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Health

Blocked Ears

(14 Posts)
Gingster Wed 04-Mar-20 08:15:42

My husband has blocked ears and can hardly hear a thing. He went to the docs and the nurse said yes they are both very blocked, but they don’t syringe at the surgery anymore. He has to book with a clinic and has a choice of three. Two clinics have no appointments available and the third said soonest appointment is July! Next stop Specsavers where they charge. They only do this service in certain towns, - nearest one to us 10 miles away. And the soonest appointment 8th April. Next stop Boots. No appointments available at this time. ?. So he has booked with Specsavers for a months time.. oh and they charge £50 ??.

travelsafar Wed 04-Mar-20 08:20:30

That charge sounds about right to me. We have an independent optician who has someone once a month come into the shop to do ear syringing and they charge 50.00 per ear!!!

grannypiper Wed 04-Mar-20 08:30:53

Use olive oil in each ear for a week and hopi candles, buy a syringe kit from amazon and do it yourself.

GagaJo Wed 04-Mar-20 09:39:25

What about hopi ear candles? That might help, they're claimed to pull out the wax (I've seen it done, it LOOKED as if a lot came out).

OR a local private hospital. I'd be done with the nurse.

TerriBull Wed 04-Mar-20 10:21:46

Sorry to hear about your husband's predicament, my husband was also told by the practice nurse at our GPs they don't syringe anymore. He was becoming increasingly deaf, from blocked ears. He did go to our local pharmacy who offer all sorts of services and they charged him £80 to do both ears, it's cheaper just for one, but not much more for two. Probably a bit steep, but he said the difference was amazing, the person who did this had much better equipment than whatever our surgery had been using. He thought the result justified the price.

I had a Hopi ear candle treatment at a spa a couple of years ago, again I thought it was worthwhile, the woman who did showed be the gunk that came out, yuk! yuk! a fair amount, it's a painless procedure I might add.

MiniMoon Wed 04-Mar-20 10:27:00

I do my own ear syringing. I bought a kit from Amazon. I put oil into my ears for 5-7 days before hand to soften the wax, then I use the little syringe kit. It is very effective.
£7:45 from Amazon with five star reviews, little syringe and the fittings that angle the water around your ear.

B9exchange Wed 04-Mar-20 10:28:35

I feel almost panicky when mine are completely blocked, try ringing round local audiologists, I got an appointment the same afternoon, and the relief was incredible. He had a screen rigged up, so could show me before and after videos! Cost was £70 which was a struggle to find, but if it happens again I know where I would go.

Jane10 Wed 04-Mar-20 10:53:33

I did that too B9exchange. It wasn't as expensive at the place I went to. I'd have paid anyway as the difference was wonderful. It felt like a wee hoover sooking the wax away. (Scottish alert!) There seemed to be a camera involved too as I could watch the whole process on a monitor. Not something I expected ever to see but interesting.

Kalu Wed 04-Mar-20 11:05:08

I’m persisting with warm almond oil, hoping to clear my ear along with squirts of Otex ear drops. It seems to be working. ?

Gingster Wed 04-Mar-20 16:27:49

Thanks for all your ideas. We have today ordered a kit from Amazon. I’m glad those who have tried it found it successful . We’ll give it a go. ?

May7 Wed 04-Mar-20 16:55:10

Ginster The kit is really cheap and easy to use but you must soften the wax first for a week with almond/olive oil.
My DH couldnt get anyone to syringe his ears and he bought a DIY one and does if himself. Easy peasy ?

grannysue05 Wed 04-Mar-20 17:06:38

Try Microsuction. Latest instant method and the result is amazing.
Costs £65 locally (for both ears). I am North West UK but think the price will be similar any area.
The proceedure is quick and painless and you can hear the difference straight away.

InnocentBystander Wed 04-Mar-20 17:07:59

Two of us in my family suffer from excess wax - one possibly due to the damage to fast growing cells by chemotherapy (doxorubicin). Research on the frankly barmy claims promoted by ear candle practitioners turns up numerous informed opinion sources that not only are they ineffective, but that the 'earwax' that you are shown may enter the ear canal and cause harm. This 'earwax' has not come from your ears as test show it appears even when nowhere near an ear! It is internally produced within the candle. Obviously some sources have vested interest and to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies "Well they would say that!" Not all though - some are professionals in the ENT discipline of medicine.

Set fire to a tube of fabric soaked in unknown substances if you like, but I'd run a mile before doing it! shock

curvygran950 Wed 04-Mar-20 17:16:17

Do be very , very careful with trying do-it-yourself syringing . Warm olive oil twice a day should help tremendously to soften the wax , it might then clear itself.Have you seen your GP about it ?