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Ear problems please help (kinda gross)

T

thump326

Apr 30, 2004
36
0
#1
This is becoming a growing concern. Every now and then my left ear will go almost completely deaf. :eek: Sometimes it lasts for a couple of hours, and sometimes for a couple of days.

I think it might be caused by built up wax, a sinus conjestion, or both. The odd thing is, when i clean my ears, my right ear always has more wax that comes out, but the wax from the left ear is harder and darker (the right ear normally has a good consistent yellow texture). It has been this way for as long as i can remember.

I always wear ear plugs, good ones too. But my often my deafness rears its ugly silence after i wear my plugs for a long set. Perhaps i'm pushing wax deeper in my ear, or triggering more wax to form, i dunno.

what should i do?
 
#2
You should get that looked at...a good cleaning would probably be a big help. I have problems where my ears don't drain properly either, but they only get really bad if I have a lot of conjestion from a cold or something. I find those home kits don't work terribly well, and if you're not careful, you can add more fluid to your ears.
 
#8
This happens to me about once a year, I use the drops that come with the ear syringe. I put a bunch of drops in one ear and wait 20 or 30 minutes, then I shoot water into my ear canal until the blockage comes out. I repeat on the other side. You will know when it releases, you will suddenly hear amazingly well and the wax should shoot out. Its quite disgusting, but it works well.
 
#10
haha, thanks for the input. I actually have gone to the doctor for this before, and i own one of the professional ear syringe thingys (my mom swiped one from work). but sometimes, even after using the drops and the syringe, i still find problems within a day or so. its wierd. sometimes it goes away on it own, which makes me think that there are some sinus problems going on.

there was one time when both of them went pretty much deaf for about a day, it sounded like i was under water. my hearing is outstanding when both ears are working. maybe im just going crazy.
 
#12
It could be mild damage or irritation to the left ear, sounds like somehoe the wax is just building up and blocking everything off, i used to get that now n then, not for that length of time tho, if my hearing started going in one ear id just clean it out with a cotton bud

but as people have pointed out, see a doctor, doesnt sound serious tho
 
#16
thump326 said:
haha, thanks for the input. I actually have gone to the doctor for this before, and i own one of the professional ear syringe thingys (my mom swiped one from work). but sometimes, even after using the drops and the syringe, i still find problems within a day or so. its wierd. sometimes it goes away on it own, which makes me think that there are some sinus problems going on.

there was one time when both of them went pretty much deaf for about a day, it sounded like i was under water. my hearing is outstanding when both ears are working. maybe im just going crazy.
Click to expand...

I've just been through this myself and I see a lot of similarities between my problem and yours. You've got an infection. I'll relay some of what my ear specialist told me:-

Firstly, using water to syringe out gunk is simply creating a warm, moist environment where an infection will feel most at home. Cleaning your ears if not done properly is bad for 2 reasons. Firstly if actually compacts the gunk and pushes some of it further into your ear. Secondly, it's very easy to break the skin on the inside of your ear because it's so incredibly soft. Human skin is actually quite good at keeping germs out - until it's broken, at which point it's impossible to keep the things out. That gunk in your ear, that's the infection's waste products..... gross but true.

Hopefully your infection is not fungal like mine was. Fungal infections don't respond to anti-biotics. I apparently picked mine up from potting mix. I'm now much more careful not to touch any part of myself while gardening.

My cure involved getting my ear cleaned out by the specialist with a little vaccume cleaner. Some of the compacted gunk might take a couple of visits, and he may give you some drops to use in the meantime to soften it up a little. He may also give you medicinal drops - something like Canesten if it's Fungal, and Anti-biotic if it's viral.

Now that I'm cured I follow my doctors instructions for keeping my ears clean. Firstly, keep water out of there at all costs. Shower with cotton un your ears and put a little bit of baby oil on one end - oil and water don't mix so it keeps even more water out. At the end of your shower, throw away the cotton and wipe your ear down with a tissue. Don't insert your finger into your ear, just tidy up the outer part of the opening. Within weeks, your ears will go back to doing what they were designed to do, ie Clean themselves..........

Hope that helps. I spent a fortune in doctors bills learning this info :)
 

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