updated with success: So I woke up this morning...

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Going to the ER for ear wax probably is a good commentary on your personal hygiene. 😉

wtf?

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: l0cke
You don't happen to use earbuds a lot do you?

IEM has nothing to do w/ the OP's problem. In fact, if anybody cleans their ear canal regularly w/ a Q-Tip after shower, there wouldn't be a massive build-up like the OP.

 

[Leros]

I had a doctor remove a big piece of wax from my ear, much like you did at the ER. I was using a Q-tip one morning and my ear suddenly stopped hearing. I thought I had punctured the ear drum or something. Turns out I just pushed the wax against the ear drum, making a perfect seal.

The experience of having that wax removed is truly wonderful. I wish I could get my ears "professionally cleaned" annually.

 

[bctbct]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Going to the ER for ear wax probably is a good commentary on your personal hygiene. 😉

And why medical insurance premiums are so high.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: l0cke
You don't happen to use earbuds a lot do you?

IEM has nothing to do w/ the OP's problem. In fact, if anybody cleans their ear canal regularly w/ a Q-Tip after shower, there wouldn't be a massive build-up like the OP.

Are you a Dr? I've been repeatedly advised (by Doctors) to never use a Q-Tip to clean their ears. So... I decided to clean one ear w/ a Q-Tip, and not do so to the other. I need to routinely flush both ears with Debrox... there doesn't seem to be any difference between the two.

 

[I Saw OJ]

This thread reminds me of a guy I used to work with. Same thing happened to him, woke up one morning and couldn't hear out of one ear. Instead of going to the doctor he stuck a key in his ear and got the wax out that way.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: l0cke
You don't happen to use earbuds a lot do you?

IEM has nothing to do w/ the OP's problem. In fact, if anybody cleans their ear canal regularly w/ a Q-Tip after shower, there wouldn't be a massive build-up like the OP.

Unless you're sticking that Q-tip all the way down to your ear drum, no it won't clean out your ear canal completely.

 

[Baked]

Maybe I should rephrase my post. When I say clean your ear canal w/ Q-Tip, I meant cleaning the other rims of your ear canal, but no more than half an inch into the ear canal. I wasn't talking about sticking the entire Q-Tip into your ear canal until you hit the end or when it gets painful.

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
This thread reminds me of a guy I used to work with. Same thing happened to him, woke up one morning and couldn't hear out of one ear. Instead of going to the doctor he stuck a key in his ear and got the wax out that way.

That didn't work for me! 🙁

😱

 

[bignateyk]

The buildup was from allergies. I never have earwax that comes to the surface enough to be visible, and the clog was alot further down than a Q-tip should safely go. The clog (according to the doctor) resulted from having a bit of fluid in there from allergies, then going to arizona for two weeks into the extreme dry air which dried it out.

Really has nothing to do with hygiene (not to mention that every doctor I have ever been to has advised against using Q-tips).

 

[bignateyk]

Originally posted by: bctbct

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Going to the ER for ear wax probably is a good commentary on your personal hygiene. 😉

And why medical insurance premiums are so high.

Didnt have much of a choice. I was 3000 miles from home, and no regular doctors were taking patients so late on a saturday. I tried everything I could on my own. I'm sure as hell not going to sit on an airplane for 8 hours and 16 hours of travel overall with an ear that can't adjust for pressure changes.

And no, the reason insurance premiums are so high is because of all the people WITHOUT insurance who go to the ER, as evidenced by all the mexicans sitting there today waiting to get their whole families checked out.

 

[Engineer]

No more fail for me. This thread saved me a trip to the clinic. After goofing around with partial hearning (comes and goes) for about three weeks, I bought an ear wax removal kit. I tried the directions with no luck. Finally, I soaked the ear in the solution overnight (20 drops with a cotton ball), and then stuck the syringe (with HOT water) down into the ear (deep) and flushed like hell. Nothing at first, then pop, almost like a drain opening. I looked in the sink and a large almost "skin like" piece of something floating around in there. This is the best my ear has felt in a month!!!

I was getting ready to go to the clinic when I decided to give it one more try!!!

Wooohoooooo!

 

[Taejin]

This is what you get for being caucasian.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i have a similar story. got a bunch of seawater trapped behind wax after doing some dives. couldnt hear... mineral oil and warm water did the trick. was NASTY... solid yellow chunks then lots of rotten cottage cheese stuff. i keep my ears cleaner now.