Is it any wonder the health service is in difficulties?

Round here it's not syringing any more. Syringing worked reasonably well and I've had in done in Switzerland and the US, too. A few years back round here they moved to an impulse type machine, but still done by a practice nurse.

Now they seem to have decided it's a big deal, so, Doctor's appointment first so they can spend 30 secs verifying that you have indeed got earwax, then appt with a specialist who uses a vacuum cleaner to get it out of the ear(s). Daft, eh?

Practice nurse at my GP's practice used to happily do it, but then they told me that there was an edict that they shouldn't do it any more, and I should use drops. So I brought one of those impulse-type water jet machines and do it myself.

Then again it might be daft not to follow the advice from NICE as to what is both more effective and safer than old-style syringes.

Good luck to her. My mother has suffered tinnitus and wax all of her life. About 10 years ago she went to the hospital to have her ears syringed as usual, only to be startled over how powerful it was - far more than normal. She ended up being suddenly deafened in both ears - not completely fortunately, but unable to hear the TV at levels that won't annoy the neighbours, unable to hear on the phone, struggling with face to face conversation. Despite the damage being cause by their over-powereful syringing, they simply passed her on to the 9 to 12 month waiting list for hearing aids!

SteveW

I sympathize with your wife, I've had this problem for many years and it is horrible. Olive oil drops can help before the irrigation, the drops soften the wax. They can also make you go a bit more deaf for a while. A few weeks ago I had this ear wax problem, used Olive oil for a few days and rang my doctor, they were talking 3 weeks for an appointment with a nurse that would only have the time to do one ear! As this was getting me down, I Googled for mobile ear people and found more than one. A chap came out to me the same day, irrigated both ears and showed me a display of my ear drums on his lap top. He had these glasses on and looked like something from Starwars. The £45 was well worth it. One ear had a bit of wax dangerously close to the ear drum and he would not take the chance. The ear was still slightly muffled. He recommended "Earol" which he said was available from Boots etc. It is a spray. I got some from ebay and it worked. Think about getting some and Google for mobile ear irrigation in your area.

That sort of thing is normally done by your surgery. They may have a specialist who comes in to do it - so only on a specific day. Depending on the size of your practice. Bit the same as blood tests.

Generally best to use ear drops for a few days before the appointment for cleaning them anyway. Attempting to remove hard wax immediately can do damage.

Hardly a pressure washer. Just like a turkey baster really.

Sounds like they went from a syringe to one of the impulse-jet jobbies.

I bought some stuff for softening my ear wax from Boots. It didn't work and I had to do as I was told and use olive oil. A few years ago I used the olive oil for a few days and then rang the surgery to make an appointment to see the nurse. For another problem I have had to make a private appointment to see a consultant as I in some discomfort and I know the NHS will be very slow.

They are not all like that. An old style metal syringe with a plunger can generate high pressure and cause serious harm. See eg

We had the same here. I've had mine syringed one or two times per year for forty years, now they can't do it and I have to find a private company. So ... my ears feel blocked, I use Otex and go to the private syringer/sucker who says "can't see much wax" (that's £40 please), so I see the doc who says "they need syringing" ... loop :-(

Where is the money going that used to provide books for schools, fill potholes, support adult education, fund the NHS, etcetera, etcetera? We could afford these things before and there are now more people in the country (presumably some of the newcomers are paying taxes) so why can't we afford those things any more?

Well after a number of phone calls my wife has an appointment fin three weeks time! After is was sorted she had another call from a health official who asked if she could help. when my wife tole her it had been resolved she said "Good". what sort of system have they that does not inter communicate?

"Impulse jet"? That's how the V1 doodlebugs were propelled!

(I've just had my ears de-waxed at the local hospital by the vacuum method after softening the wax with sodium bicarbonate ear drops. By a proper doctor. I lost most of the hearing in my right ear.)

on 21/05/2019, Allan supposed :

I have never had my ears done, except by myself. Only once had an issue and used some oil which worked. More recently, past ten years, I read that using hydrogen peroxide squirted in the ear and allowed to fizz for a while dissolves it. It does seem to work, my ear are always clear of wax when checked after the treatment. I use 3% or water down to 3%. Stronger than that and it generates heat as it reacts with the wax and burn.

Never use it with a blocked ear, the fizz can cause pressure on the eardrum.

I also make a point of rinsing my ears under the shower - fill one side, then empty it while filling the other side.

It doesn't just drain straight through, then? :-)

NHS IT.

The one that continues to schedule appointments for dead people.

Owain

Chris Hogg wrote on 21/05/2019 :

Nope, a recent MRI scan confirms there is a large mass in the way.

Computers only act on the information they are given.

I have tried to deliver medicines to dead people in the past because nobody informed the pharmacist or the doctor.

Some of them appear to think its your fault that they haven't told you.