Question 1

bad ear pain. nurse cleaned out wax. doc said fluid behind drum and inf ear canal. how? i'm not sick. ideas?

Accepted Answer

Outer ear infection: With otitis externa, you don't always feel 'sick'. You will, however, have wicked ear pain. The wax plug can trap moisture and set up the infection/inflammation.  If there is fluid behind the ear drum, that's a middle ear infection and may also be without symptoms.  You should have been given drops to treat the outer ear infection and scheduled for a follow-up on the fluid.

Question 2

my daughter had ear ear cleaned at the doctors the other day and there was a little blood. the doctor told me it wa fine. but today she has a lot of blood in the ear canal and she is not in pain. she has to take ear drops for loosening her wax. she i be c

Accepted Answer

Perforated TM: Sounds like they might have perforated her tympanic membrane (ear drum) with instrumentation. Managed with antibiotic ear drops for contaminated wounds, water precautions (keeping water out of the middle ear), and reevaluation to ensure that the perforation has healed. Have her ear evaluated by pediatrician.

Question 3

how to get ear wax out of my ear canal?

Accepted Answer

Not with Q tips: There are softeners which usually facilitate irrigation, but won't remove the wax by itself. Any hard device will push in much of the wax and should be avoided. There are kits to irrigate the wax out. Fam docs usually will irrigate. Ents have more tools at their disposal for nothing-else-working.

Question 4

hello how are you? i have been told i have a narrow ear canal, suffer from wax but still don't think i hear well even after i have them syringed. my question is could having a narrow ear canal affect hearing?

Accepted Answer

If blocked with Wax: Yes, will affect your hearing. Prevent wax formation by regular cleaning . You need to see ENT doctor first to check if you have any unrelated hearing loss and second will teach you how to  prevent wax accumulation and keep ear canal clean

Question 5

is there a way to safely remove water and/or wax from ear canal when you have a perforated eardrum?

Accepted Answer

Safety: Please do not do anything other than seeing an Ear specialist as soon as possible.
I did not enjoy a broken ear drum while in flight!

Question 6

what does it mean when ear canal is itchy and ear wax smells ?

Accepted Answer

Ear canal: The above symptoms may indicate an infection of the exteral auditory canal.  This is best definitively diagnosed by a doctor examining the ear, and is treated with antibiotic ear drops.

Question 7

pain in my left ear,wax accumulates and gets hard and dark in the opening of the ear canal,cannot even remove it easily,but doesnt fall from that ear?

Accepted Answer

Use Debrox or Murine: Try using a few drops of a wax (cerumen) softening agent. These are available OTC. Follow the manufacturer instructions.  I caution against using Q-tips.
If the problem persists, you may want to have the ear checked &amp; an ear lavage done by your doctor.

Question 8

i suspect that my ear canal is blocked after using an earbud to clear wax. hearing has been impaired since. no pain or imbalance so i dont suspect an eardrum rupture/tear?

Accepted Answer

Needs exam: See your Family Practitioner or an ENT for otoscopy and treatment plan. Impacted wax may require ear syringing

Question 9

poked ear canal with a hair pin & found white stone like hard material is in ear canal.mild pain,itching and numbness in that ear.no ear wax.

Accepted Answer

Best to see MD: Best to see MD to be sure you did not damage eardrum/Tympanic Membrane.

Question 10

i have a cyst in my ear. its in the outer ear area just before you hit my ear canal, and just before my auricle. it hurts if i push on it with a finger and it feels like there's wax behind it. how do i treat this cyst in my ear?

Accepted Answer

: It is not feasible to provide a meaningful opinion without additional history, physical examination and may be some tests. It would be prudent to see a doctor before it gets worse. Wish you good health!

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

What is a good way to clean wax from the ear canal

A member asked:

Bad ear pain. nurse cleaned out wax. doc said fluid behind drum and inf ear canal. how? i'm not sick. ideas?

A member asked:

My daughter had ear ear cleaned at the doctors the other day and there was a little blood. the doctor told me it wa fine. but today she has a lot of blood in the ear canal and she is not in pain. she has to take ear drops for loosening her wax. she i be c

A member asked:

How to get ear wax out of my ear canal?

A member asked:

Hello how are you? i have been told i have a narrow ear canal, suffer from wax but still don't think i hear well even after i have them syringed. my question is could having a narrow ear canal affect hearing?

A member asked:

Is there a way to safely remove water and/or wax from ear canal when you have a perforated eardrum?

A member asked:

What does it mean when ear canal is itchy and ear wax smells ?

A member asked:

Pain in my left ear,wax accumulates and gets hard and dark in the opening of the ear canal,cannot even remove it easily,but doesnt fall from that ear?

A member asked:

I suspect that my ear canal is blocked after using an earbud to clear wax. hearing has been impaired since. no pain or imbalance so i dont suspect an eardrum rupture/tear?

A member asked:

Poked ear canal with a hair pin & found white stone like hard material is in ear canal.mild pain,itching and numbness in that ear.no ear wax.

A member asked:

I have a cyst in my ear. its in the outer ear area just before you hit my ear canal, and just before my auricle. it hurts if i push on it with a finger and it feels like there's wax behind it. how do i treat this cyst in my ear?

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?