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Does Olive Oil work?

#2
Russell foulkes said:
( I was going to put this in Hardware Setup and Repair :D)

I've had a blocked ear for a few weeks now, and have been reading that a dash of slightly warmed olive oil poured in and laying on my side for 5-10 minutes will help clear it.
Has anyone had any experience of this?
Click to expand...

Go for it, if it works, it works.

If it doesn't, we all get a laugh.

Win-Win as they say :D


:hiding:
 
#4
Do you happen to have medical insurance? I wouldn't start pouring stuff into my ears just because the internet says so. Just a thought. But, to be clear, I am not a doctor. I will, however, ask my buddy who is an RN tomorrow. He is both a very talented nurse and, perhaps, an even more talented musician. If you can wait another 12hrs or so, I can give you a semi-qualified answer. Please wait. Or just see a doctor.
 
#6
I have good luck wit that Debrox stuff, it's like hydrogen peroxide but with a different consistency.

If it's really bad, I think I would rather go to the doctor than start making earwax pesto. Doctors clean out ears all the time.
 
#7
TOOL460002 said:
Do you happen to have medical insurance? I wouldn't start pouring stuff into my ears just because the internet says so. Just a thought. But, to be clear, I am not a doctor. I will, however, ask my buddy who is an RN tomorrow. He is both a very talented nurse and, perhaps, an even more talented musician. If you can wait another 12hrs or so, I can give you a semi-qualified answer. Please wait. Or just see a doctor.
Click to expand...

Actually good advice for you right there.

If no insurance...... There are several other things to look at. I have bad sinus issues, and it clogs my ears up almost every other day. I use a Neti Pot and a saline nasal wash when things are getting cloudy and it usually clears things up. Sometimes I get extra drainage in my ears and I will take sinus tabs that will dry things up which usually helps to reduce fluids in my ears. I also every six months go through a process called Ear Candling. This is an old tried and true method of using a wax impregnated cloth candle, and a paper plate for head protection, and the wide end gets lit and the small end goes in the ear. The idea is that the cone shaped candle creates a vacuum with its warm air that pulls excess wax from your ear. Google it..I'm sure it's on you tube somewhere. It's always done a great job for me. But I always Neti if I have to go tune a sound system or if I'm playing.

But I think you will find from going to an Ear Nose and Throat Doc, that your problems are likely sinus related.
 
#9
I would not do the olive oil or the ear candling. I am an audiologist and work with ears everyday. The blocked sensation is most likely due to a middle ear issue which is behind your eardrum. Pouring oil into your ear canal is pointless... it can't get through your eardrum so how can it help? Same thing with ear candling... completely pointless and very dangerous if something goes wrong. If you have an ear canal fully occluded with wax you may also feel blocked. You need to go to a doctor. They can check for a wax blockage and do a tympanogram to see if you have pressure or fluid trapped in the middle ear space. They can treat you once they determine what's going on.
 
#11
Funny, I once had a bad build up of wax in my ear and a doctor prescribed drops to soften the wax ball. I thought it smelled familiar so read the little info paper in the box.

Peanut oil and preservatives. Manufactured by a major pharm company. It seems odd to me that the audiologist above doesn't know this treatment for wax occlusion.

The upshot is that the peanut oil softened the wax ball and enough liquified that remainder of the ball dropped out of my ear after a day if oiling it.
 
#13
96tbird said:
Funny, I once had a bad build up of wax in my ear and a doctor prescribed drops to soften the wax ball. I thought it smelled familiar so read the little info paper in the box.

Peanut oil and preservatives. Manufactured by a major pharm company. It seems odd to me that the audiologist above doesn't know this.

The upshot is that the peanut oil softened the wax ball and enough liquified that remainder of the ball dropped out of my ear after a day if oiling it.
Click to expand...

If it *is* a wax blockage, the usual treatment by a physician will be some sort of oil drops in the ear over a week or so followed by careful lavage in the office to remove the softened plug. Don't do this at home. A complete ear exam needs to be done before treatment.
 
#15
96tbird said:
Funny, I once had a bad build up of wax in my ear and a doctor prescribed drops to soften the wax ball. I thought it smelled familiar so read the little info paper in the box.

Peanut oil and preservatives. Manufactured by a major pharm company. It seems odd to me that the audiologist above doesn't know this treatment for wax occlusion.

The upshot is that the peanut oil softened the wax ball and enough liquified that remainder of the ball dropped out of my ear after a day if oiling it.
Click to expand...

I absolutely know this... the op doesn't know for sure if its wax. It could be a middle ear issue like I said in my post. He should go get it checked out before trying home remedies that may be useless.
 
#17
DerHoggz said:
Somewhat related, but olive oil is pretty much all counterfeit.
http://www.foodrenegade.com/your-extravirgin-olive-oil-fake/
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It is? I've been cooking with it for years! Who knew it was counterfeit?

Actually I agree, see an audiologist.

Yet don't be so quick to dismiss home remedys. They often have the benefit of more real world testing over a longer period than drug companies have time to do. Remember modern medicine is very new in our history. I praise it's skill!!!!! Where it falls down is in patient education, listening to the patient and frank conversations about diet. (Guy weighs 350 and they would do a bypass but not discuss his lifestyle. He would rather have a bypass or take a pill rather than consider his personal diet.)
 
#18
dubmaster said:
I absolutely know this... the op doesn't know for sure if its wax. It could be a middle ear issue like I said in my post. He should go get it checked out before trying home remedies that may be useless.
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Well you should have said so. OP asked if oils work and yes in cases of wax, they do. Of course he should visit the Dr. and get diagnosed but the thread title was does it work. Your response puzzled me by circumventing his question and not answering directly.

Look, anyone that came HERE of all places for medical diagnosis would be crazy. We would be crazy to give it. He just wanted to know IF he had wax that was the problem WOULD oil help clear it.
 
#19
96tbird said:
Well you should have said so. OP asked if oils work and yes in cases of wax, they do. Of course he should visit the Dr. and get diagnosed but the thread title was does it work. Your response puzzled me by circumventing his question and not answering directly.

Look, anyone that came HERE of all places for medical diagnosis would be crazy. We would be crazy to give it. He just wanted to know IF he had wax that was the problem WOULD oil help clear it.
Click to expand...

OK got ya. This is normally why I don't bother giving advice here. Everyone is an expert even when they are not... the op said his ear was blocked for weeks no mention of wax. Most people don't have wax fully occluding their canals for weeks on end. Its most likely something else going on. I was just trying to help and give a professional opinion. Honestly I would never tell anyone to pour warm oil in their ear but go ahead and assume that I don't know what I'm talking about and argue your point. Yes oil softens impacted wax. You are right. I'm glad you have your one personal experience with peanut oil and wax but I have a feeling that I've heard this type of complaint just a few times more than you have. I hope the op feels better soon.
 
#20
I had the same issue....the doctor recommended...using hydrogen peroxide ( 1/2 dropper full while lying on your side...invert and let naturally fall out...be careful using Qtip not to push wax back in.....clean thoroughly...then put a little baby oil on a Qtip and insert in ear.!!!

Works for me

There is another product that the doctor did prescribe just in case and its in dropper that will break down the ear wax...I did the above...the Prx wasn't needed

Good luck
 

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