I'm mortified

I’ve Googled - it’s ceramic.

Brendy

I have finally seen a nhs dermatologist who said you manage it but never get rid of it. I have new ointment and emollient. Hearing aid moulds will be nano coating. Doing my best

What is nano coating?

GadaboutGran

Here’s one for Poppyred to get her teeth into. Plastic cotton wool buds are a major contributory factor to plastics pollution

Quite, they should be banned

Always worth looking at the date of threads…or at least the last entry!!

The original post was almost 6 years ago! I wonder if her ears are ok??

If wax is present a cotton bud will only compact it - that could be what’s affecting your hearing. Might be worth making an appointment to let your practice nurse have a look. There’s a very effective salt water spray you can get to do the job - I can’t remember what it’s called, but hopefully someone else here can help.

I have finally seen a nhs dermatologist who said you manage it but never get rid of it. I have new ointment and emollient. Hearing aid moulds will be nano coating. Doing my best

I have hearing aids and a little while ago I went deaf in both ears. I went to make an appointment to have them syringed. They told me they no longer syringe them and I had to buy OTEX from Boots. OTEX kit comprises of an oil and a bulb syringe. I followed the OTEX instructions and I successfully got the wax out (holding my head over a basin of water). I should think I used the syringe for at least 50 times over a couple of days and eventually I succeeded. I then booked up with the nurse at the doctors and she confirmed my ears were clear. I would recommend anyone to get the OTEX kit. You can use olive oil if you prefer but the bulb syringe really does work although you have to be patient as it takes a while.

Earol is good, and as its a spray, no problems getting the right amount in your ears. I can't bear seeing 'waxy' ears and always used cotton buds until recently. I noticed a 'noise' in one of my ears and feared I had tinnitus! I used Earol for a few nights and voila...noise stopped. Now I use it every couple of weeks for a couple of nights, and no more problems. Olive oil is supposed to be good, but I haven't tried it. All these niggly little things stress us out....life's too short!

suctioning

I am currently being treated by a hospital consultant re my itchy ears.
Various GP advise was to not wash ears with soap, only water. Then don't wash ears. Then a couple of drops of olive oil in each ear twice a week.
Another GP prescribed steroid spray which solved the problem for a few weeks before returning.
Consultant said don't use olive oil, it doesn't work.
So far I have had micro suctionibg on two occasions, and the itching has returned with a vengeance.
I used to did the wax out with cotton buds, pushed in as far as I could tolerate.

I always use cotton buds to dry inside my ears after I've washed my hair - never caused me any problems!

I use a cotton bud now and again to clean the outside of my ear. I can't imagine how anyone could get one far enough in to rupture the eardrum but maybe my ears are very small. [small]

I also use them to clean off misapplied nail polish and recently when I was struggling to apply an eye treatment to one of my cats, found that a blob of ointment on a bud was far easier than trying to put it directly into his eye. He wasn't suspicious of a cotton bud whereas he immediately shut his eyes when the tube went near him.

Gerispringer It took me ages to get to the end of the thread to post that.....

Tee time, thatcwas my Dad’s favourite expression when I was a kid, when I was very small I even tried to get my elbow to fit into my lug! Dumb huh!

Gerispringer, EUstachion tube comment very witty

I use hydrogen peroxide once in a while to clean out my ears. I pour it in, leave to bubble and any sediment rises to the surface where I wipe it away.
I was advised to do this when my children were competitive swimmers and got ear infections from time to time.
I'm cringing and waiting to be told I am quite mad!

Certainly not a good idea.

Johnson & Johnson Cotton Buds, when launched were aimed at baby and infant care, cleaning eyes, nose and special little places, no mention of shoving them into ones lugs.
J&J no longer manufacture these with plastic, they now make them with biodegradable paper wands.

My mistake icanhandthemback
Not all itchy ears is caused by infection
But infection causes itchy ears

I've had my ears checked Mary59nana as they itch continually but no sign of infection here. It has been going on for years and drives me mad. My mother had a similar condition and we both wondered if it was a form of eczema which I suffer with in other places.

Widgeon
Really happy you have good hearing at 80
But you have been lucky
Itching is caused by infection
Infection is caused by poking object into ears

Bit like the lifelong smoker who reached 90
Just very lucky
Not that smoking is a way to longevity

You are storing up trouble by cleaning your ears with cotton buds. Ears are naturally self cleansing , wax has a purpose and poking in your ears compacts the wax, preventing it from coming to the outside where it can then easily be cleaned away. If you want trouble later in life, then carry on. You’ll regret it for sure. Aside from the wax you could very easily damage the eardrum and/or introduce infection.

The hairgrip was wonderful in stopping the itching..... no punctured eardrum or hearing aid yet at nearly 80

My understanding exactly..