Ear Plugs

[rodan]

I recently started a new job and occasionally wear earplugs, the foam kind you insert temporarily. I work around rock dust so I'm sure I get fine, rock dust blowing in my ears on even mild, windy days. IT can get so bad I have to try to cover up my mouth and eyes.  When I shower at home after work, I have the habit of letting the shower water wash out my ears.I've done this about all my life.   A couple of days ago, I noticed my right ear plugged up after showering. This has happened to me before, and usually opens up by the next moring when I wake up.THis time it didn't
Durng the day , I noticed it did open up, some, but, was still clogged ,.partially. ( I should note here that the company physician that did the physical on me, told me my right ear had a lot of wax buildup in it, and I should clean it out with some hydrogen peroxide. This visit was about three weeks ago.)
When I got home, I tried cleaning my plugged ear with hydrogen peroxide, the 3 percent kind,  and followed up with flushing ear with warm water. It didn't help, as a matter of fact, it plugged it up even more.  I did read somewhere I might have to repeat this procedure several days, if I have hard wax build up inside my ear canal.
Could I have trapped some water somewhere between the eardrum and the wax buildup? I'm guessing the hydrogen peroxide could have melted some of the outer wax, sealing my ear canal.
Do you think I should try cleaning the right ear twice a day, for a few more days before I call a doctor to have it done?  
I do not experience any pain, discomfort,  or dizziness in my ear. It just feels like it's clogged, just like after swimming water gets in it.

[rodan]

I guess it does matter what we use in our ears to clean them. I used hydrogen peroxide and olive oil, but, I was careful not to put in too much, and, I "felt" when it broke through the earwax and stopped.
I read it's important not to put too much in so that it goes way back to the eardrum.
I can imagine what you must have felt like when you went through your experience!  I was worried just from mine and it was minor compared to yours!  

[penelope220]

  Debrox w/c i was using is mostly hydrogen peroxide.  Wayback in 1981, went to my doctor because of loss of hearing.  i really thought that there was some blockage especially in my left ear.  he advised me to use a mixture of vinegar and alcohol.  as soon as i did that i became very dizzy and passed out.  i really didn't have any idea of what had happened.  after that i was scared of putting anything in my ears.

Then i had read somewhere about olive oil.  i did that too but it got worst.  maybe bec. mine was mostly chemicals i believe.  glad it did work for you.

My first attack of the vertigo happened one morning after getting up and was getting ready for church.  i felt like i was tumbling backward very fast.  just like the one you see in the circus.  then i was vomiting.  i couldn't eat anything or else i would throw up.  what's weird though, i was so exhausted from that feeling of tumbling.  i just took ibuprofen and thought that i would get well.  

The following day i was taken to the ER because i could not keep my head straight up or in place because it was really falling back.  i thought that i had broken my neck.  the doctor said that i had fluid in my ear and prescribed me w/ some medications.  it was allergy medication then medicine for dizziness that made me dizzy.:)  i didn't really take that dizziness pills.  i lost some feelings in my left leg and went on for a month.  i did a lot of walking.  i got better although still had all the symptoms that i used to have.

The second attack really had me paralyzed for 6 months.  that's when i started using Debrox because i was desperate.  i was just trying to diagnose myself and it did make sense that if my ears were blocked then i would have the problems.   i'm well now and don't take any more medications for allergy and sinus.  
believe me....i'm very happy for you!  I'm just wondering why doctors can't figure this out?

[rodan]

It took about five days, but, I finally got the ear wax out! It's amazing how much hearing loss I was experiencing from the ear wax clogging the canal.
I got the wax out by putting warm olive oil, a few drops, into my ear, laid on my side so the oil could stay in, for about twenty minutes.
Then, I used full strength hydrogen peroxide ( 3% kind), using eye dropper to get it in there. Laid on side, feeling it bubble, for about ten minutes.  I did this twice a day for three days. One day I just used 1/2 hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 distilled water, mixed, and eyedropped it in.

I followed up with using a small plastic bottle  sqeezable, and filled it with very warm tap water, and flushed the ear, repeatedly, after the hydrogen peroxide treatment.  

The wax finally came out!    I guess my clog contained hard wax that had to be softened first with the olive oil.  I guess I could have used baby or mineral oil,too.

Found out my neighbor has one of those magnifying ear glass probe, and she looked inside both my ears, and said they looked pretty clean, but, she could see water moister in the formerly clogged ear.

She suggested using 1/2 distilled vinegar and 1/2 rubbing alchohol, eyedrop that into  the ear, and that should dry up the moisture.

I didn't do that, but, I guess it makes sense.

Anyway, the ear is now unclogged and not infected! I can hear again!

[penelope220]

hard wax is really hard to melt.  i used DEBROX eardrops and really solved my problem.  try cleaning it again w/ any brand of eardrops and use it for 4 days.  you can use it once a day and let it absorb.

[penelope220]

hard wax is really hard to melt.  i used DEBROX eardrops and really solved my problem.  try cleaning it again w/ any brand of eardrops and use it for 4 days.  you can use it once a day and let it absorb.