<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4522.1800" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV> <P>"While earwax is often cited by patients as the source of hearing = problems it almost never is an actual cause of substantial loss."</P></DIV> <DIV>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.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>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!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell <SPAN = id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=dianepianotuner@hotmail.com href="mailto:dianepianotuner@hotmail.com">Diane Hofstetter</A> = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 08, 2001 = 2:39 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Relax about wax</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <P><BR><BR></P> <DIV></DIV> <P>List, </P></DIV> <P>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. </P> <DIV></DIV> <P> In our course we were taught "Considered undesirable by many, = cerumen (earwax) has several important functions.</P> <DIV></DIV> <P>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.</P> <DIV></DIV> <P>b. Antiseptic- Cerumen is mildly antiseptic which serves to = discourage growths in the otherwise warm, friendly environment of the canal.</P> <DIV></DIV> <P>c. Cleansing-Debris is removed as cerumen makes its way out of the canal.</P> <DIV></DIV> <P>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).</P> <DIV></DIV> <P>While earwax is often cited by patients as the source of hearing = problems it almost never is an actual cause of substantial loss."</P> <DIV></DIV> <P>David Love said it excellently:<BR><BR>> </P> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>I would be very hesitant to recommend this procedure to = anyone. I would <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>check with an ENT person but cleaning the ears in this = manner is generally <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>totally unnecessary. Ears are self-cleaning. The wax = exists to protect the <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>inner ear from the accumulation of dirt and moves = naturally to the outer <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>part of the ear canal. The danger of cleaning with = q-tips and such inside <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>the ear canal is that it tends to push the wax back in = and pack it down <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>where it can impair hearing and become difficult to = remove. <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV></DIV> <P></P>Diane Hofstetter <BR>245-M Mount Hermon Rd.#343 <BR>Scotts = Valley, CA 95066 <BR>ph 831-438-6222 <BR>fax 831-430-9741 = <BR>dianepianotuner@hotmail.com <BR><BR clear=all> <HR> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <A href="http://explorer.msn.com">http://explorer.msn.com</A><BR> <P></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>