Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

Sylvain.

On 03/03/2007 10:13, Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_098.html

Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

Cotton bud of course.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
On 03/03/2007 10:13, Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_098.html

Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

Cotton bud of course.

Hairgrip.

What fascinated me recently was learning that there are tiny mites living in
our ears - everyone's ears, no matter how clean they are.

I knew that we had mites living in our eyelashes and eyebrows but not ears.

Mary

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
On 03/03/2007 10:13, Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_098.html

Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

Cotton bud of course.

The smallest thing you should attempt to put in your ear is your elbow. If
you've got wax problems, go to your doctor. The practice nurse should have
a machine which breaks it down and removes it without discomfort.

--
*For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" wrote in
:

Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

I understand four candles will clear it.

mike

Hairgrip.

Seconded

mike wrote:
"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" wrote in
:

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

I understand four candles will clear it.

Not a good idea, it'll give him saw tips.

David

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

The smallest thing you should attempt to put in your ear is your elbow.

My mum (67) still uses that saying

--
www.cheesesoup.myby.co.uk

On 03/03/2007 10:35, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

Cotton bud of course.

The smallest thing you should attempt to put in your ear is your elbow.

Even I cringe when I see people using the end (not the curved one) of a
paperclip.

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 10:13:58 GMT, Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:

Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?

tried some Hopi ear candles a couple of years ago. Didn't work. I think
they fall into the category 'You can fool some of the people all the time'!


--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

On 3 Mar 2007 10:45:46 GMT, mike wrote:

"Sylvain VAN DER WALDE" wrote in
:

Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

I understand four candles will clear it.

Fork handles? He must have big ears!

Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

Fill the sink up with pretty warm water then suck and squirt.
The warm water softens the wax and there isn't any great danger of
damaging the ear drum unlike when you poke thin objects in the ear.

I have found just when you think all the wax is out (by the heightened
swooshing sound of water on the ear drum)if you keep sucking and
squirting for a few minutes more your reward will be a big blob of wax.

That's when you know it's really clean!

Of course you are squirting from the entrance to the ear canal to allow
wax and water free passage past the syringe into the sink.

Works for me.

sometimes ear drops may be required for a few days prior to cleaning to
soften any vintage deposits.

Pete

mike wrote:

I understand four candles will clear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMa2ZR1ey18


:¬)

In message , "Pete @
www.GymRatZ.co.uk" writes
Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.
Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

An old syringe and warm/hot water.

It's usually a good idea to take the needle off first! :-)
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!

"Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk" wrote in
message ...
Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

They don't use that any more at our practice. They say it's been banned
because of the danger of damaging an ear drum.

I'm only repeating what was said to Spouse by the way, so there's no point
in arguing with me!

Mary

On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 10:34:00 -0000, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

Hairgrip.

You don't have one of those ivory / bone ear spoons that so many of the
re-enactor carvers sell ?

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 10:34:00 -0000, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

Hairgrip.

You don't have one of those ivory / bone ear spoons that so many of the
re-enactor carvers sell ?

We make them from bone. And yes, I have to test all of them :-)

Ours usually have tweezers at the other end.

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk" wrote in
message ...
Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?
An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

They don't use that any more at our practice. They say it's been banned
because of the danger of damaging an ear drum.

Our practice has some sort of electric contraption for the job - some
sort of pump presuambly - so I'm told anyway.

David

In article ,
Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

They use something a bit more modern these days. A sort of ultrasonic
pencil which in conjunction with warm water breaks up the lumps of wax
without discomfort.

--
*I wished the buck stopped here, as I could use a few*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"The Wanderer" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 10:13:58 GMT, Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:

Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?

tried some Hopi ear candles a couple of years ago. Didn't work. I think
they fall into the category 'You can fool some of the people all the
time'!

Thanks for that reply. I won't bother to get any, then.
Thanks to everyone else for their replies. Not much help though.

Sylvain.


--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

They use something a bit more modern these days. A sort of ultrasonic
pencil which in conjunction with warm water breaks up the lumps of wax
without discomfort.


I'll have a word with my doctor, next time I see her.
P.S. I use cotton buds, but never actually enter the ear canal where most
of the wax will be.

