Most doctors cannot see my ear drum as I have really small ear canals. That being said, I don't trust most people to clean out my ears in whatever style or fashion. Has anyone had a local doctor around Phnom Penh clean their ears out with a scope and whatever other instruments? I want to get a good ear cleaning as I know I am losing some hearing due to blockage. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Sir Q

I've had 'glue ear' since I was a kid and flush my own ears a couple of times a week with a small syringe while showering. Have you tried this before? If not, and you decide to, be really REALLY careful to not apply too much pressure, as you'll damage your ear drums.

StroppyChops wrote:I've had 'glue ear' since I was a kid and flush my own ears a couple of times a week with a small syringe while showering. Have you tried this before? If not, and you decide to, be really REALLY careful to not apply too much pressure, as you'll damage your ear drums.

No, I have tried using drops that were supposed to break up the wax. Didn't help much. I try to shoot the water from my shower into my ear every now and again to flush it out. Like I said, I have really small ear canals so I don't think the water is getting too far. I get my hair cut at a Khmer barber shop and there are always Cambodian men having their ear's cleaned out by the girls working there using some ancient looking metal tools. I don't trust.

StroppyChops wrote:I've had 'glue ear' since I was a kid and flush my own ears a couple of times a week with a small syringe while showering. Have you tried this before? If not, and you decide to, be really REALLY careful to not apply too much pressure, as you'll damage your ear drums.

I do the exact same thing periodically, maybe 4 times a year. I also use a syringe, but a big one. Works perfecty, but like SC said, be really careful with pressure.

Yeah, don't trust. Never cotton tips (as they will just impact the wax onto the drum and make it worse), never anything solid inserted in the ear unless it's by a GP. If you rupture a drum you're pretty much screwed as it will be difficult to repair by the time you get to Bangkok or Singapore for surgery.

Try some warm olive or vegetable oil in the ear canal while lying on your side for about 15 minutes, then a gentle syringe of warm water in the shower.

Heres a procedure reccommended by Dr. Mike Jones, MD. According to his site he is a medical doctor and a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Medicine at Iowa City, Iowa. Dr. Jones gained a broad general medical practice background before specializing in Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery. His website here http://mikejones.us/professional/index.htm

While this is a treatment to stop ear infection the method of using the Hypodermic Syringe and Hose Procedure describe below with tepid water rather than the vinegar and betadine works fairly well for clearing wax. This can be used in conjunction with a wax solvent, although, interestingly water seems to be the best. See here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17851335
As far as I am aware small syringes do not develop sufficient pressure to rupture the drum, although be careful not to stick the plastic tube onto the drum.
A curette may be needed to remove impacted wax. In that case I would go and see a competent doctor.
This is Mike Jones MD procedure
An Ear Wash using Vinegar or Betadineâ„¢ Solution

This is a treatment to stop your ear infection.

Preparation of the Irrigation Solution

Make a half-strength (1/2 strength) solution using one-half cup of the vinegar and one-half cup of warm tap water. The vinegar should say “4 or 5 % acidity” on the bottle. Plain white distilled vinegar is in all grocery stores. Use the Betadine™ solution full strength from the bottle. Be sure to use Betadine™ solution and not Betadine™ scrub (which is a soap). Betadine™ is an organically bound iodine antiseptic and is available at pharmacies and some grocery stores.

Treatment Procedure

• Use white distilled vinegar in a one half strength solution
• Use Betadine™ full strength solution from the bottle
• Use an ear syringe
• Use an eye dropper
• Use the hypodermic syringe and hose
• Treat your ear _______ times each day

Ear Syringe Procedure
Purchase a 2 oz. rubber ear syringe and small plastic kidney shaped basin from your pharmacist. Fill the ear syringe with the half-strength white distilled vinegar solution. Holding the kidney shaped basin firmly under the ear, irrigate the canal using gentle pressure. Do not block the ear opening with the tip of the ear syringe. Repeat the procedure until the returning solution is clear.

Eyedropper Procedure
Fill the eyedropper and rubber bulb with the half-strength white distilled vinegar solution or Betadineâ„¢ full strength from the bottle. Tip your head to the side and fill the ear canal with solution or Betadineâ„¢. Place the tip of the dropper into your ear opening and suck the liquid back into the eye dropper. Compress the bulb firmly, then release, then compress again and release repeatedly. You will loosen debris in the canal by swishing the liquid back and forth over and over. Look at the material in the eye dropper. Repeat this several times until the returning vinegar solution is clear. The Betadineâ„¢ will remain brown.

Hypodermic Syringe and Hose ProcedurePurchase a 10 or 12 cc plastic hypodermic syringe and any size “butterfly” intravenous needle with attached plastic tubing from a pharmacy, hospital supply or hospital. Also buy a small plastic kidney shaped basin. Fill the syringe with the ½ strength vinegar or Betadine™ solution. Cut the needle off the “butterfly” intravenous tubing and attach the tubing to the plastic syringe. Holding the kidney shaped basin firmly under the ear, irrigate the canal by pushing on the syringe plunger. Do this repeatedly, emptying the syringe and refilling it until the returning solution is free of debris or discoloration. This procedure gives better cleansing than the above, but usually takes two people because you have to hold on to three things at once.
Precautions
• Mild dizziness may occur. This may be avoided by warming or cooling the solution to body temperature.
• On rare occasions treatments may cause itching, burning or increase in ear discharge. Should these symptoms develop after the first few applications of the solution, please discontinue treatment and contact our office.
• Do not allow soap or water to enter the ear canal. When showering or washing your hair, place cotton in the opening of the ear and cover the outside of the material with Vaseline.
Discontinue all treatment to the ear 24 hours prior to your next office visit.
Michael F.E. Jones, MD, F.A.C.S.
801 Fifth St.
Sioux City, IA 51101
(712) 270-2010

Sir_Quality_U_Feel wrote:Most doctors cannot see my ear drum as I have really small ear canals. That being said, I don't trust most people to clean out my ears in whatever style or fashion. Has anyone had a local doctor around Phnom Penh clean their ears out with a scope and whatever other instruments? I want to get a good ear cleaning as I know I am losing some hearing due to blockage. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Sir Q

I've used Dr Ngann Sophean at

Polyclinique Aurore #58-60, Street 113, Phnom Penh
Tel +(855)(0)23-360152 +(855)(0)12-779824 +(855)(0)12-667561

He uses a scope with monitor so you can watch what he is doing (if you want). Paid $20.

Sounds cool... I've heard of these funnels that they light and sucks the wax out...

never heard anyone ever say that ear candles worked for them...

picaroon wrote:

Sir_Quality_U_Feel wrote:Most doctors cannot see my ear drum as I have really small ear canals. That being said, I don't trust most people to clean out my ears in whatever style or fashion. Has anyone had a local doctor around Phnom Penh clean their ears out with a scope and whatever other instruments? I want to get a good ear cleaning as I know I am losing some hearing due to blockage. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Sir Q

I've used Dr Ngann Sophean at

Polyclinique Aurore #58-60, Street 113, Phnom Penh
Tel +(855)(0)23-360152 +(855)(0)12-779824 +(855)(0)12-667561

He uses a scope with monitor so you can watch what he is doing (if you want). Paid $20.

This sounds like what I am looking for. Awesome, thanks!