Ear plugged

Chocki

Phil Edwards status
Feb 18, 2007
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Going to have to give these a try.
They weren’t perfect but any water intrusion was very minor. Like a few drops.
That said they worked very well overall, were comfortable, blocked out the riff raff’s jibber jabber in crowded line ups, and aren’t expensive to replace
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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they came out with more fancy hipster type ones after I converted to always earplugs all the time but I stuck with my JBLs because they were designed to be used at depth.
As in JBL spearguns
These the ones you're using?

Do they stay on without a hood?

I need some plugs for Baja that will stay put without a hood.
 

Mr J

Michael Peterson status
Aug 18, 2003
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Haven't read the whole thread, so unsure if this is mentioned.
If not, people will think I'm nuts.
But here goes...


Get a Waterpik.
... .
I was born with ear canals the size of a capillary tube. For the first 5 years of my life I was partially deaf from hardened wax sealing my canals. It got removed by a surgeon and I had to have all sort of wax softening remedies all my life to manage it - olive oil in my younger days. Its unlikely I have surfers ear because my canals are so small the cold air can't get in there and I have had to wear ear plugs ever since I started surfing. Anyway I'm getting side-tracked!

So my solution nowadays is to wait until my ear gets blocked, put Ceramol brand softener drops in my ear twice a day for a couple of days - then use a waterpik on absolute lowest setting. This is not medical advice, its what I do. Aim the jet into the entrance of my ear canal and when I hear a loud roaring noise, the job is done. More convenient and less painful than visiting a clinic for ear irrigation.
 
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Chocki

Phil Edwards status
Feb 18, 2007
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These the ones you're using?

Do they stay on without a hood?

I need some plugs for Baja that will stay put without a hood.
used
Correctamundo.
Never lost one surfing.
No hood or cord.
No problems getting used to them and immed fell in love with not having a dome full of sadly dirty seawater especially on cold days
 
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rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
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I went for a flight physical a couple weeks ago and my doc (a good friend) mentioned that I had some wax buildup in my right ear. Never had a problem before so sorta forgot about it. A couple days later, holy chit, my right ear was plugged! Tried everything, Debrox, hydrogen peroxide, etc. to no avail. Went to urgent care and they used one of these which is like a power washer for the ear. They put the cup under my ear to catch what came out, looked like I just changed the oil in my car...Doc tells me I should do preventative maintenance instead...get some mineral oil, put some in your ear while in the shower, then use the little suction thingie that came in the Debrox kit to clean it out with warm water.
+1
Has saved me trips to urgent care or ear doc:cheers:
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
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These the ones you're using?

Do they stay on without a hood?

I need some plugs for Baja that will stay put without a hood.
Surfers ear comes with 3x size kit and a nice leash in case they do come out and killer customer service :cheers:
 
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One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
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so what happened one off?....did you finally get your ear fixed?...because now my ear is hurtig too!
Yesterday, day 4 with plugged ear, I called my MD. No appointments available, so I spoke to PA and, after telling her what I've already done, she suggested to go to urgent care. I went. They tried the power wash with a big syringe. The assistant who did it said stuff was coming out but my ear was remained plugged. The MD came and tried to dig the stuff out with what looked like a dental tool. He said the ear wax was behind the boney growth so he couldn't really get at it. He prescribed the debrox kit and highly recommended to see an ear specialist.

I did the debrox kit last night 3x. It was still plugged. But I woke up this morning and it feels clear(er). I will do the debrox again tonight. I will still see the ear specialist. From what the urgent care MD said, it seems my ear canal opening is down to about 2-3mm.
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
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Yesterday, day 4 with plugged ear, I called my MD. No appointments available, so I spoke to PA and, after telling her what I've already done, she suggested to go to urgent care. I went. They tried the power wash with a big syringe. The assistant who did it said stuff was coming out but my ear was remained plugged. The MD came and tried to dig the stuff out with what looked like a dental tool. He said the ear wax was behind the boney growth so he couldn't really get at it. He prescribed the debrox kit and highly recommended to see an ear specialist.

I did the debrox kit last night 3x. It was still plugged. But I woke up this morning and it feels clear(er). I will do the debrox again tonight. I will still see the ear specialist. From what the urgent care MD said, it seems my ear canal opening is down to about 2-3mm.
How many drops you put in each ear? When my is bad I put 7 in each ear I lean my head left and use drops in right ear and let sit for minute and half then use cotton ball. Same for left ear and stuff with cotton ball and leave in for five more minutes a least.
 

sh3

Michael Peterson status
Dec 1, 2008
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I was born with ear canals the size of a capillary tube. For the first 5 years of my life I was partially deaf from hardened wax sealing my canals. It got removed by a surgeon and I had to have all sort of wax softening remedies all my life to manage it - olive oil in my younger days. Its unlikely I have surfers ear because my canals are so small the cold air can't get in there and I have had to wear ear plugs ever since I started surfing. Anyway I'm getting side-tracked!

