This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment "While earwax is often cited by patients as the source of hearing = problems it almost never is an actual cause of substantial loss." Oh, gosh. I was hoping I could avoid dumping all the gory details on you = guys, but here goes. Anyone with a weak stomach, please hit the delete = button. Once or twice a year, in the summer time, wax will build up in my ear = until my hearing is significantly reduced. Suddenly over a week or two I = will start frieking because it is clear that my hearing is failing. I = have been using the ear drops (acid? hydrogen peroxide?) available at = the drug store for ear wax removal. Put a few drops in, let if fizz for = a few minutes and then flush with warm water with the provided ear = rubber syringe/bulb. (No doubt there was wax in there.) After treatment, = I feel like Eddy Murphy: "I can hear, I can hear!" Yes, in my case at = least, ear wax can build up to the point that hearing is impaired. = Clearly I must clean it out once or twice a year. That is why I am = inquiring about the safest way to do it. The method I have used works, although it requires rather vigorous = flushing with very warm water. I realize the ear drum is a very thin = membrane. This I why I am concerned about this method. I fear that the = flushing is vigorous enough that it could damage the ear drum - and no = one is going to talk me into "shaking my head violently" either! I need = my brain to tune also! Terry Farrell =20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Diane Hofstetter=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 2:39 AM Subject: Relax about wax List,=20 Being somewhat alarmed by the general lack of information we have = about our most important tool, our hearing, I recently finished a course = from CAOHC (Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing = Conservation) and became a certified occupational hearing = conservationist.=20 In our course we were taught "Considered undesirable by many, cerumen = (earwax) has several important functions. a. Skin moisturizer- The temperature inside the canal is nearly as = warm as the interior of the body. Under these conditions, the skin = without the protective cerumen would become dry. This is the principle = reason that aggressive and constant removal of the cerumen often leads = to itching in the canals. b. Antiseptic- Cerumen is mildly antiseptic which serves to discourage = growths in the otherwise warm, friendly environment of the canal. c. Cleansing-Debris is removed as cerumen makes its way out of the = canal. Earplugs do not cause earwax but they may exacerbate wax build up to = the extent that periodic removal becomes necessary............... (Like = Tom Armstrong suggested, our teacher recommended Hydrogen Peroxide, = although he didn't say anything about shaking the head vigorously). While earwax is often cited by patients as the source of hearing = problems it almost never is an actual cause of substantial loss." David Love said it excellently: >=20 >I would be very hesitant to recommend this procedure to anyone. I = would=20 >check with an ENT person but cleaning the ears in this manner is = generally=20 >totally unnecessary. Ears are self-cleaning. The wax exists to = protect the=20 >inner ear from the accumulation of dirt and moves naturally to the = outer=20 >part of the ear canal. The danger of cleaning with q-tips and such = inside=20 >the ear canal is that it tends to push the wax back in and pack it = down=20 >where it can impair hearing and become difficult to remove.=20 >=20 Diane Hofstetter=20 245-M Mount Hermon Rd.#343=20 Scotts Valley, CA 95066=20 ph 831-438-6222=20 fax 831-430-9741=20 dianepianotuner@hotmail.com=20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/57/3c/45/86/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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