Sylvain.

--
*I wished the buck stopped here, as I could use a few*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:49:38 GMT, "Sylvain VAN DER WALDE"
wrote:


"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

Our surgery avoids it nowadays if they can help it, that big old
metal syringe caused a lot of infections.


They use something a bit more modern these days. A sort of ultrasonic
pencil which in conjunction with warm water breaks up the lumps of wax
without discomfort.


I'll have a word with my doctor, next time I see her.
P.S. I use cotton buds, but never actually enter the ear canal where most
of the wax will be.


According to Wiki ear wax is not generated deep in the ear canal but
only gets pushed down in there by people shoving objects in ther lug
'oles trying to get it out.

IME auditory symptoms such as 1812 overture like crashing are
frequently caused by a single hair sticking in the wax and impinging
on the eardrum deeper in the ear canal.

My doc prescribed treatment with Cerumol or Earex drops for a few days
to soften the wax followed by irrigation with weak (5 volume)
hydrogen peroxide solution dribbled in from a teaspoon whilst laying
on your side with the wax contaminated ear uppermost. This releases
loads of oxygen bubbles (tickles like hell) which disturbs the wax
allowing it to float out. Repeat as necessary.

Don't get the H2O2 on your hair, clothes or furniture.

DG

In message , Sylvain VAN DER
WALDE writes
Hello all.

Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

Try an angle grinder


--
geoff

In message , soup
writes
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

The smallest thing you should attempt to put in your ear is your
elbow.

My mum (67) still uses that saying

And so does mine, along with several people I knew who worked at a
clinic for people with hearing impairments.
--
Clint Sharp

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:33:30 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

They use something a bit more modern these days. A sort of ultrasonic
pencil which in conjunction with warm water breaks up the lumps of wax
without discomfort.

I think it could be one of these ...

http://www.wmsplc.co.uk/Propulse_Ele...l?A=1&GID=8562

I read a Doctors review of this kit somewhere and he suggested when
the practice bought one their lawyers could sleep easier because of
the much reduced risk re ear drum damaged compared with the old
syringe method? ;-(

Apparently this is a (safe) d-i-y way of keeping the deeper recesses
of your ears clean (and safer than a Dremel) ;-)

http://audiclean.co.uk/

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...

....


Apparently this is a (safe) d-i-y way of keeping the deeper recesses
of your ears clean (and safer than a Dremel) ;-)

A Dremel! Why hadn't I thought of that?

I rarely put anything in my ear and when I do it's just for the pleasure of
the feeling. Whenever a doctor has examined my ears I've been told that they
were clean as whistles. I hope that doesn't mean they're full of spit and
dried peas ...

Mary

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:50:07 GMT, T i m wrote:

On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:33:30 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

They use something a bit more modern these days. A sort of ultrasonic
pencil which in conjunction with warm water breaks up the lumps of wax
without discomfort.

I think it could be one of these ...

http://www.wmsplc.co.uk/Propulse_Ele...l?A=1&GID=8562


Ah yes. This seems to be a relative of the aptly named Grossan
machine used for sinuses.

http://www.hydromedonline.com/hp.html



I read a Doctors review of this kit somewhere and he suggested when
the practice bought one their lawyers could sleep easier because of
the much reduced risk re ear drum damaged compared with the old
syringe method? ;-(

Apparently this is a (safe) d-i-y way of keeping the deeper recesses
of your ears clean (and safer than a Dremel) ;-)

http://audiclean.co.uk/



Tried it. Doesn't work (for me at least).

However:

AUDICLEAN Sea Serum™ is produced by world leading marine biotechnology
specialists, GOËMAR. It is created from seawater taken from the
crystal clear waters off St. Malo, France. The tides here are amongst
the strongest in the world, constantly enriching the pure waters with
the natural mineral salts.


--

..andy

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 11:53:05 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:


Apparently this is a (safe) d-i-y way of keeping the deeper recesses
of your ears clean (and safer than a Dremel) ;-)

http://audiclean.co.uk/



Tried it. Doesn't work (for me at least).

Me too and it didn't work for me either but were you like me trying to
get our blocked ears clean, or keeping your ears clean pre blockage?

