Blocked ear...

[SckizoBoy]

Hum... so, in the few days before my doctor's appointment, this problem will continue to bug me...

So, for the last several days (to a couple weeks, I think), my right ear has slowly been blocking up and giving me tinnitus. I've tried syringing (admittedly, not much of an effort), but the problem has not been alleviated.

Anyone got any thoughts on: 1) what my ear is blocked with & 2) what it can be unblocked with (aside from warm olive oil).

I'm deaf enough as it is without 'hearing' this crap... :/

 

[Rosiv]

I used steam to soften the earwax via warming up a wet sock in a cup in the Microwave.

I placed the cup flush to my ear, and proceeded to "loosen the earwax", and by loosen the earwax i mean scream like a beach...

The pain was low, but things did feel softer in my ear after a while of steam.

I then used a cue-tip and shoved it all the way down my ear, even though your not suppose to..., and i unclogged my ear.

I don't think there is any scientific/medical backing on my part, so be wary

 

[SnowyGamester]

It's possible you have an excess build up of ear wax which may have become impacted. If that is the cause (which it might not be), you may be able to remove it yourself but you could cause permanent damage to your ear drum. Regardless, an internet forum isn't a doctor which is who you should really be talking to.

I then used a cue-tip and shoved it all the way down my ear, even though your not suppose to...

Yeah, don't do that. If your ear wax is impacted (i.e. actually touching the ear drum) trying to remove it like that is a good way to fuck up your hearing (and probably experience a lot of pain in the process).

 

[Rosiv]

It's possible you have an excess build up of ear wax which may have become impacted. If that is the cause (which it might not be), you may be able to remove it yourself but you could cause permanent damage to your ear drum. Regardless, an internet forum isn't a doctor which is who you should really be talking to.

I then used a cue-tip and shoved it all the way down my ear, even though your not suppose to...

Yeah, don't do that. If your ear wax is impacted (i.e. actually touching the ear drum) trying to remove it like that is a good way to fuck up your hearing (and probably experience a lot of pain in the process).

Ya thanks for the tip, or should i say, Q-tip...,

But ya bad advice on my part, and ya it did hurt...

 

[lechat]

do not do anything. any doctor will tell you you should not place anything any smaller or more convenient than your elbow into your ear.
if your ear is impacted you run the risk of rupturing an ear drum if you try and force it.

as someone who has suffered ear problems from birth i advise multiple warm showers each day when you have an infection or blockage. let warm water run into your ear, tip your head sideways and let it run out. give your ears a light cleaning with soap every day but generally leave them the fuck alone and they will take care of themselves

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

do not do anything. any doctor will tell you you should not place anything any smaller or more convenient than your elbow into your ear.
if your ear is impacted you run the risk of rupturing an ear drum if you try and force it.

as someone who has suffered ear problems from birth i advise multiple warm showers each day when you have an infection or blockage. let warm water run into your ear, tip your head sideways and let it run out. give your ears a light cleaning with soap every day but generally leave them the fuck alone and they will take care of themselves

Mostly this. Also, you can buy medicine to soften earwax, but don't, it's not very good. What was suggested by my doctor is to pour a teeny bit of olive oil in your ear- it will soften the earwax (and cause it to run horribly out of your ear, and unless you're significantly less clumsy you'll get oil all over your head).

 

[Jux]

Do you have sinus issues too? I had issues once with blockage of my eustachian tubes, ended up having to go to a specialist. The fix was surprisingly simple, he stuck what ammounts to a medical vaccuum cleaner up my nose and sucked out a mass of snot from my sinus cavities that was about the size of my fist. Between that and some medication, it cleared right up.

Just see the doc, and don't bother with home remedies, especially that ear candling nonsense.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Do you have sinus issues too? I had issues once with blockage of my eustachian tubes, ended up having to go to a specialist. The fix was surprisingly simple, he stuck what ammounts to a medical vaccuum cleaner up my nose and sucked out a mass of snot from my sinus cavities that was about the size of my fist. Between that and some medication, it cleared right up.

Yeah... I wondered about that, but my saliva tastes OK, so I'm fairly certain there's no infection or fluid issue there.

Just see the doc, and don't bother with home remedies, especially that ear candling nonsense.

Oh, I just read up on that... people actually believe in that crap?! ' ... eeeesh...

Anyway, at the moment, I'm just syringing with olive oil and wiping out my outer ear... see if that does anything...

Cheers all for replying, nonetheless, just trying to reassure myself, after a fashion...

 

[Lilani]

he stuck what ammounts to a medical vaccuum cleaner up my nose and sucked out a mass of snot from my sinus cavities that was about the size of my fist. Between that and some medication, it cleared right up.

Shit on a stick, I need one of those. Every now and then during the spring and summer, I wake up with horrible sinus migraines. I'll be perfectly fine the day before, and then wake up in the morning with a splitting migraine I can feel in my head, eyes, nose, and all the way into my teeth. Over spring break I had one so bad I was totally out of commission for the day, and I threw up four times throughout the morning and afternoon. After a day of naps and as much migraine and anti-inflammatory medicine I was comfortable with taking, I was finally able to hold down crackers in the mid-afternoon and actually had real food for dinner.

But having a vacuum to stick up my nose and suck all that junk out might have cleared it out even faster.

 

[Jux]

Shit on a stick, I need one of those. Every now and then during the spring and summer, I wake up with horrible sinus migraines. I'll be perfectly fine the day before, and then wake up in the morning with a splitting migraine I can feel in my head, eyes, nose, and all the way into my teeth. Over spring break I had one so bad I was totally out of commission for the day, and I threw up four times throughout the morning and afternoon. After a day of naps and as much migraine and anti-inflammatory medicine I was comfortable with taking, I was finally able to hold down crackers in the mid-afternoon and actually had real food for dinner.

But having a vacuum to stick up my nose and suck all that junk out might have cleared it out even faster.

Maxalt is pretty expensive, but is an awesome migraine medication in my experience. I get migraines about once a month. No sinus blockage, but the symptoms sound similar. Maxalt is the only thing that works for me, but it works damn fast. Usually about 5-10 min and its completely gone.

 

[Rylot]

I have a similar issue intermittently. My right ear will plug up and sort of make a popping noise every so often. Got it checked out by a doc and she said it was due to air bubbles building up in my ear (I never really figured out where or how or why on this). Not much I can do about it but it does seem to have gone away for a while.

 

[IndomitableSam]

My ears gum up now and again and I go to my doctor's or a walk-in clinic and they flush it out with water. You can get at-home kits, but they don't work as well, of course. I was always made to soften the wax in my ears with baby oil/olive oil beforehand, too.

My right ear always feels like something's in it, so it's either air bubbles as someone said above, or my jaw clicking and affecting that ear. It's terribly, terribly infurating and it's an every day all day thing now. Could be because I've had to have the ear flushed out a few times before.