I could've sworn I'd posted about this before, went through all six pages of this sub-forum and nothing there. And, head's-up, this is kinda disgusting, but totally appropriate for an Audio forum. Viewer Discretion Advised. NSFW. You've been warned.
Ear Wax! There, I said it. Mine builds up, slowly but surely, to where I have to do a "deep-clean" once every five years or so. Soften it over 3 or 4 days with peroxide drops (Debrox or similar). Flush it out with warm water via a syringe (sans needle). Done, for another 5 years. I've been doing this myself the last couple times, it takes awhile. Just recently I got an ad for a "Q-Grip", and it looked like it could work, and I ordered a kit (not the $40 version I got the ad for, but a $9.99 special on Amazoid). It pulled some wax out, the first time, but ears were still "constricted". I went to the Debrox for a few days, tried again, and completely plugged both ears. Couldn't hear anything on the phone. Had to double the volume to hear the news, and couldn't hear the toilet flush or my car start. Weird.
Finally got into my Dr this afternoon. Doctor looked in my ear, said Yep you're plugged, sent in the nurse to do the dirty work, then he came back in to say Yep you're clear (guess who got paid more). Nurse came in, not with a syringe, but with one of these:
Yikes! The nurse told me this was the best system she'd ever used (and she actually told me she was taught how to use those "ear Candles" in med school, wat?!?) With the syringe method, it took one or two "blasts" to clean things out, and against your ear drum, sounds like a firehose. THIS thing, good gawd, she was pumping that thing faster than me cleaning the john after Burrito Night, yowch!
But, finally, that satisfying "crack/thunk" when it breaks loose and falls to the floor (I warned you this'd be gross). And that amazing feeling as fresh air enters your ear canal, and your treble response goes up a few ten-thousand Hz. AND you lose your balance; this heavy cleaning really affects your balance for 15 minutes or so; hard to walk straight.
Both the doc and the nurse admitted to me that they still use Q-tips, even though we're not supposed to; my own ears clog up w/o Q-tips in 3 weeks or so, and clog up with Q-tips in 5 years or so; simple choice for me.
Again, sorry, this was TMI and disgusting; but, it affects our hearing so much that I thought it was worth bringing up. If you've never had this procedure done, you may be surprised by the results. FWIW.
Ear Wax! There, I said it. Mine builds up, slowly but surely, to where I have to do a "deep-clean" once every five years or so. Soften it over 3 or 4 days with peroxide drops (Debrox or similar). Flush it out with warm water via a syringe (sans needle). Done, for another 5 years. I've been doing this myself the last couple times, it takes awhile. Just recently I got an ad for a "Q-Grip", and it looked like it could work, and I ordered a kit (not the $40 version I got the ad for, but a $9.99 special on Amazoid). It pulled some wax out, the first time, but ears were still "constricted". I went to the Debrox for a few days, tried again, and completely plugged both ears. Couldn't hear anything on the phone. Had to double the volume to hear the news, and couldn't hear the toilet flush or my car start. Weird.
Finally got into my Dr this afternoon. Doctor looked in my ear, said Yep you're plugged, sent in the nurse to do the dirty work, then he came back in to say Yep you're clear (guess who got paid more). Nurse came in, not with a syringe, but with one of these:
Yikes! The nurse told me this was the best system she'd ever used (and she actually told me she was taught how to use those "ear Candles" in med school, wat?!?) With the syringe method, it took one or two "blasts" to clean things out, and against your ear drum, sounds like a firehose. THIS thing, good gawd, she was pumping that thing faster than me cleaning the john after Burrito Night, yowch!
But, finally, that satisfying "crack/thunk" when it breaks loose and falls to the floor (I warned you this'd be gross). And that amazing feeling as fresh air enters your ear canal, and your treble response goes up a few ten-thousand Hz. AND you lose your balance; this heavy cleaning really affects your balance for 15 minutes or so; hard to walk straight.
Both the doc and the nurse admitted to me that they still use Q-tips, even though we're not supposed to; my own ears clog up w/o Q-tips in 3 weeks or so, and clog up with Q-tips in 5 years or so; simple choice for me.
Again, sorry, this was TMI and disgusting; but, it affects our hearing so much that I thought it was worth bringing up. If you've never had this procedure done, you may be surprised by the results. FWIW.
