- Jun 7, 2000
- 9,099
- 19
- 81
It's nothing new for my ears to get plugged up with wax... I usually just use Debrox for a couple of days, the ear wax comes out, and the situation resolves itself. Not this time.
A week and a half (or thereabouts) ago, my right ear suddenly got plugged up -- like, I didn't notice any hearing problems in it one day, and when I woke up the next day, I couldn't hear out of it. A couple of days later, I bought some more Debrox and did the usual - applied 10 or so drops twice a day. I've never had to do that for more than a couple of days before the stuff drains out and it's fine. But this time, it didn't work... I've been doing the Debrox thing for about a week, with no results at all. I've been getting headaches as well (which I've been attributing to this, but my jaws are also swollen in the 4 places where wisdom teeth grow, so I'll probably need to have them surgically extracted soon) -- anyway, not sure if the headaches are from the ears or teeth or what. I decided that I needed to get help, but I don't have a general physician, and I certainly don't want to go to the ER for something this minor. I'd heard about CVS MinuteClinic - figured I'd give that a try.
I went to MinuteClinic tonight, about 2 hours ago. The Family Nurse Practitioner said that both of my ears were fully blocked with wax (even though I thought that I could hear perfectly fine out of my left ear). Nonetheless, she insisted that she needed to do the irrigation on both ears. For my right ear - the one that I hadn't been able to hear out of - it didn't dislodge anything at all. I didn't gain any hearing, etc. In short, nothing happened. I didn't want her to try my left ear in case it made the situation worse, but she was adamant, so I gave in - hell, she's the one with the education, no me, so I listened. Well, guess what. I left her office 15 minutes later, fully unable to hear out of either ear. The waterpik thing must have dislodged or loosened or did something to the wax in my left ear, because I had been able to hear just fine, but then couldn't. The nurse explained, in writing, that this is normal, to administer saline drops to my ears twice per day for the next 5 days, and then to return to her office next week. WTF. I CAN'T FUCKING HEAR AT ALL. NOTHING. And she tells me this is normal, come back in a week.
Was dizzy when I stood up, somehow made it to my truck and drove the hour home. (In other news, I must use wind volume or engine volume or something to help determine my speed, because I wasn't driving even *close* to what I thought I was driving, every time I looked at my spedometer.) I just took a q-tip to my left ear, trying to do anything to regain at least a little hearing. I did get some wax out of it, but not a tremendous amount. At least now I can hear most noises, even if they do sound infinitely quieter than they should. The right ear is still fully blocked.
So what does Dr. ATOT advise? I'd read about having doctors irrigate ears before - and talked to several people that have had it done - and everyone said that it was great, never had a problem with it, left the office like brand new. I'm downright furious right now.... though for no reason I suppose, I don't know who I could be mad at. Probably not helping my blood pressure, either... which was high enough she suggested I find a doctor to see tomorrow.
Sigh. I need advice from someone other than that infuriating woman.
A week and a half (or thereabouts) ago, my right ear suddenly got plugged up -- like, I didn't notice any hearing problems in it one day, and when I woke up the next day, I couldn't hear out of it. A couple of days later, I bought some more Debrox and did the usual - applied 10 or so drops twice a day. I've never had to do that for more than a couple of days before the stuff drains out and it's fine. But this time, it didn't work... I've been doing the Debrox thing for about a week, with no results at all. I've been getting headaches as well (which I've been attributing to this, but my jaws are also swollen in the 4 places where wisdom teeth grow, so I'll probably need to have them surgically extracted soon) -- anyway, not sure if the headaches are from the ears or teeth or what. I decided that I needed to get help, but I don't have a general physician, and I certainly don't want to go to the ER for something this minor. I'd heard about CVS MinuteClinic - figured I'd give that a try.
I went to MinuteClinic tonight, about 2 hours ago. The Family Nurse Practitioner said that both of my ears were fully blocked with wax (even though I thought that I could hear perfectly fine out of my left ear). Nonetheless, she insisted that she needed to do the irrigation on both ears. For my right ear - the one that I hadn't been able to hear out of - it didn't dislodge anything at all. I didn't gain any hearing, etc. In short, nothing happened. I didn't want her to try my left ear in case it made the situation worse, but she was adamant, so I gave in - hell, she's the one with the education, no me, so I listened. Well, guess what. I left her office 15 minutes later, fully unable to hear out of either ear. The waterpik thing must have dislodged or loosened or did something to the wax in my left ear, because I had been able to hear just fine, but then couldn't. The nurse explained, in writing, that this is normal, to administer saline drops to my ears twice per day for the next 5 days, and then to return to her office next week. WTF. I CAN'T FUCKING HEAR AT ALL. NOTHING. And she tells me this is normal, come back in a week.
Was dizzy when I stood up, somehow made it to my truck and drove the hour home. (In other news, I must use wind volume or engine volume or something to help determine my speed, because I wasn't driving even *close* to what I thought I was driving, every time I looked at my spedometer.) I just took a q-tip to my left ear, trying to do anything to regain at least a little hearing. I did get some wax out of it, but not a tremendous amount. At least now I can hear most noises, even if they do sound infinitely quieter than they should. The right ear is still fully blocked.
So what does Dr. ATOT advise? I'd read about having doctors irrigate ears before - and talked to several people that have had it done - and everyone said that it was great, never had a problem with it, left the office like brand new. I'm downright furious right now.... though for no reason I suppose, I don't know who I could be mad at. Probably not helping my blood pressure, either... which was high enough she suggested I find a doctor to see tomorrow.
Sigh. I need advice from someone other than that infuriating woman.
Facebook
Twitter