Ears clogged with wax fixed.

[Paul Barker]

I last had the practice nurse de-wax my ears with a machine that pulses water through a fine hole in a bent tip for ear access. She did miracles.

Post covid practice nurses no longer do this procedure, so opticians are rising to the opening and in Scarborough its £60. Sam went as did Diana, so we’re £120 down of the money I provide.

So I had a look for one of these machines…..



Just used it, and it was same result as last time.

[andrew Ivimey]

Mmmm yeah I can do that. Im appalled at how bad the private sector does this Total rip off. I suppose I should join the crew- lucrative.

In the hospital we use micro suction and if you know what you're doing it is totally good...and for example you can deal with a retraction pocket without destroying the patient's hearing in that ear. So many of these private practitioners really aren't any good.

Waxy ears are a reality though - bloody awful

[IslandPink]

I had the micro-suction from a one-man shop in Ruthin about 4 years ago. It was only £35 approx. Damned loud while it was happening, though.

[pre65]

The last time I had the nurse at my Doctors sort out ear way problems I thought she used an ultrasonic device ?

It was some years ago.

[Mike H]

Had to look up 'retraction pocket'. Wow!

[Paul Barker]

I thought she used an ultrasonic device ?

This type made by Propulse supplied by Mirage Health Group Ltd, is pulsing warm water through a fine injector with selected settings. Minimum pressure .27-1.1 bar, fully variable to 3.45 bar. One bar is a column of water 33ft high bearing down on youre ear where the wax is stuck like a plug.

The water jet pulses approx 20 hz, in language you guys understand. They say 1200 per minute. If you want you could call that ultrasound. The manufacturer doesnt. It calls it pulsing.

End result is a few broken off hard wax examples, followed by a very satisfying large plug that clearlyhindered youre external meatus from performing its role as a horn to catch sounds. ( to use language youknow well.

Dont do it for longer than ten minutes though or youre brain will ‘self implode.’ Not mentioned in the instructions. My humour alone! But the ten mins is stated.

[Paul Barker]

I too just read about retraction pockets and I may have some experience to contribute. The chemists and optitians taking over this role for reward, recommend prepare with olive oil ear drops, because they say hydrojen peroxide and bicarb hardens some parts of the wax which is hard for them to dislodge.

Anyway I was using the peroxide bicarb mix before I learned this from Sam who they had to pick out a hard blocking lump.

Anyway I found that the peroxide bicarb did a beuatiful job of opening up the eustation tubes. A really satisfying experience. But I added to that the alternative use of olive oil.

I found with persistence after those different drops alternated on different days. The satisfaction of seeing the plugs which blocked both ears laterly in the time allowed dropped into the bath. (I did it naked sat inthe bath)

[Nick]

One bar is a column of water 33ft high

Or for those of us who are not Victorian physicists 1 bar = 14.5 psi

[vinylnvalves]

Retraction pocket, that may be what’s wrong with my ears currently. GP cannot see any wax in my ears at all. Waiting for ENT consultation, I have tinnitus, an 8k whistle to be more precise, when I had a hearing test recently. My ear rustles and clicks when I walk, only been going on since March, but the wheels of health care turn slowly. The free gift I got from Covid. I have been flushing my nasal passages out to no avail.

[pre65]

I have been flushing my nasal passages out to no avail.

What device do you use for that ?

[Daniel Quinn]

I used to use cocaine , works wonders for your nose but it fucks your blood pressure .

[vinylnvalves]

A syringe……. but you could use a 100 psi airline

[shane]

A syringe……. but you could use a 100 psi airline

You could do that to clear wax out of both ears at the same time!!

[andrew Ivimey]

C0caine doesn't do wonders for your nose. It quite literally erodes the mucous membranes, eats into the sinuses and eventually causes collapse.

In my spent delicious days in New York I came to enjoy the ' high' ( anything was possible! I was more creative than Kim Jon Il, John Lennon and Leonardo da Vinci rolled onto one. It was so much more cool than amphetamines - ennervating and ...oooo far out. But it is dangerous and addictive. It was also expensive...

I wish I'd never mentioned 'retraction pocket' it was only an example - my right ear has been preserved on film by ENT dept - might even be on YouTube but not with my permission - I don't care . It is quite rare and complicated. Wax removal is not but it is delicate and so many private practioners never dream of the possible complications - again rare but fascinating accidents to sort out in your local ENT dept.

Who was the nice and eccentric young man late of this bulletin board who put a cotton bud through his ear drum - much more common!

[izzy wizzy]

Love a bit of microsuction. Practioner here took pic of before. Yup, really blocked. After, can see nice shiney ear drum. Sweet. Only needed a day or two of a bit of olive oil, not Ear Wax Remover potion which makes it too sloppy to get out properly. So much better than the other methods IMHO like huge syringe like cake icing applicator or that small water blaster thing that chips away at it.