However:

AUDICLEAN Sea Serum™ is produced by world leading marine biotechnology
specialists, GOËMAR. It is created from seawater taken from the
crystal clear waters off St. Malo, France. The tides here are amongst
the strongest in the world, constantly enriching the pure waters with
the natural mineral salts.

Ah, that's it then ;-)

They do suggest salt water helps ward off infection and the water
itself can't do much harm (if not applied via a pressure washer).

I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight. *Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 12:30:14 GMT, T i m wrote:

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 11:53:05 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:


Apparently this is a (safe) d-i-y way of keeping the deeper recesses
of your ears clean (and safer than a Dremel) ;-)

http://audiclean.co.uk/



Tried it. Doesn't work (for me at least).

Me too and it didn't work for me either but were you like me trying to
get our blocked ears clean, or keeping your ears clean pre blockage?

I've tried it for both - limited value. Possibly if it was warm prior
to application....



However:

AUDICLEAN Sea Serum™ is produced by world leading marine biotechnology
specialists, GOËMAR. It is created from seawater taken from the
crystal clear waters off St. Malo, France. The tides here are amongst
the strongest in the world, constantly enriching the pure waters with
the natural mineral salts.

Ah, that's it then ;-)

They do suggest salt water helps ward off infection and the water
itself can't do much harm (if not applied via a pressure washer).

That's certainly true, although I'm not sure that the specific salts
sold for these purposes are really needed, vs. ordinary sea salt.




I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight.

Trouble is smelling like a granny's boudoir....

*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(


Yes but they'll do that anyway

--

..andy

Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.
Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

It was having my ears syringed "professionally" that convinced me I
could do a better job myself (there, we're back on topic), and have done
so ever since.

The owner of the ear is in a much better position than the nurse to
sense how far the syringe has been inserted. The one missing piece of
information is how hard to blast the water in... and the answer to that
is: nowhere near as hard as the nurse did!

The syringe is one the dentist gave me, and has a curved plastic nozzle
which goes in more easily than straight one. The end can be kept well
away from the eardrum, because the aim is to squirt the water in *along*
the wall to create a swirling motion.

At your own risk, of course; but like Pete,
Works for me.


--
Ian White

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 12:52:19 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

Me too and it didn't work for me either but were you like me trying to
get our blocked ears clean, or keeping your ears clean pre blockage?

I've tried it for both - limited value. Possibly if it was warm prior
to application....

Yeah and maybe because of how little water it's squirts out (compared
to the Doctors old syringe) I couldn't seem to get the same buzz as
when the Doctor did it ;-)


They do suggest salt water helps ward off infection and the water
itself can't do much harm (if not applied via a pressure washer).

That's certainly true, although I'm not sure that the specific salts
sold for these purposes are really needed, vs. ordinary sea salt.

I think with most of this sorta thing it's the diminishing returns
sorta thing.

I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight.

Trouble is smelling like a granny's boudoir....

No worse than some of the other smells we get in this house. Since the
step daughter has left home the place doesn't regularly smell like a
cheap knocking shop as 6 of her mates would turn up pre going out to a
club etc ;-(

*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(


Yes but they'll do that anyway

Hmm, point taken, but it's safer when you pretend you didn't hear them
... now where did I put that tube of instant wax ....

All the best ..

T i m

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Sylvain VAN DER WALDE"
saying something like:

Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

Blowlamp.
--

Dave

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 13:03:47 GMT, T i m wrote:


I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight.

Trouble is smelling like a granny's boudoir....

No worse than some of the other smells we get in this house. Since the
step daughter has left home the place doesn't regularly smell like a
cheap knocking shop as 6 of her mates would turn up pre going out to a
club etc ;-(

I believe Viz refers to this as a "tart's window box"



*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(


Yes but they'll do that anyway

Hmm, point taken, but it's safer when you pretend you didn't hear them
.. now where did I put that tube of instant wax ....


You just need to pretend. Selective hearing is a wonderful thing....


--

..andy

Andy Hall wrote:
On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 12:30:14 GMT, T i m wrote:

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 11:53:05 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:


Apparently this is a (safe) d-i-y way of keeping the deeper recesses
of your ears clean (and safer than a Dremel) ;-)

http://audiclean.co.uk/


Tried it. Doesn't work (for me at least).
Me too and it didn't work for me either but were you like me trying to
get our blocked ears clean, or keeping your ears clean pre blockage?

I've tried it for both - limited value. Possibly if it was warm prior
to application....


However:

AUDICLEAN Sea Serum™ is produced by world leading marine biotechnology
specialists, GOËMAR. It is created from seawater taken from the
crystal clear waters off St. Malo, France. The tides here are amongst
the strongest in the world, constantly enriching the pure waters with
the natural mineral salts.
Ah, that's it then ;-)

They do suggest salt water helps ward off infection and the water
itself can't do much harm (if not applied via a pressure washer).

That's certainly true, although I'm not sure that the specific salts
sold for these purposes are really needed, vs. ordinary sea salt.

Sea water is guaranteed to make me go deaf for a couple of months and
usually set up an infection. Bloody nuisance as it's my favourite
pastime on holiday.



I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight.

Trouble is smelling like a granny's boudoir....

*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(


Yes but they'll do that anyway

Andy Hall wrote in
:

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 13:03:47 GMT, T i m wrote:


I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with
Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight.

Trouble is smelling like a granny's boudoir....

No worse than some of the other smells we get in this house. Since the
step daughter has left home the place doesn't regularly smell like a
cheap knocking shop as 6 of her mates would turn up pre going out to a
club etc ;-(

I believe Viz refers to this as a "tart's window box"



*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(


Yes but they'll do that anyway

Hmm, point taken, but it's safer when you pretend you didn't hear them
.. now where did I put that tube of instant wax ....


You just need to pretend. Selective hearing is a wonderful thing....



PARDON?

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 11:53:05 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

snip

I eventually sorted my last issue myself by repeated dosing with Earex
/ Otex then leaving the corner of a soft tissue twisted up to form a
fine wick threaded into the softened area overnight. *Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(


I'll give that stuff a try, before seing the doctor.
Thanks to everyone else with _sensible_ replies.

Sylvain.

All the best ..

T i m

On Sun, 4 Mar 2007 12:57:17 +0000, Ian White
wrote:

Pete @ www.GymRatZ.co.uk wrote:
Sylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.
Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

An old syringe and warm/hot water.

Just like the nurse uses.

It was having my ears syringed "professionally" that convinced me I
could do a better job myself (there, we're back on topic), and have done
so ever since.

The owner of the ear is in a much better position than the nurse to
sense how far the syringe has been inserted. The one missing piece of
information is how hard to blast the water in... and the answer to that
is: nowhere near as hard as the nurse did!

I with you there bro (and might be more attentive re getting the water
temperature correct). It was getting caught out with a blocked ear
whist on a motorcycle touring holiday and being very kindly dealt with
in the Pwllheli (Nth Wales) clinic, even though it was their afternoon
off! That was my first exposure to the Propulse system, and it was
actually a pleasant experience. ;-)

It was based on that experience I was very tempted to get my own
machine, 100 quid being much cheaper than a perforated eardrum and
more convenient than waiting a week to get an appointment at the
doctors. ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

In message , T i m
writes
*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(

Buy a new one off the Islamic website


--
geoff

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 18:22:46 GMT, raden wrote:

In message , T i m
writes
*Such* a relief
when your hearing comes back .. well till the missus starts shouting
again that is .. ;-(

Buy a new one off the Islamic website

Hey, now *there's* a good idea .. and I have the patio up now as it
happens ... evil grin.

checks Jewsons website for lime delivery prices ..

All the best ..

T i m

On 3 Mar, 16:08, Peter Twydell wrote:
In message , "Pete @www.GymRatZ.co.uk" writesSylvain VAN DER WALDE wrote:
Hello all.
Are ear candles a gimmick or do they really work?
Do you have a favourite "item" for removing ear wax?

An old syringe and warm/hot water.

It's usually a good idea to take the needle off first! :-)
--
Peter

Ying tong iddle-i po!

And put a bowl the other side to catch the water that goes through.

Rob