I've got water trapped in my ear

scrumhalf

Having had huge amounts of trouble with blocked eustachian tubes in the last 18 months, my advice would be:
1) See your GP, or the practice nurse if that's quicker. It may well be wax but it might be somethng worse, co-incidentally. A quick look down the lughole with the right equipment takes seconds.
2) No to cotton buds in ears.
3) Caution first. Hearing is way too precious to be mucked about with.

Almach

I used to use the kids supersoaker filled with hot water. Nowadays I use the squirty thing that @jaytmon said. I think Boots sell it in a kit with ear drops.

chrispy108

scrumhalf said:

Having had huge amounts of trouble with blocked eustachian tubes in the last 18 months, my advice would be:

  What was the solution to blocked tubes? last consultant i saw told me to pinch my nose and blow (as if I hadn't tried that!), and I'm currently waiting for a referral for a new one having moved areas.

boogieman

chrispy108 said:

scrumhalf said:

Having had huge amounts of trouble with blocked eustachian tubes in the last 18 months, my advice would be:

  What was the solution to blocked tubes? last consultant i saw told me to pinch my nose and blow (as if I hadn't tried that!), and I'm currently waiting for a referral for a new one having moved areas.

You're getting a new nose? 

Sporky

I've had a couple of bouts of blocked Euston tubes - for me, antihistamines sorted it over a couple of days. Then again, maybe it went away over a couple of days. The weirdest thing is that one ear gets a pitch shift so everyone sounds like a robot.

Clarky

holnrew said:

Is sunflower oil acceptable?

or Castrol GTX?

fretmeister

Sporky said:

I've had a couple of bouts of blocked Euston tubes - for me, antihistamines sorted it over a couple of days. Then again, maybe it went away over a couple of days. The weirdest thing is that one ear gets a pitch shift so everyone sounds like a robot.

I imagine that sometimes that is very annoying, but at other times hilarious.

fretmeister

that ear vid is almost as good as this nose one

sinbaadi

Do people have zero motor-control in general or are we all just treated like idiots? Using a cotton bud to gently clear your ear is not "jamming it in" any more than you "jam a fork in your throat" when you eat food. Why do we have to assume everyone is a complete idiot?

Sporky

sinbaadi said:

Do people have zero motor-control in general or are we all just treated like idiots? Using a cotton bud to gently clear your ear is not "jamming it in" any more than you "jam a fork in your throat" when you eat food. Why do we have to assume everyone is a complete idiot?

Because the evidence* suggests that, on balance, it's better not to put a cotton wool bud into your ear.

*approximately 7,000 hospital cases per year in the UK

CabbageCat

sinbaadi said:

Do people have zero motor-control in general or are we all just treated like idiots? Using a cotton bud to gently clear your ear is not "jamming it in" any more than you "jam a fork in your throat" when you eat food. Why do we have to assume everyone is a complete idiot?

Because it does no good. In the same way that wiping your lips with a napkin isn't much use for a tracheal obstruction.

scrumhalf

chrispy108 said:

scrumhalf said:

Having had huge amounts of trouble with blocked eustachian tubes in the last 18 months, my advice would be:

  What was the solution to blocked tubes? last consultant i saw told me to pinch my nose and blow (as if I hadn't tried that!), and I'm currently waiting for a referral for a new one having moved areas.

Last year I had a blocked right tube, it came on after flying with a very heavy cold. I took pills, sprays, loads of stuff as prescribed by GP and consultant. In the end an operation to fit a grommet did the trick, instantly.

This year, after another horrendously heavy cold the left ear was blocked. More sprays, this time including an ultra-steroid spray whcih did no good but fucked me up good and proper. My assumption was that this wasn't going to shift, so I asked to be referred to the Ear, Nose & Throat hospital again. I was also prescribed a balloon to inflate with my nose.

Somehow, it's all but cleared. I see the consultant next week.

It doesn't half bugger up your playing when you can't hear yourself properly.

Two final points.
1) Unfortunately the nose balloon didn't come in an animal shape, or I'd have started a parallel careeer doing kids' parties.
2) As a result of the steriod spray I am now elligible to be picked for the Russian Olympic squad.

not_the_dj

Chewing gum really helps as well. ...the motion of the jaw helps to clear wax from the ears naturally. The wax is needed to protect the sensitive inner ear and to transport out dirt and debris, that's the purpose of the wax, it should be there, but sometimes there's too much. Cotton buds are fine for clearing away the bits that the body has moved out naturally to the outer ear, but even carefully trying to use one to clean out further in the ear is a bad idea as it removes too much of the wax that's needed (it's coating the "walls" so by removing it you increases the risk of infection), you also push more wax further in which ends up compacted and hardened so the natural process can't shift it, that then swells up when you get water in your ear and can cause the blockages. It's not just about people "jamming it in" like a numpty.

UnclePsychosis

What usually works for me is to lie flat in my back on the bed and gently bash my head backwards onto the pillow. Chewing helps too - get some gum.

Don't go jamming things into it - it'll work its way out. If it's really driving you crazy see your GP or nurse and they'll syringe it properly.

Sarge

Eaebud headphones can loosen mild blockages in my experience,  I doubt there's a specialist on the planet that will endorse this method though. 

Sesh

holnrew said:

Is sunflower oil acceptable?

No. Extra virgin olive oil only - don't be a savage.

Reminds me of the time a spider went in my ear. My initial wiggle with a finger got him but I had to syringe* my ears to get all the legs out.

*I used cooled boiled water.

jaytmon

fretmeister said:

that ear vid is almost as good as this nose one

I'm still quelling the urge to throw up after watching this. I have also developed a nose picking phobia, which I used to quite enjoy. 

Tuscan777

I get blocked ears a lot, I have an issue with my tubes (will leave it at that!) which means I'm more prone to wax build up. I tried Otex drops once but they burnt the inside of my ear canal. I also left it too long to clear a few years back, my eardrums became infected and both burst, my hearing was like being underwater for about 3 weeks until they healed.

I always use olive oil, warmed for a few seconds in the microwave, and inserted with a pipette. Have had no prolbmes since and any blockages tend to clear in a day or so.

As my teachers used to tell my parents, 'Graham is a special case....'. Seems to extend to my ears too.

holnrew

Seems better today, but still not quite right. I'll see what the next few days bring.

shrinkwrap

Drop or two  of surgical spirit or Vodka - reduces the density of the water and it then flows out.
I do it after swimming in pools - sea water flows out by itself. (ENT guy's advice many years ago) .