is there any way to remove a block of earwax without a Doctor's visit?

[pstokely]

?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. there are drops you can get at the pharmacy..ask a pharmacist

depends on how bad it is

[Maddy McCall]

2. Pain medication and a plumbing snake.

:shrug: :7

[Spinzonner]

3. ear-no

[DainBramaged]

4. Warm hydrogen peroxide from a shot glass

Warmed in your hand for 15 minutes. It sounds like a popcorn factory while it works.

[KitchenWitch]

5. drip some hydrogen peroxide into your ears

the bubbles will loosen it up and liquefy it enough for it to come out. You may need to repeat this a few times to get it all to liquefy!

[Skittles]

6. the over-the-counter eardrop stuff works pretty good

try some! Get the kit with the blue round tubey thing.

[Quakerfriend]

7. Ear candles are wonderful!

These look like regular 9" candle sticks but are hollow in the middle. You can buy them at a healthfood store. They are inserted in to the ear while you are lying down on your side.

Then the top of the candle (away from your ear) is lit and slowly burns down toward your ear. Once it gets to be 3" from your ear it is snuffed out. The heat and the shape of the hollow candle draws the wax out. You will see it inside the candle once you are thru.

It is very soothing and works like a charm!

You should never do this yourself. Always with anothers help. Also have a bowl of water by your side and cover the area around your ear with a protective cloth or other material.

Good Luck to you!

[HeeBGBz]

8. The earwax removal stuff works pretty good

Put drops in your ears then whoosh it out with the little rubber water whooshing device.

[Squeech]

9. You have to whoosh repeatedly

Happens to me about once a year, and I have to do this every day for about a week:

I drop in some of the drops, and while they're working I prepare a beaker of warm soapy water. Then I use the bulb tool to whoosh out (the medical term is "irrigate") the ear canal with the soap solution. Gradually the blockage dissolves, and eventually it all flushes out.

If it's a chronic problem, you can use the drops to clean out excess wax on a regular basis.

[Dogmudgeon]

10. About those ear drops ...

They're Carbamide Peroxide dissolved in glycerine.

It works well, but at $4 for an ounce, you're much better off using plain old Hydrogen Peroxide 3%, the 79-cents-per-pint stuff. It does not have to be warmed, but it's more comfortable if it is. Used twice a week after a shower will keep your ears low in wax. Just remember, you want to keep the ear open, not completely immaculate. Cerumen -- ear wax -- is important to the health of your ears.

Either Carbamide or Hydrogen peroxide will react with the wax to release oxygen. There will be loud fizzing and the fluid may feel warm or "hot", but not scalding -- it's probably just a degree or two above body temperature and is no cause for concern (unless it feels like it's burning).

When the fizzing starts to decrease and the fluid starts to cool down, tilt your head and dump the fluid contents of the ear into a napkin, cotton, or tissue. If you have any kind of pain, burning, or discomfort at all, stop immediately, let it drain out, flush with water if it still feels bad, and call your physician. Pain or burning indicate that you have more problems with your ear than just wax. Prolonged or intense pain, of course, calls for a visit to the Emergency Room. Vertigo and nausea may indicate inner-ear inflammation, usually not a problem, but they often accompany pain from perforated ear drums or infections.

Ear candles, which were also mentioned here, work for some people but not at all for others. At $2 a piece, you're better off with the generic H2O2.

When in doubt, let a physician (or Audiologist or PA or nurse) clean your ears.

Good luck!

--p!

[crimson333]

11. This will be the best purchase you will make

http://www.earclear.com/

I have had one for three years and it works great. I just mix water and peroxide and it works everytime in minutes.

[TexasProgresive]

12. Use warm (NOT HOT) water

Get someone who loves you to irrigate the ear canal with warm water with a turkey baster. You need to sit in the tub as the water will go every where. It may take quite a few tries but the blob of wax will eventually flow out. This is the method my doc used on my ear and I have done it myself since. The nurse used a large syringe but the baster works fine.

The OTC drops can help loosen the wax- but if it is large you're going to have to wash that wax right out of your ear.

[blondeatlast]

13. I have this problem periodically. To help prevent it

(lots of good advice already about curing it), when you take a shower, let the water into your ears, then tilt your head and let it run out.

I was skeptical too, but my ENT assured me I wouldn't get swimmer's ear, and it works very well. It's cut back lots on the problem.