute, then came that blissful relief and a chunk of wax landed on my bed.

Getting an abscessed tonsil lanced is still the most amazing feeling of relief I've ever experienced, though.
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treewojima posted...

No wax softener this time, I just kept flushing my ear with water. Unless it's super compacted, water alone will loosen it up if you're patient. I used saline water since I had a big bottle left over, but any clean water source is fine (including tap).

There are many ways to do it, I just made due with what I had on hand. I've used wax softener before, you just cock your head to the side, put a couple drops in your ear and let it sit for a few minutes (you can hear it bubbling, it's kinda weird)

My personal favorite to loosen is hydrogen peroxide.

The fizzing in your ear is like a million tiny fingers lightly scratching. It feels fucking amazing.
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My dr way back had me buy an ear pick that heats up to clean my ears since I was going like every month with wax blockage.
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I've got some of those Debrox drops I'm gonna use tonight

I got some water stuck in my ear while showering today and while I think it's all out now it scared the shit out of me
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treewojima can hear ALL!
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