what do you do for ear wax?

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what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 2:35:35 PM

pahunkboy

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I cleaned my ear out a few times with peroxide. The ear wax seems irritable.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 3:23:19 PM

hlen5

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I wouldn't do anything for ear wax!!

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 3:33:22 PM

pahunkboy

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The problem is some sweat got into my ear drum when I was sleeping- this has the ear drum irritated.

I have some old anti biotics- but I dont want to pop them - unless I need to.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 5:01:46 PM

Rule

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Do not put anything in your ear.

If there is fluid in your ear, you might insert a bit of rolled up tissue paper which might absorb the fluid.

Otherwise: go for a walk in the sun or in a hard wind. The liquid in your ear will evaporate because of the warmth or wind. That may take some time, though.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 5:07:33 PM

BBBTBW

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There are drops at the pharmacy that you can use to dissolve ear wax.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 5:08:05 PM

Spiritedsub2

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Per Dr. Oz, use mineral oil.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 5:15:58 PM

FrostedFlake

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Former sonarman, here. Occupational hazard.

Hydrogen peroxide, 3%. The stuff from the pharmacy, not from the pool maintenance kit. Highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide will dissolve flesh. Dip Q-tip. Pardon, meant to say soft fluffy Q-tip. Gently, carefully insert soaked Q-tip. Spin back and forth. Insert dry end, spin to and fro. Try to reach as far as the eardrum without abusing it. If you think you should, do all this again. In the extreme case, Tilt your head to the side, pour hydrogen peroxide into the ear. You will be rewarded with the sound of bubbles. The more bubbles, the more you needed to do that. A wad of tissue will collect the H2o2 when you stand up straight. Then, soft, fluffy Q-tip spun in ear to dry ear and remove whatever.

While we are here, if that thing in your ear is alive (never happened to me) alcohol poured into the ear will kill it, just as fast as killing can happen. No smoking.

If cleaning does not provide relief, you probably do have an infection. Don't mess around with a few leftover antibiotic pills. See your doctor. You should not even have leftover antibiotic pills. You are supposed to take all the pills, to make sure you win the battle. If you don't do that, you are breeding a disease that can resist antibiotics. And doing it inside you.

Best wishes.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 5:29:26 PM

pahunkboy

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quote:

Hydrogen peroxide, 3%. The stuff from the pharmacy, not from the pool maintenance kit. Highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide will dissolve flesh. Dip Q-tip. Pardon, meant to say soft fluffy Q-tip. Gently, carefully insert soaked Q-tip. Spin back and forth. Insert dry end, spin to and fro. Try to reach as far as the eardrum without abusing it. If you think you should, do all this again. In the extreme case, Tilt your head to the side, pour hydrogen peroxide into the ear. You will be rewarded with the sound of bubbles. The more bubbles, the more you needed to do that. A wad of tissue will collect the H2o2 when you stand up straight. Then, soft, fluffy Q-tip spun in ear to dry ear and remove whatever.

I did this now the 3rd day. Once a day. I hear fizziness when I pour it into my ear drum. It does seem to have some effect.

I am certain- that sweat got into the ear drum and that is why it is irritated.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 6:15:44 PM

DesFIP

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Some people produce so much wax they need their ears to be flushed by a professional.

If you have an outer ear infection, aka swimmer's ear, you need antibiotic drops.

Oral antibiotics are for inner ear infections. But don't take them unless they've been prescribed for that. And don't stop taking them halfway thinking you can save the rest. That's how you wind up with a resistant infection that cannot be treated.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 6:31:34 PM

pahunkboy

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quote:

don't take them unless they've been prescribed

They can be bought online.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 6:51:38 PM

Toysinbabeland

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don't put anything inside of your ear except for your elbow.

that is of course unless you're looking for a perforated eardrum.

try a bulb type syringe.

Murine makes ear drops to use that are safe.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 6:52:59 PM

pahunkboy

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This is the 3rd day of the peroxide and I am noticing progress. We are tho in for a heat wave- that makes sweat- which could get into the ear again.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 7:02:08 PM

MasterCaneman

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And they called him "Sweaty Ear". I don't have anything much to add except, to keep the sweat from going into the ear, which I doubt is the actual root cause of your issue, a tuft of cotton in the outer ear should suffice. Don't jam it in, just prop it there.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 8:22:10 PM

littlewonder

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eeerr...online antibiotics. I'm betting if you had them tested you would find very little if any antibiotic in them. For all you know, you're swallowing aspirin.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 8:48:06 PM

njlauren

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Peroxide will work, I have had some incredibly major buildup of wax at times (literally, my ear would be sealed shut, couldn't hear, because of it), and peroxide did the trick. The key is to keep doing it, it can take a week or more to really flush it out. Mineral oil can work, with a qtip (I used to use that cleaning out my cat's ears when they had mites), but I found peroxide worked better. I believe the murine ear wax kit is peroxide based. An ear pipette or bulb syringe is a good way to put it in,you can also use the bulb with warm water to flush out the wax after it has been softened by the peroxide.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 9:14:19 PM

pahunkboy

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quote:

it can take a week or more to really flush it out.

Thanks! That is helpful.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 9:18:26 PM

pahunkboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCaneman

And they called him "Sweaty Ear". I don't have anything much to add except, to keep the sweat from going into the ear, which I doubt is the actual root cause of your issue, a tuft of cotton in the outer ear should suffice. Don't jam it in, just prop it there.

quote:

Sweaty Ear

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090920143634AAK1xrX

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 9:38:54 PM

Toysinbabeland

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I totally read this topic wondering if the reward was similar to a Klondike bar.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/17/2013 9:46:46 PM

pahunkboy

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The short answer is, Yes!
There are 2 different types of sweat glands in humans, so there are 2 kinds of sweat. The more numerous gland type is the one that secretes sweat as a means of helping to regulate our body temperature and is called Eccrine sweat.
Eccrine sweat is clear and contains salt, potassium, urea, lactate, and traces of other compounds. Its composition varies with many factors, such as fluid intake, external temperature, and hormonal activity. And, although eccrine sweat contains such products as urea, the notion that sweat "purifies" the blood by excreting waste products in a manner similar to the kidneys is not scientifically supported. However, even though, as the thebeetis states, there are lysozymes in sweat, it is loaded with bacteria once it comes out of our pores onto the skin.
So, it is possible that if sweat got into your inner ear and carried surface bacteria with it, such as Staph (Staphylococcus aureus, etc…), or Strep (Streptococcus pneumonia, etc…), you could get an ear infection.
Try a couple drops of regular rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl) to help clear it up. Lean your head to the side with the infected ear up, put a few drops in, wait a few moments and lean your head the opposite direction to drain the alcohol. This works great after swimming too, as alcohol is heavier than water and forces it up and out of your ear canal.

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RE: what do you do for ear wax? - 8/18/2013 11:52:55 PM

MercTech

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If the problem is water (or sweat) in the ear canal that sounds a lot like "swimmer's ear" that is easily sorted. Leaving water on the ear drum can cause irritation and infection so the simple expedient of putting a bit of rubbing alcohol in the ear after swimming and tilt the head to drain.

Alcohol and water are miscible.. they dissolve in each other. The beneficial effect is to change the surface tension of the fluid in the ear canal. No longer are there droplets that cling and irritate but a water/alcohol mixture that drains right out.

Now, ear wax is another matter. The usual medical treatment for excessive ear wax is to soften with hydrogen peroxide then flush it out with a syringe full of warm sterile water.

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