Ear Syringing?

[Andehh]

Have to get it done a few times a year, habit of sleeping on my otherside, regular use of ear phones and maybe just being very 'warm bodied' means I suffer this on a regular basis.

I know the routine, few days worth of olive oil (twice a day) go to Docters & nurse removes it with the smallest pressure washer known to man.... except this time round the process has changed!? I now need to have one of them check my ear, then they will make a separate appointment to actually carry out the work.

They wouldn't explain why I needed this (a consultation first), and confirmed even if I had been using olive oil & needed it doing etc I would still need to come back to get it done!?

Any other industry I'd chalk it up as job creation, but seeing as it will be my Friday evening at the docs, then another hour away next week this has annoyed me.

is this normal now? Anyone else jumped through these hoops?

[danpalmer1993]

Yeah I had the same issue last time I went. Had it a few times now so expected to try and fix it at home with the oil for a few days and when it didn't work then get it syringed however all they did was check it, tell me to use the oil for a few more days and then come and get it syringed if it is still an issue.

[hyphen]

That makes more sense to me, if you are doing this a few times a year then it suggests an underlying issue?
Alternatively try this

[brrapp]

This happens at our local GP surgery too, anything they can do to minimise the amount of precious 'doctor time' spent with a patient, never mind how much patient time they waste. However it can work to your advantage, the nurses are often more capable at stuff like this than the doctors.

With regards to the syringing, my wife used to get this done regularly but then once when she couldn't get an appointment we resorted to an ancient internet remedy, after softening the wax for a couple of days with oil, we poured a capful of warm vodka into the ear, slooshed it around a bit, then turned her head down to let it pour out. It worked and we've used that method since.

[Speed 3]

Yup, my GP surgery has stopped doing it all together (apparently it wasn't classed as core treatment under the NHS so they weren't being paid for it and they were carrying a liability risk plus training/equipment). These days the trend is for micro suction rather than pressure syringing and not many surgeries have the equipment. I needed to have it done as I was going on holiday and it always bungs up in hot weather, in/out of water rendering me temporarily deaf. I had to go privately but it only cost about £45 for both ears. Also got a video endoscope view before/after for that price ! They did tell me not to worry about the oil at booking but it did take ages and the doc ended up using both microsuction and syringing. Also got a prescription for antibiotics to reduce the inflammation prior to flying (bizarrely cheaper than an NHS prescription). Just google microsuction clinics, there are a few around me. Your frequency seems very high though, mine is generally on a 2-year cycle.

[Andehh]

Not just me then, what was really frustrating was the receptionist/nurse on the phone not even entertaining the idea that I might be able to get it checked & syringed in one go, despite my assurances I am somewhat of a regular of this now.

I have been turned away in the past as the olive oil hadn't done enough, so now ensure I use it several times in advance but this just fell on deaf ears.

Had it required the vast setting up of equipment & time, fair enough - but it's a machine the size of a shoebox, with replaceable nozzles. Not exactly end of the world to put it back in the cupboard if she doesn't think I will be able to get it done this time round....

[brrapp]

Andehh said:

this just fell on deaf ears.

[bobmcgod]

You can get little pipette things from boots/superdrug/any super market these days that does pretty much the same job in the sink at home. I've not been back to the docs for this since.

[WinstonWolf]

Don't fk about with your ears, mine used to block up regularly and I'd have to get they syringed etc. One check I had a new GP who examined my ear more thoroughly and it turned out the blocked sensation was actually a thing called a cholesteatoma. Basically a nasty little thing that will burrow into your brain if left untreated. They're exceptionally rare but it's still worth getting your ears checked by someone who knows what they're doing.

I've had a new eardrum made from the muscle covering under my skull, I am having titanium implants this Friday to try and restore my hearing.

Trust me, don't fk about with your ears...

[Andehh]

Just to update the thread, after a further 2 calls to the Docs (waiting for a non-grumpy bh receptionist) I found one with some common sense. Explained I am a 'regular' for this, and knew the process inside & out and she agreed & found me a full appointment the same day. Turned up, Nurse checked & gave me the thumbs up, syringed both ears and I was out within about 10mins!

Brief glimpse of the varying standards of jobsworth that obviously exist in the NHS. Fair enough if it was an operating theatre that needed booking, but for a tiny machine to be brought out of the cupboard or left in there based on a 10 second peek in each ear... daft!

[Gareth79]

hyphen said:

That makes more sense to me, if you are doing this a few times a year then it suggests an underlying issue?
Alternatively try this

I have one of those, they work pretty well. I have previously used a traditional rubber bulb which works too. The downside is that apparently using them too often can be counter-productive because the dryness caused will stimulate MORE wax.

[Speed 3]

One of the benefits of the endoscope I got to see was that it revealed it wasn't just the wax production that was the problem. Apparently I have mild eczema in the ear canal and that combines with the wax to create a hard plug. Olive oil every couple of months is supposed to keep it moisturised and reduce the problem. We'll see...

[hyphen]

Speed 3 said:

One of the benefits of the endoscope I got to see was that it revealed it wasn't just the wax production that was the problem. Apparently I have mild eczema in the ear canal and that combines with the wax to create a hard plug. Olive oil every couple of months is supposed to keep it moisturised and reduce the problem. We'll see...

Have mild eczema too, but I figured out that my problem was that I was washing my ear during showers too vigorously which meant that water was getting in there deep and essentially once a year it would get blocked.

Now I make sure to only wash the ear gently, for a shorter duration and not push finger into the canal too deeply and been ok.

[sjabrown]

More and more GP surgeries are stopping doing it, as it's unfunded so all the time/equipment/staffing/training is a cost. The argument about whether it should be funded or not is one that should be had with your MP rather than the GP surgery.

Examination to rule out other causes of wax build-up and hearing loss is fine and should still be done. There are only a few folk where regular oiling (olive oil, unwarmed, weekly) won't work.