ear wax probs.?

Question

since i was little ive had alot of ear infections so they had to put a tube in my ear which i think its suppose to disappear on its own...ever since then ive always been going to the ear specialist at least once a year for them to clean out my ear wax, because it gets so badly plugged!!!well on my last appointment last year ive been seeing a new doctor which ive seen him about 3 times?but on my last visit when he cleaned out my earwax ,i guess the wax was so hard so as he pulled it off of my eardrum?(which was so painfull)i wanted to cry lol...it did bleed alot for about a day,i had to once in a while stuff some tissue in them that day...Well i did call them to ask if that was normal & they said yes, But im still wondering if that really is "normal" or maybe he is not a good Dr.? I mean he is really nice & really old,but im a little scared maybe that its not a normal thing for it to bleed?should i still see this Dr. or maybe try another one???

I have tried in the past having my ears flushed with water/suction instrument/over the counter thing on my own & at the dr. having an instrument to flush it, also which with both diddnt really seem to work or gave me severe ear pains right after...so what I have been doing for a while was having the ear,nose,throat doctor clean it out with a long thin metal instrument which has been working great for a while exept for those recent visits where it would hurt really bad while its being cleaned or that 1 or 2 visits where it bled right after for one day...my last visit was March 2006....i know im way past due for cleaning...i keep lagging it cause im kinda scared...lol!

Answer 1

Hello, I'm an Audiologist and work in an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors group.

When ear wax is in the ear for a long time, it becomes very thick and sticky, and can adhere to the ear canal wall and sometimes to the eardrum as well. The structures in our ears are very delicate, so there are many nerves throughout our ears so that they are very sensitive as a protective mechanism. I have heard grown men cry when they were having their ears cleaned.

It is not unusual for the ear to bleed because the skin in the ear canal is actually so thin. It is very difficult as a patient to stay still when it hurts, but since the ear canal is such a small space, even slight movements can cause the instrument to bump into the canal wall. In a prior facility, there once was a child that moved so much his ear drum did accidentally get punctured in the process.

How long ago was the last visit to remove the wax? You just say "last year" and since we're just 2 weeks into 2007, I'm not sure how long ago it was. If it was fairly recent, and you are still having problems with that ear, then I would recommend seeing another Ear specialist for a second opinion - especially if you still have pain, bleeding, discharge, hearing loss or any dizziness.

If it has been nearly a year and you haven't had any ear or hearing problems in the meantime, I would stay with the same Doctor. If it's almost time for you to return for your annual cleaning, when you call the doctor's office to schedule the visit, inform them of the pain and bleeding you had last time and ask the Dr. to recommend some ear drops (such as Debrox, available over the counter) to soften the wax prior to your visit.

Incidentally, the tubes that are inserted into the eardrum are usually designed to fall out of the eardrum as it heals itself and will come out of the ear on their own or within the wax. Chances are that your tube is long gone, but you can ask the doctor about it at your next visit. And if the wax is very bad again, consider having it removed more frequently, such as every 6-8 months.

Answer 2

I've had my ears cleaned like that and mine have never bled before. I'd go see a different doctor. There's plenty out there. Also, my ear doctor said if I take a capful of hydrogen peroxide and pour it into my ear, then follow with 2 capfuls of water to rinse it out it will help keep the ear wax down. I've been doing it for the last few months with no adverse side effects. However, I wouldn't do this if you have bleeding in your ear. You might want to go see another dr. and have them check your ear just to be safe. I would also ask a new dr if you could use the peroxide to clean your ears, since I don't have tubes... Either way, go see someone else. Something isn't right.

Answer 3

Here is a little tip from a nurse. Use Debrox which you can buy at the pharmacy for a few days before your next visit. It will soften the wax so that it won't adhere to the eardrum and perhaps be less painful when you have your next doctor's visit. I have never heard of an ear actually bleeding after having it flushed out.

Answer 4

If this is a continuing problem, I would stick to an ear specialist. They have a tool they use that looks like a water pic and it continually flushes the ear canal with a steady stream of warm water melting the was down until the plug of wax falls out. I don't think bleeding is normal. He's out of his league here and he injured you. I would not trust a doctor who won't admit you need to see another doctor. You don't say how old, but if he's retirement age old, I'd find another doctor who's younger and keeping himself informed of new medicines and trends.

Answer 5

I had this same problem where I had hardened earwax, I wasn't able to hear that well because of the blockage. So finally my mom took me to the doctor when I was 9 yrs old to have it taken out. We were able to get the ENT(Ear Nose Throat Specialist) to finally get it out after previously had so many different nurses to try to soften it over the years. I tell ya it was as hard as a rock. However, I didn't experience any bleeding whatsoever when the ENT doctor got it out.

That type of bleeding you have does not sound good. If you're doctor isn't an ENT maybe you should ask them to refer you to one since these types of doctors are specifically for that type of problem(one of them at least).

Tell this ENT what you had to go through and if this bleeding alot is normal...

Answer 6

ears are supposed to have some wax but not enough to block them up. Arachis oil is ideal for softening the wax before syringing - by a nurse. Poking with anything is very risky. If its soft enough, it flows out. I have one ear blocked at the moment too. Water got in and the wax swelled up.