Hearing Tests - May contain nasty descriptions

[Joanne]

So I've messed up one of my ears. I get a lot of dry skin and wax in my ears, so I get some oil in there for a few days and then syringe them with warm water. I did this on Monday because after a bath my ears were very itchy. So now it feels like one is slightly blocked... but not. Things just seem quieter. My plan at the moment is to keep it moisturised with oil all week and then syringe at the weekend. (I know you shouldn't do it too much).

 

If it doesn't work.... do you think having a hearing test would be beneficial? I imagine they will look in my ear and be like... yeah it's blocked and send me away (if it is blocked).

 

Who here has had a hearing test before?

[FragglePete]

Hope you've not been syringing them yourself? I had mine done a few months back, made a world of difference as I noticed my hearing was getting worse in one ear. Visit to the nurse to check, told to put a couple of drops of olive oil in each night for two weeks and went back to be syringed. Which, is actually not syringed...... involves a pulsating jet of warm water injected into the ear which dislodges and removes the wax very quickly. Could not believe the difference after it was done.

 

Pete

[Theory]

I've had a hearing test before, although it might be different from the one you would get, mine was due to hearing too much - which turned out to be Hyperacusis. Although they may say "it is blocked" and send you away, if you're currently slightly worried, perhaps it'd be best to have one, just for some peace of mind.

[Joanne]

Hope you've not been syringing them yourself? I had mine done a few months back, made a world of difference as I noticed my hearing was getting worse in one ear. Visit to the nurse to check, told to put a couple of drops of olive oil in each night for two weeks and went back to be syringed. Which, is actually not syringed...... involves a pulsating jet of warm water injected into the ear which dislodges and removes the wax very quickly. Could not believe the difference after it was done.

 

Pete

 

Yeah I've had it done at the doctors a good few times. I bought a home syringe especially for ears. Can't believe how much comes out. It's annoying because I'd have to wait ages to get it done at the docs... just easier to do it at home. Just don't be too violent with the plunger!

[Joanne]

I think part of it is... I know what it feels like when it's blocked and sometimes you can get a bit of relief by 'waggling' your finger on your ear. But atm this does nothing, where it usually does. I'll ring the docs if it doesn't budge!

[synaesthesia]

Just be careful and indeed go have a test. Too much finger waggling introduced an infection into my right ear, ending up with me having my ear taken off (twice) to remove the infected tissue and rebuild the bone structure. Initial cause was very likely to have been earphones.

[Joanne]

HOLY BATMAN! That's insane!! I don't use earphones, only ever headphones because of my ears waxy nature. Pretty sure it isn't infected because I don't have any pain.... ooofff restructured. Hah... if I were you, when I was under, I'd be all like... can you shove an extra few piercings in my new ear? Cheers.

[GrumbleDook]

I've ditched in-ear headphones now (except for emergencies or when on secret, undercover missions for the Elders of the Internet ... and if you can see this part of the post it is because the Elders have deemed you worthy!)

 

After a recent ear infection, I have started with dry skin in my ears and the wax is not very oily ... so I get itchy ears ... and it is so hard to resist the finger waggling. I was told to try baby lotion on it, but to remember to rinse my ears each day and that has worked quite well ... but it is worse on hot days.

[Koldov]

Just be careful and indeed go have a test. Too much finger waggling introduced an infection into my right ear, ending up with me having my ear taken off (twice) to remove the infected tissue and rebuild the bone structure. Initial cause was very likely to have been earphones.

 

I had exactly this...

 

I ended up having surgery for cholesteatoma a mastoidectomy to remove the disease from the bone and tympanoplasty to repair the eardrum (which only partially worked - so I now can't get water in my ear). Only had the ear removed once though... I have been back every year to have the cavity cleaned, but last year was given the all clear.

 

It was quite a mess apparently and although I had been to the doctors with earache a couple of times that year, I was always just sent home with anti-biotics. In the end I put some Otodex in there as it was starting to ooze and smell (lovely). Finally I'd had enough and demanded to be refered to ENT. When I got there, the surgeon took one look and said "right, I'll book you in for surgery then"...

 

Interestingly enough, you can die from this if untreated. The bone between the ear and the brain in this part of the skull is very thin and as the infection rots away the bone you end up with meningitis. It can also cause a palsy type paralysis as there are important tongue and facial nerves that run along inside that part of the skull. Obviously there was a little damage as after the surgery all the skin peeled off my tongue, even now if I rub my tongue against my teeth on that side I can 'feel' it in my ear....

 

Obviously my hearing is greatly impared in that ear now, as all the hearing bones rotted away.

 

I'm also quite sure this wasn't helped by wearing headphones during my Counter-strike days. Big, heavy, enclosed leatherette-type things for hours and hours.

 

Also, as a side note my father had a weird infection in his ear a while ago that wouldn't clear up. Samples were taken for analysis and the results came back that whatever the infection was, it was likely due to finger waggling....

 

TL;DR - Go to the doctors!

Edited June 7, 2017 by Koldov

[synaesthesia]

Aye. Mine was only done twice as it was a newer procedure, I think the technical name was something like 2 stage tympanoplasty or similar. The bone restructuring wasn't bad as it was all present just moved around to the wrong places to accommodate the swelling and infection. Skin was taken from another part of my ear to make a new eardrum. Was a complete success in total and I can swim to my hearts' content. Only downside is that hearing sensitivity to voices in my right ear is quite diminished but still more than usable and better than deafness!

Similar to @GrumbleDook it was always dry and itchy, which led to finger waggling, and then led to lots of leakage and then the above

Utterly painless mind, I was back to work the day after the op with a hefty bandage!

[elsiegee40]

So I've messed up one of my ears. I get a lot of dry skin and wax in my ears, so I get some oil in there for a few days and then syringe them with warm water. I did this on Monday because after a bath my ears were very itchy. So now it feels like one is slightly blocked... but not. Things just seem quieter. My plan at the moment is to keep it moisturised with oil all week and then syringe at the weekend. (I know you shouldn't do it too much).

 

If it doesn't work.... do you think having a hearing test would be beneficial? I imagine they will look in my ear and be like... yeah it's blocked and send me away (if it is blocked).

 

Who here has had a hearing test before?

Deafness is a problem in my family. Mum has worn hearing aids for nearly 50 years, both her brothers now have them and I am heading that way.

 

I have had hearing tests, but in your case I would recommend you get yourself along to your practice nurse and get him/her to take a look and use professional syringing gear if necessary.

 

My ears gunk up something chronic and usually I can keep on top of it myself, but there's no substitute for getting it done properly.

 

As for hearing tests - I would recommend the NHS route over private through specsavers or whoever. If there is a problem and you do need heating aids, you will be paying out for batteries, replacement tubes and the aids yourself. Through the NHS they're free - even the batteries. It's ongoing costs of maintenance and appointments that you can avoid.

[Norphy]

I've had cholesteatomas on both sides of my head. Having mastoidectomies to sort it out is not fun. Speak to the quack and do it soon.