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Health

Blocked ears

(18 Posts)
Jacinta55 Wed 06-Feb-19 16:49:40

Hello Gransnet people, I'm new here and this is my first posting. My daughter is on Mumsnet and she thought I may enjoy being on Gransnet, so here I am! I'm married with two children and five lovely grandchildren.
I get blocked ears, and the surgery have told me to put olive oil in each day, but it doesn't seem to unblock them. Has anyone else had this problem?

Farmor15 Wed 06-Feb-19 16:58:57

Welcome to Gransnet! Mostly friendly and helpful here.

Is it a wax build up? I’m inclined to get that and had them syringed a few times. For some reason, doctors seem to be reluctant to syringe ears these days, even though it works well. Meanwhile, try letting warm water run into them in the shower and you can get stuff in the pharmacy to help - cerumol I think. I don’t think olive oil does much.

Whatever you do, don’t poke them with cotton buds!

Poppyred Wed 06-Feb-19 17:05:16

Nhs.uk website has good information about ear wax build up.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/earwax-build-up/

grannysue05 Wed 06-Feb-19 18:08:39

Welcome Jacinta55.
In my area there are two ear SUCTION clinics attached to the hearing test clinics.
They don't syringe the ears, they gently suction out any wax.
Very effective.
There may be one in your area.

wildswan16 Wed 06-Feb-19 19:05:06

Has anyone actually looked into your ears. Mine get "blocked" but I never have any wax (went to the practice nurse and she agreed). My problem is the other side of the ear drum with thick mucus causing eustachian tube dysfunction.

So, if they still feel blocked do ask for an appointment with the nurse.

Elegran Wed 06-Feb-19 19:16:46

I don't think the olive oil clears them, it just softens the wax so that when they syringe them (with warm water) it comes out more easily.

Gonegirl Wed 06-Feb-19 19:44:12

My DH tried the suction method at Specsavers but unfortunately his ear canal is too small. So he on the waiting list to have them syringed at the surgery. He has to wait until middle of March as they only do one a week.

Katyj Wed 06-Feb-19 19:51:52

Wildswan. I have this blocked feeling all the time in one ear.How did they know, it was eustachian dysfunction, I've mentioned this to my Dr, but he said it wasn't that, because he could see my ear drum looked health.Did you have any treatment for it ?

MiniMoon Wed 06-Feb-19 20:36:51

I syringe my ears myself now, as my health center is reluctant to do them. When they block up, I put oil in them for a few days, then sit by the sink and use a little syringing kit that I bought online.

Tangerine Wed 06-Feb-19 20:53:47

Sounds like they need syringing. That's what happened with my ears.

midgey Wed 06-Feb-19 20:57:28

You could try and find a practioner who does ‘candling’. Apparently this can be very helpful. I have found recently that during a Pilates class my ears have cleared! Must have worked well that day!

NanKate Wed 06-Feb-19 21:29:52

I suggest you get the suction treatment Jacinra not the water pumped into the ears method. When I had the water treatment it affected my one ear badly for weeks. I felt I was in an underwater cave, it was awful. Ask for recommendations via your doctor.

I would avoid the candle treatment too. They are the only ears you will have, so look after them.

Welcome by the way.

Grannynise Wed 06-Feb-19 21:41:06

I find suctioning very effective. Syringing was, for me, a waste of time.

Jacinta55 Thu 07-Feb-19 10:11:03

Thank you all for your very helpful comments and suggestions. I think I'll go and see the surgery again, as I'm not very happy with diy methods.

Flapjack Thu 07-Feb-19 14:17:54

Welcome Jacinta55.
I am waiting for a hospital appointment for suction and my GP recommended using Olive oil for a week until appointment came through. It has helped me. I have also had blocked ears because of Eustachion tube dysfunction and the only thing that helped was plenty of steaming and a nose spray from GP.

Sal53 Thu 21-Mar-19 11:37:06

Hi there, I am new here, I am not sure if this is the Right place for this. I have experiencing a burning mouth and sometimes throat and a sensation of clogged ears for nearly 2 months. I suffer from acid reflux since 10 years or so. Has anybody had similar symptoms. Thank you for sharing as It started causing me anxiety

Katyj Thu 21-Mar-19 12:48:08

Hi sal, if you look under the health forum, there is a thread running about bms.

Sal53 Thu 21-Mar-19 13:05:35

Hi Katyj, thanks for the info. I will have a look.x