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.

[flyingdeb]

While it won't get rid of the wax, did you try to get rid of the vertigo with the head exercise on line?  After 5 days of suffering and a doc's recommendation to take some medicine that didn't work, I tried the on line exercise technique -- Brandt-Daroff Exercises for BPPV vertigo.  In both cases vertigo was relieved immediately.  

[scott60115]

I was diagnosed with vertigo over a week ago after two visits to the emergency room and being seen by multiple doctors.  I was extremely dizzy and couldn't see straight.  I could barely walk.  They prescribed me meclizine and valium and sent me on my way after doing countless tests.  They chalked it up to a viral infection even though I was completely healthy other than the vertigo.  I am going to try the ear candles and ear drops to see if they work.  I am barely functioning at this point so I am willing to try anything.  I can't afford to miss any more school or work.  I will post what eventually works to help others.

[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

[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.

[kate2709]

has anyone had suction for ear wax? kate

[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.