Syringing ears at home.

The doctors no longer do it and searching for someone who could , an advert for a little squirty thing turned up
This got me thinking I could do it myself while submerged in the bath.
Could that go horribly wrong or is it quite safe?

it could go horribly wrong.  Unlikely but possible.  a pal of mine got permanent tinnitus from a poorly done ear syringing and there are other possible adverse effects

Does the practise nurse not do it?  Or district nurse?

Drs don’t do it but they have referred me to the place that does. They only hoover which isn’t as good as when I’ve had it syringed. Us the waiting list is horrendous.

try some eardrops?

I bought one of those little Otex kits with the bulb syringe. Works really well if you do it every few weeks. Very gentle.

Otex express combi pack comes with a bulb, I put the peroxide drops in half an hour before my bath, then swoosh them out with bathwater.

Lemmy gave me tinnitus long before I ever had my ears syringed.

IANAD however I use one of these at home. As recommended by a colleagues wife who is a private health care doctor. Tbh I would t have gone near it without the recommendation but I’ve used it for years and it works very well indeeds.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154839704059?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ZZaPHQZ-TMC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=UKne29lzQ8u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I find almond oil vert effective.

Just a few drops in each ear for few consecutive nights and massage just in front of your ear.

After a few days of this, it finds it own way out!

Spckies do it for £55 for both ears, with a free return if the don’t get it all. Most waiting lists are massive due to GP’s no longer doing. Most Independents do it for anything up to £100.
try drops first.

Since the practice nurse at GP stopped doing it, I’ve gone for the preventative maintenance approach. Fill ear with warm water in the shower every couple of days, and sluice them out that way. It seems to have worked for a few years now.

GPs don’t do it anymore so generally you have to go privately and pay. They tend to use suction now rather than syringing (or more likely low pressure irrigation since syringing went out of vogue). I used to like the old fashioned warm water in a massive syringe wielded by a similarly massive district nurse. They left you ears feeling really clean.

Hi Def hearing is the best feeling in the world.

I do it myself. Oil drops for a few days before.

Those kits are pretty low pressure. You just don’t get the water too hot and be gentle.

Mrs BoardinBob suffers from horrendous ear problems. I bought a home syringe kit thing and it got some gunk out but not all

This is a game changer

Smartbud™

Allows you to see exactly what’s in there. Use it carefully of course but she’s able to keep her ears perfect now compared to before

Wife works at a hearing aid place and they recommend using Earol for a few days to soften it before suction on the ear.

Would think most places that do hearing aids will offer ear suction but it’s not cheap

They only hoover which isn’t as good as when I’ve had it syringed.

I would say it’s the other way round. Suction is also considered safer.

I’ve used these a couple of times – the design avoids the risk of damage to ear drums.

Fill it with warm water and take your time.

EZY DOSE Ear Wax Removal Kit, Deluxe Wax Remover Syringe for Ear Irrigation, Clear, 1 Pack https://amzn.eu/d/1VjhCKS

The vacuum might be safer, but does it feel as good? Maybe it’s just me but the feeling of having them syringed was great. Or maybe it was just the relief.

Suction is also considered safer.

Yes and since GP practices no longer do earwax removal I suspect that’s why it is now used

The vacuum might be safer, but does it feel as good?

Not in my experience. Either during or after.

Another vote for the Otex with bulb syringe kit here. It isn’t a one-off blast and you’re done. You have to leave the drops in to soften the wax and do it every few weeks, but it definitely does the job. Feels lovely too with that warm water!

The doctor said they no longer syringe as hoovering was cheaper.
Can’t see why that would be.

Just burn the candle at both ends.

I am fairly sure it was a reckless idea but I tried using my Waterpik on low setting on my ears and it works amazingly well. Feels very similar to the one time I had them done by the doctor with a more fancy pulsing water jet thing.
I think the corded version has more power levels and would be safer – the cordless one just has low and high and even the low setting is fairly powerful!

Constant problem here. I’ve had the giant shiny metal syringe for years so any damage is probably done 🙂

I use olive oil (BP 1973 variety, not cooking) from a pharmacy; 100ml from Boots for £1.99

A few of drops twice a day for about 3-4 days, do not plug with cotton wool, then choice of removal method. Syringing is no longer recommended, so beware, but…

Otex or whatever it’s called.

The best thing you can do to keep your ears clear is not poke about inside them.

I used to get in a hot bath and use a little water pistol! When that broke a bought a proper rubber bulb thing from ebay, works fine, don’t squeeze too hard though.

