We’ve all heard the ads on TV attempting to get people in to hearing aid companies. You know:
Muffling of speech and other sounds
Difficulty understanding words, especially against background noise or in a crowd of people
Trouble hearing consonants
Frequently asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly
Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio
Withdrawal from conversations
Avoidance of some social settings
These ads frequently end up saying, “It may just be ear wax.” Is this really ever the reason?
I have used an ear wax remover in my ears (Debrox) and have really noticed no difference in my hearing acuity whatsoever.
In fact, is it even a good idea to remove ear wax with a product like Debrox or with hydrogen peroxide?
I don’t know how often it’s just ear wax, but before my Mom got hearing aids, she had a pretty sudden loss that was because of ear wax. She used Debrox, or something similar for several days and I think followed up with a nurse to irrigate her ears. She could hear much better. If you have minimal wax, Debrox isn’t going to make any difference in your hearing, but if your canal is plugged, getting the wax out can make a big difference.
For years, both my wife and myself have had to have our ears ‘washed out’. They get clogged and we use peroxide for a few days before we go to the clinic. Lately, we’ve found that the ‘Minit clinic’ at CVS does a good job and is the least expensive (no affiliation) place to have it done. She was there last week for it.
I agree. Wax all depends on the person. When some people get hearing aids, a small wax problem can become substantial.
I have ad to use Debrox for years. How do you tell? Look at your hearing aid or mold - whatever goes in the ear. If it is waxy then you may be clogging your $1000- $7000 aids.
But some people don’t produce much wax. Others produce minimal and that can be done by simply tilting your head in the shower and rinsing it out. I reduced my Debrox/flushings from 10 a year to about 2 by the shower method.
My brother-in-law thought he was losing his hearing, but apparently it was wax buildup. Had them cleaned, and no further problems.
5+ years ago I had to go to the ENT and have my right ear treated for wax. He put drops in every 15 minutes, after 45 minutes he removed a couple of wax chunks. I asked what the medicine was and he said “peroxide” and recommended a few drops in each ear every 1-2 weeks. Have not had a problem since. Peroxide is always on hand and it cheap.
Also depends on what kind of aid you have, venting,etc. When I use BTE I have no issues, with ITE I need my ears cleaned once or twice a year. I did have one occasion where the cleaning made a significant difference to one ear, and I have the before and after audiograms somewhere here. I was really happy that day.
I went to my audiologist a month or so ago, because I thought my right aid was broken. He listened to it and said it was fine, but I had quite a bit of wax. He tried to remove it, but made it worse.
I tried the drops, they helped a bit. I finally went to an ENT last week to have the wax removed. Is was compacted and in both ears. It made a huge difference. Recommended I come at least once a year to have the excess wax removed.
So, it for sure can affect how well you hear.