So my solution nowadays is to wait until my ear gets blocked, put Ceramol brand softener drops in my ear twice a day for a couple of days - then use a waterpik on absolute lowest setting. This is not medical advice, its what I do. Aim the jet into the entrance of my ear canal and when I hear a loud roaring noise, the job is done. More convenient and less painful than visiting a clinic for ear irrigation.
@One-Off : Maybe consider the waterpik, bud. Seriously.
 

grg

Phil Edwards status
Mar 11, 2006
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I don't recall you OP saying you had bone growth as that can be a whole different deal. Before mine was done water would get in and PITA to get out.
 

Subway

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 31, 2008
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Haven't read the whole thread, so unsure if this is mentioned.
If not, people will think I'm nuts.
But here goes...


Get a Waterpik. Fill the basin 3/4 to the top with hot water. Hot as you can reasonably stand, so around 100 degrees. Then fill the final 1/4 with room temp hydrogen peroxide. This way it's still hot but not burning you.

Here's the important part; Set the Waterpik for the LOWEST POSSIBLE SETTING it has. Do not up the pressure at all. Pulse it into your ear. The combo of hot water with hydrogen peroxide being pulsed in will wash out all the crap and clean your ear. It also disinfects if you have the starting of an infection. It's an instant solution to a plugged and painful ear.

Now let me stress this one more time: LOWEST POSSIBLE SETTING. Do not puncture your ear drum. You'll love this solution though. First time I was told it, by someone here on the erBB actually, I thought he was nuts but tried it carefully. I could not have been happier with the results. All sorts of sh!t dropped out as I did the wash.

LOWEST POSSIBLE SETTING.
This is going in the repertoire
 
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steamroller

Michael Peterson status
Dec 23, 2007
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Yesterday, day 4 with plugged ear, I called my MD. No appointments available, so I spoke to PA and, after telling her what I've already done, she suggested to go to urgent care. I went. They tried the power wash with a big syringe. The assistant who did it said stuff was coming out but my ear was remained plugged. The MD came and tried to dig the stuff out with what looked like a dental tool. He said the ear wax was behind the boney growth so he couldn't really get at it. He prescribed the debrox kit and highly recommended to see an ear specialist.

I did the debrox kit last night 3x. It was still plugged. But I woke up this morning and it feels clear(er). I will do the debrox again tonight. I will still see the ear specialist. From what the urgent care MD said, it seems my ear canal opening is down to about 2-3mm.


damn i was hoping you were gonna say it was fixed...ok thanks for the update
 

2surf

Duke status
Apr 12, 2004
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www.allcare.com
I went to an exhibit at the San Diego museum of man that featured skulls of ancient Peruvian fisherman, all with severe bony growth in their ear canals. Proving that surfers ear is not a new phenomenon. Thousand years old carvings revealed the Peruvian medicine men treated the condition by dropping large rocks on the fisherman’s nuts causing wax to be expelled from their ears. The Peruvian translation of the procedure is “Waxer Job”.

(Disclaimer) I am not a doctor
 
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One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
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Update- I went to primary care physician to get referral to ENT. She said the ear canal looked red and swollen so she prescribed antibiotics. It immediately got better. I went to the ENT anyways and he said it is 80% obstructed. He recommended the operation but also said if I don't have problems I can live with it, but if it gets worse then he'd definitely advise the operation. He said you don't want to operate when the opening is so small you can't see the ear drum.

I've decided to just be scrupulous with ear plugs and using the hood when it gets cold. He said it is the combination of cold + water that gets you. Not just water. No one in Hawaii gets it. And not just cold. Minnesotans who don't go in the water don't get it. Those were the examples he used.

I didn't think to ask, but at what temperature do you think the water begins to have that effect??? I used to wait until it hit 60 to wear the hood, but I might change this to 64 or even 66. I might offend the erBB fashion police, but I want to avoid the knife. I mean knife and grinder.
 
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TeamScam

Miki Dora status
Jan 14, 2002
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That's a good question.
?:shrug:
60 seems higher than what I would have guessed. Mine get troublesome more often every year so it's something to wonder.
 

Subway

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I remember reading water 68 degrees and below, especially when combined with any sort of breeze, is enough to initiate the growth response
 

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
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I remember reading water 68 degrees and below, especially when combined with any sort of breeze, is enough to initiate the growth response
68?

I forgot to mention- my left ear was operated in 2006. The Doc the other day said it is 25% closed. I did some math and unless I can stop the process the surgery is in my future.

68?? I will definitely offend the erBB fashion police when I start wearing my hood in 68 degree water. I think I'll wait until it is 67 and if anyone asks I'll say I heard it was 64. :shrug:

ps googled it and found an article saying 19 degrees centigrade which is 66 fahrenheit. The article also reported exotosis in warm water surfers, so what my Doc said has been revised.

From now on- ear plugs always and 66 and my hood is on.

.
 
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