Mack's Ear Dryer

[queenfluff]

I don’t think I can post links yet.

But does anyone own this product.

Mack’s Ear Dryer. It is like a little “ear ‘hair’ dryer” that is supposed to help dry your ears out when they have too much moisture.

Anyone have any feedback?

My ear canals are small and narrow and my wax liquidy and I was thinking about trying something like this.

I often get water trapped behind my ears and end up with infections. Just recently my eardrum ruptured with absolutely NO symptoms or signs there was an infection. My doctor said it looks like I had an infection (because my ear drum looked 'yellow") but honestly my ear was fine and than some sudden sharp pains and my ear was bleeding - dx: ruptured eardrum.

So now I have to make sure I keep my ear dry for showers etc which is hard when washing my hair. I have the silcion ear plugs but my ear feels tender so I have been using a cotton ball and a little piece of plastic.

After my ear is healed, I am wondering if perhaps I need a product like this to keep my hears dryer. I have the Dry and Store for my aids and it does help but obviously not for my ear in general.

I was thinking maybe I got a

[queenfluff]

Thanks! That looks a LOT more affordable.

Did you have similar issues of problems with not getting all the moisture out of your ears and thus having ear infections, ear drum and aid problems?

Just wondering if this made a difference and lessen the problems for you.

[system]

Anything that dries out your ear will only dry out your ear canal, not the space that is often called your “eardrum” (which is really the middle-ear space).

The only way to prevent fluid from building up in the middle ear space is to ensure that your Eustachian tube is able to open regularly. If you have a lot of sinus issues or swelling then your ET can’t open and equalize the air pressure and over time fluid will build up and could potentially cause an infection (not all fluid is sign of infection).

[queenfluff]

Thanks Doc,

I am not sure what happened with my ear drum just recently. The doctors themselves don’t know. If I had fluid in my middle ear space, would I be able to tell?
I had no signs of anything wrong with my ear drum before it ruptured the other day. My ear canal are very small and narrow, according to my doctor.

I can “pop” opne my tubes easily - when I swallow they often “pop” - or I feel or hear a “popping” sound when I swallow I am guessing these are the tubes opening and closing??

I never had probably with my tubes in my life. I don’t have sinus problems - I have had my septum fixed because my nasal passage were also small and narrow - I often don’t seem to have them feel close but mostly because they are dry and my cartiledge is apparently too and “collapses” easily (esp at night sleeping ) - anyhow this is what an ENT told me once. I can’t remember ever having a sinus infection though - I will often get a sinus headache. I do the neti pot and that helps.

Could any nasal congestion (like a cold) cause an ear drum to just rupture like that?

OH, just to add too: in my right ear (not the one with the ruptured drum) I do often have problem with water getting trapped behind wax there which has often led to infections because I couldn’t get the water out. So I thought a device like this might help at least for that ear. That ear has the “crooked-er” canal so I have more problems getting wax out of it than the left one.

[system]

Thanks Doc,

I am not sure what happened with my ear drum just recently. The doctors themselves don’t know. If I had fluid in my middle ear space, would I be able to tell?

Sometimes…but sometimes not. If you have a middle ear full of fluid then your hearing should also decrease…but that’s only if it’s full…you could have fluid not completely filling up the space and not have a clue it’s there.

I can “pop” opne my tubes easily - when I swallow they often “pop” - or I feel or hear a “popping” sound when I swallow I am guessing these are the tubes opening and closing??

yep…sounds like that’s it. Normally the tubes are closed but when you swallow or yawn it flexes the muscle around it and it opens which sometimes results in a “pop” sound.

Could any nasal congestion (like a cold) cause an ear drum to just rupture like that?

Not sure. A bad cold could cause the ET to no open/close like it should which could have the fluid build up and if it exceeds the space limitations of the middle ear space and strength of the Tympanic Membrane (the membrane that seperates the middle ear space from the ear canal) then the TM could rupture.

OH, just to add too: in my right ear (not the one with the ruptured drum) I do often have problem with water getting trapped behind wax there which has often led to infections because I couldn’t get the water out. So I thought a device like this might help at least for that ear. That ear has the “crooked-er” canal so I have more problems getting wax out of it than the left one.

Yes I’d say that the canal dryer would potentially help with this problem. Do you schedule regular appointments to have the wax removed? That might be something to consider.

[queenfluff]

Sometimes…but sometimes not. If you have a middle ear full of fluid then your hearing should also decrease…but that’s only if it’s full…you could have fluid not completely filling up the space and not have a clue it’s there. .

Thanks! With my hearing loss it is often hard to tell with even a slight decrease, a few days before, I did think I had some wax build up and, like normaly, I used a hydrogen perioxide and water solution to try to remove it. I did this is both ears. Although I nothing happened with the ear until Monday morning. I told the dr this and he said that wouldn’t cause this. I am wondering what I thought was some wax buildup on Saturday was actually some fluid?? I didn’t have any ache or pain or anything prior to the actual sharp pains when it burst.

Not sure. A bad cold could cause the ET to no open/close like it should which could have the fluid build up and if it exceeds the space limitations of the middle ear space and strength of the Tympanic Membrane (the membrane that seperates the middle ear space from the ear canal) then the TM could rupture.

OK, I did have a small cold (not a full blown one) a few weeks prior with some nasal congestion. I do have more nasal congestion (mostly dry nose) because of indoor hearing etc. But when outside in the cold - my nose always runs! Even when I am moving around and it is warm out (or even inside) my nose will run (which I have heard can be normal for some people when exercising). I am guessing that my “space limitations” are small than most because my ears are small.

Yes I’d say that the canal dryer would potentially help with this problem. Do you schedule regular appointments to have the wax removed? That might be something to consider.

I only schedule them if I can tell I have a wax buildup and I can’t rid of it myself. I have no insurance and I am out of work so I can’t afford to go for regular visits. I go to a low cost clinic where the doctor can remove the wax (and has before) - my audiologist also has a machine to remove it but they charge me $35. THe clinic only cost $15. I just go as needed.