Yes and since GP practices no longer do earwax removal I suspect that’s why it is now used

I think its because evidenced based practice – suction works as well with less risk.  We stopped syringing decades ago

From memory

Yes and since GP practices no longer do earwax removal

this a recent thing? Mine did it a couple of weeks ago, specsavers hoovering didn’t work (so was free)

andylc
Free Member

I am fairly sure it was a reckless idea but I tried using my Waterpik on low setting on my ears and it works amazingly well. Feels very similar to the one time I had them done by the doctor with a more fancy pulsing water jet thing.

Yeah, I have an adjustable flosser thing and happened to have a broken end, set on low it seems very much like the gp’s tiny power washer thing. Obviously I’m not recommending anyone else do this!

Self earwax removal is not advised. I used Earol to soften the wax, then went to a professional (Doctor) who charged £50 for the vacuuming machine. The waiting list in my area was 12 weeks. Most surgeries no longer perform this service.

Just a few weeks ago, there was an NHS mobile ear syringing unit parked up in the car park of the local community centre. Was gutted I didn’t have time to stop by!

Edit – never thought to look it up actually, but it is still a thing round here, looks like you can just book a free appt, might give it a go soon!!

https://m.facebook.com/people/Fylde-Coast-Mobile-Ear-Syringing-Service/100057330104579/

I’ve been cleaning out my ears every time I go swimming with one of the above and warm water for 35 years. Zero ear infections since adopting it. The tinitus pre-dates that and hasn’t got any worse.

Preventative – I use Earol olive oil spray once a week to keep the wax lubed / moist and it seems to naturally come out better when I’m diligent with this.

But I have pretty restricted ear canals apparently, swim regularly, and probably poke around too much with my ears – so maybe once a year I go and get them sectioned. Feels amazing to have them fully clear and cleaned out.

Once had my ears syringed and the nurse got the water too hot…most painful thing ever!

I use a 50ml syringe from brake bleeding.
Olive oil overnight a few times then warm water. Just gently squeeze it up into the ear, seems to work fine. Ear buds probably dont help as they must push any waxy deposits further in.

How about taking the bleed syringe ,putting it in ear and pulling the plunger?
Would that suck any of the wax out?

I’ve got a big metal syringe like the nurse used to use. Clean it with a Milton soak after each use, no ear infections yet.

If you think (too) hot water hurts, try it with cold! I woke up on the floor.

this a recent thing? Mine did it a couple of weeks ago

99% don’t as it’s not essential service (hasn’t been for some time) and GPs aren’t paid for it. Your’s might as it may either 1. Have the local commission to do it, or 2. the local ear syringe service uses your GP as a location to do the service.

use a 50ml syringe from brake bleeding.

I find that shimano mineral oil is more effective than DOT fluid as well 😉

I am fairly sure it was a reckless idea but I tried using my Waterpik on low setting on my ears and it works amazingly well.

Same here. Well it was my wife’s. Had one blocked ear, didn’t want to pay £70+ to get it cleared. I was brushing my teeth one morning when I saw it sat there and the cartoon bulb over my head lit up. Lowest setting, started outside the ear and bravely/stupidly moved it slightly closer a bit at a time. The relief was instant when the big lump came out. I was so proud of myself that I told my wife how I did it. That cost me £6 for a new tip for the flosser!

How do you know it’s wax causing a blockage?
After my recent ear problem, no way I’d try anything myself. Was convinced ear was blocked – tried Otex (which has never worked for me anyway – product called Cl.Ear is far more effective) – tried the drops for a while, had no effect, gradually got deafer (more deaf?), booked a private clinic where they put camera in both ears and found there was no wax. Ended up referring myself via 111 and going to drop-in centre, where it turned out the blockage was in eustachian tube and took some different drops to clear. So yeah, I wouldn’t try to self-diagnose and I definitely wouldn’t stick one of those ear trepanners anywhere near my logoles.

99% don’t as it’s not essential service (hasn’t been for some time) and GPs aren’t paid for it. Your’s might as it may either 1. Have the local commission to do it, or 2. the local ear syringe service uses your GP as a location to do the service.

As he says!

I do it at my practice as we’ve signed up to get paid extra for doing it (Locally commisioned service – non contractural work we can do for extra ££… heck, I’d wash your car if you paid me enough ££ 😉 ).

I really enjoy doing it – low risk, low decision making situation… like a break from work really!

DrP