Excessive ear wax causing vertigo?

[rickford66]

For more than a year now, I have suffered from a mild vertigo.  It was happening often throughout the day, but was the worst when I layed down at night.  It was quite an annoyance.  My wife kept telling me about little wax balls that kept appearing in my ear canal.  I have always used q-tips on my ears daily.  Anyway, I began to wash my ears "better" by running warm shower water into them for a few seconds each morning.  A little unconfortable, but doesn't hurt.  After a week or so of this, the vertigo had diminished greatly.  Then, I forgot to keep this up.  After a few weeks, the vertigo came back, along with the wax balls.  I started washing again the same way and the vertigo is almost gone again.  Also, the wax balls are gone.  First, can too much ear wax really cause vertigo, or is this a coincidence?  Second, if so, what is the safest method to clean the wax away?  Shower water under pressure makes me a bit nervous.
Thanks.

[Imaz]

I've been having dizzyness/almost faint, though have never tried this before.  How do you wash your ears in the shower? you pour water into them?

I'm the complete opposite, since my problem I have never had any if not almost no wax from my ears.  In the past when I was normal(without dizzy spells), I was king of wax and it was almost without fail my wax use to turn up LOTS that look even orange at times on the cotton tips...

[rickford66]

I just stand with my back to the shower head and position my head so that the water enters my ear canal.  I hold that position for about 10 seconds, then switch to the other side.  I take hot showers, so I'm thinking the water is softening the wax, but I'm not sure.  I haven't had a doctor look at my ears yet.

[Imaz]

Do you actually get ALL the water out of your ears everytime?

[rickford66]

Well, as far as I can tell.  When the shower is over, I dry them with a Q-tip.  I assume what I don't get will evaporate.  One other thing, they used to itch alot, but not so much anymore.  Also, I used to have Tinitus, but that has also been greatly reduced.  Hmm, I wish I knew if there was a connection, or if it is just a coincidence.

[Imaz]

I would like to try that, though it sounds dangerous and being warm/hot water makes it sound even more dangerous.  did you ever think you would damage your ear yourself with the cotton tips trying to dry them?

[rickford66]

Yeah, I've been told for years by the folks on TV not to use Q-tips to clean the inside of my ears.  I've also been doing it for years.  Once, I pushed the Q-tip in a bit too far and touched my ear drum.  That was painful.  What's that the doctor says?...  "You say it hurts when you put a stick in your eye, then don't put a stick in your eye.  haha   Anyway, I wouldn't tell anyone to do what the professionals tell you not to do.  I just know that for me, I know how far to put it in without hurting myself, and so I only put it in that far.  There may be an issue with impacting the wax, but I never see wax on my Q-tip.  I kind of thought my ears were always clean, and that I was just drying them.

[Imaz]

well glad it works for you then.  i guess you havent heard stories of cotton tips get stuck inside ears?  known people who have had them stuck because they unwind the buds.  

[rickford66]

That has never happened to me.

[penelope220]

yes i believe hard wax can cause vertigo.  i did have vertigo and i cleaned my ears with eardrops.    it took a while to absorb bec. in my case i was using a lot of hairspray and also spraying with perfume near the ear.  i think  my eustachian tube were blocked especially my left ear.  my doctors couldn't figured out what was wrong with me and i got tired of being told that there was nothing wrong with my ears.  so i just tried my luck and used an ear drops.  my vertigo had long been gone and i don't have sinus problem anymore.  marie

[Suzie19]

I just went to the doctor this morning and had my left ear de-waxed. Something that looked like a swollen tick came out when the doctor used a spray of water and drops to loosen the wax. That swollen tick was actually wax and my doctor said that that is why I've been experiencing vertigo and dizziness for over a week. Any blockage in your ears can cause these sensations. It throws everything off including your balance. She recommended treating weekly with ear drops to keep the wax softened and more able to exit the ear naturally. She also said that the reason for the accumulation of the wax in that particular ear (and not the other one) was simply the way the ear canal on that side was shaped.

[rickford66]

What type of ear drops are you using?  I've never looked into that.

[penelope220]

Sorry for this late response.  i have not have time to read my postings.  i was using Debrox but i guess any brand will do.  i mentioned Debrox a lot in almost all of my postings.  lying down on your side will help that drops get inside your ears.  maybe 30 min. to an hour, twice a day or once for 4  to 8 days.

[rickford66]

Ok, thanks.  I'll look for that.

[niceone]

I have been having ear pain and dizziness and my ears ring sometimes do you think the ear drops will help with that? The ENT wants to put ear tubes in my ears im still thinking about that last thang I will try

Shannon

[cathasson]

I have had vertigo, severly...falling down and vomiting, off and on for 12 years. My husband is a doctor so we have exhausted the medical community, ENT, neurologist, internal medicine, chiropractic and all tests, MRI, CAT scan and the official vertigo test at the ENT.  Nothing found anything.  I finally heard about ear candling.  I used 5 in one ear and 6 candles in the other and had INSTANT relief and these candles were full of wax and yeast.  I will be repeating this as a preventative measure once a month or more often if needed but I finally have relief.  These are sold at healh food stores for 2 bucks each and you can do it at home.  Probably the reason we are not being informed of this at the doctors office!!!!  No profit in a cheap over the counter folksy cure!!  Good luck to you all!  CAtherine

[Imaz]

I've never tried or heard much of ear candling...  Is it instant relief?  Does the hot wax pour into the ear??

[summerluvr]

candaling is not recomended by any ear specialists. To remove way they recomend a few drops of warmed olive oil in the ear and some cotton.  Or the wax softening drops.

[kate2709]

has anyone had suction for ear wax? kate

[marcos980]

I've had problems with ear wax for as long as I can remember, as had my father. I'm fairly certain a given shape of ear is more prone than another, so the problem probably in many ways is hereditary.
After spending lots o' $$ on over the counter stuff thru the years, I was told by both my ENT and family doctor that it's safe to use over-the-counter 3% hydogen peroxide. (Hydrogen peroxide, chemical equation H202, is the same active ingedient as what's in ear wax removal medicine "Debrox" and many others.
All you do is pour about 2-3 oz in a small cup, get a wash cloth & lie on one side, then VERY CAREFULLY pour a small amount in your ear as you're watching TV reading or whatever. If you've got wax buildup, it'll directly react with the hydrogen peroxide and cause a bubbling sensation in your ear that'll feel & sound sort of wierd at first, but just relax.
After a while, place the wash cloth over this ear & drain the peroxide. It will react again if there's wax on your ear lobes. Then roll yourself over to do this process to the other ear.

[windingdown]

I started having ear wax build up issues during my later years when hormones change. Then I started getting vertigo pretty bad, then last year I fell to the ground in the bathroom almost hitting my head on the sink! I COULD HAVE BEEN really hurt, thank GOD I wasnt. I was in bed and couldnt drive for 3 weeks too longer for me to trust my body since I did drop like a bag of bricks just by flipping my hair off my shoulders! I will try the 3% peroxide tonight. I HOPE IT WORKS, I also read its good to add a few drops of rubbing alchol after wards to dry the ears out. Also Olive oil warmed up is good too. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL