Those with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis — What’s the SAFEST Form of Ear Wax Removal Please?

[Vicki14]

Hi folks,

Has those with Tinnitus AND Hyperacusis had wax removed without symptoms worsening? Getting Microsuction is what has gotten me into this sorry mess so I'm very anxious about any form of wax removal. I've been using drops daily for over a month now and due to go and see the doc on Monday.

I received conflicting advice on which is the safest method and would appreciate any feedback from those who've had it done!!

 

[Helheim]

You can just ask the doctor to do it manually. They'll just pick it out with a small tool, no loud devices needed. It's what I always ask them to do.

 

[JohnAdams]

fyi ear candles are bogus

 

[Vicki14]

You can just ask the doctor to do it manually. They'll just pick it out with a small tool, no loud devices needed. It's what I always ask them to do.

Thanks tbh... I'm. It sure who/what method to trust now..... I don't know ant anything/body near my ears!!

 

[Vicki14]

fyi ear candles are bogus

Absolutely no chance!!!!

 

[gorzakus]

I had it removed manually without any problems whatsoever .
He used a metallic tool which looked like a small spoon .
Maybe @brownbear could answer this question , he is an ENT doctor

 

[brownbear]

The spoon is called a jobson-horne probe. Very safe in experienced hands (I wouldn't let a GP or practice nurse use one on me)

 

[Christophe_85]

Hello @Vicki14 how was your appointment ???

 

[Vicki14]

Hello @Vicki14 how was your appointment ???

Thanks @Christophe_85

It's on Friday! I've opted for the manual extraction and hope it doesn't affect my T!!!

 

[Vicki14]

The spoon is called a jobson-horne probe. Very safe in experienced hands (I wouldn't let a GP or practice nurse use one on me)

Thank you @brownbear. I've opted for manual extraction. They did say that they'd have to check if this was viable first. I don't want to go down the Microsuction route again, but agree that it's all down to the experience of the hearing professional who carries it out. Guess I just was unlucky first time.

Hope you're doing well.

 

[Vicki14]

I had it removed manually without any problems whatsoever .
He used a metallic tool which looked like a small spoon .
Maybe @brownbear could answer this question , he is an ENT doctor

Thank you @gorzakus

 

[Agrajag364]

Thank you @brownbear. I've opted for manual extraction. They did say that they'd have to check if this was viable first. I don't want to go down the Microsuction route again, but agree that it's all down to the experience of the hearing professional who carries it out. Guess I just was unlucky first time.

Hope you're doing well.

That's what I did Vicki - with a consultant in the same city as you. I did lots of research and whilst there's no big consensus in the literature it seems to be generally considered manual removal is safest provided the person doing it is skilled, except perhaps if the wax is stuck to the eardrum in which case it may need suction/irrigation to get that bit off. @brownbear will give the best advice as he's an ENT.

 

[Striveon]

I had my earwax removed manually and had no effect on tinnitus. I wish you a good luck .

 

[Vicki14]

Thank you @Agrajag364 and @Striveon. I truly hope that this goes ok tomorrow as my anxiety is through the roof and having horrible flashbacks from this he last time. I hope to god this guy tomorrow knows what he's doing as I literally couldn't handle another butchering job on my ears. I'm especially nervous as I have some noticeable hearing loss and ear pain with weird sensations in my ears...

 

[Agrajag364]

Thank you @Agrajag364 and @Striveon. I truly hope that this goes ok tomorrow as my anxiety is through the roof and having horrible flashbacks from this he last time. I hope to god this guy tomorrow knows what he's doing as I literally couldn't handle another butchering job on my ears. I'm especially nervous as I have some noticeable hearing loss and ear pain with weird sensations in my ears...

Is it an ENT Vicki?

 

[Vicki14]

Is it an ENT Vicki?

No Audiologist. The Hearing Clinic.

 

[Agrajag364]

No Audiologist. The Hearing Clinic.

Well I hope he or she has done it regularly. A consultant ENT at our local Ross Hall took both mine out and my father's. It cost about £200 for the consultation with no extra charge.

 

[Striveon]

I know you're having anxiety due to what happened last time, I truly hope everything goes well. Manual is the safest you can get. Try to sit still as he removes the earwax so he won't be poking you. It goes by super quick, close your eyes and stay still. Good lucky Vicki

 

[Vicki14]

Well I hope he or she has done it regularly. A consultant ENT at our local Ross Hall took both mine out and my father's. It cost about £200 for the consultation with no extra charge.

Em... you and I both!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Vicki14]

Well I hope he or she has done it regularly. A consultant ENT at our local Ross Hall took both mine out and my father's. It cost about £200 for the consultation with no extra charge.

I think it is just your luck tbh... @blue went to an ENT and he messed up her ears with a 'simple' wax removal

 

[Blue28]

I think it is just your luck tbh... @blue went to an ENT and he messed up her ears with a 'simple' wax removal

Sadly yes, even ENT specialists can get things horribly wrong. I had no tinnitus, hyperacusis or hearing loss prior to this doctor doing (noisy) microsuction to remove a bit of ear wax. Now I have all three and then some

 

[Agrajag364]

I think it is just your luck tbh... @blue went to an ENT and he messed up her ears with a 'simple' wax removal

I'm talking about skill specifically for manual removal. Not with regard to safety of wax removal generally. Even with an ENT I would only want one who did manual removal regularly, and it took me weeks to find such a person.

 

[Maureen777]

I would just like to say that I "don't" advise getting your ears flushed. I had it done about a year ago, and it made my tinnitus worse. At least I think that's what made it worse, because 2 days after I had it done, that's when the really loud pulsatile tinnitus started.

 

[GregCA]

The spoon is called a jobson-horne probe.

...also known as "ear curette" to us mere plebeians!

fyi ear candles are bogus

Not only bogus, they are actually quite dangerous.

Getting Microsuction is what has gotten me into this sorry mess so I'm very anxious about any form of wax removal.

You list "Stress" as cause of T in your profile though. Was it Microsuction instead?

It seems like the manual method is recommended by a few people, but do not assume that it's risk-free. It does also require skill and patience, and a mistake can easily harm very sensitive areas of your ear. That said, it's probably a very reasonable pick given the alternatives.

When it was done to me it, the person doing it was seeing what she was doing via microscope. My ear drum looks 10 inch wide in that thing, but I think the better the view, the less chances of messing up. I'd make sure the practitioner has great optical instruments to see what s/he is doing.

Good luck!

 

[Vicki14]

You list "Stress" as cause of T in your profile though. Was it Microsuction instead?

@GregCA Hello Greg, yes, stress was what kicked my tinnitus off, which was very mild. After having visited an Audiologist for Microsuction this left me with VERY loud intrusive tinnitus plus hypercausis and psychological damage from very careless words.

 

[Cape crusader]

DO NOT EVER HAVE THAT AWFUL MICROSUCTION. RUINED MY EARS FOR LIFE B

 

[Vicki14]

DO NOT EVER HAVE THAT AWFUL MICROSUCTION. RUINED MY EARS FOR LIFE B

Absolutely agree! And @Blue28 woyld too!

 

[Blue28]

DO NOT EVER HAVE THAT AWFUL MICROSUCTION. RUINED MY EARS FOR LIFE B

100% agree!!! Microsuction should be banned!

 

[Paulmanlike]

How does ear wax suction actually increase tinnitus? I had one in November, don't remember it being particularly loud or anything, just uncomfortable because there was a load of wax down there

 

[Lane]

How does ear wax suction actually increase tinnitus?

From my understanding--have never had it done--microsuction uses a mini-vacuum cleaner. Some people on this forum have extremely fragile ears, and that sound can cause a LOT of further damage. Then, if you think of what happens when a regular vacuum cleaner gets blocked, it revs up into a higher pitched noise. -- This is apparently what has happened to a number of people on this forum while getting microsuction. When a piece of wax (or skin) temporarily blocks the suction, increased decibals can immediately cause almost permanent furether damage.