From Ear Wax to Hearing Aids don’t be stupid like me

[Austin Mini]

About a year ago my ear was blocked by wax (had this often working in a machine shop most of my life).
I contact my doctor and receptionist tells me to go see the chemist. The chemist sells me some ear wax remover which I applied but nothing happened. Back to my doctor who has a look and gives me some ear drops. This is repeated for six weeks back and forth but still blocked so I wash my ear out with a plastic syringe and some is removed (stupid boy).
Nothing, still blocked and am given an emergency appointment at ENT they find a polip remove some wax with vacuum come back in a week. Eventually after a month or so tooing and frowing I see a specialist. The specialist puts me on an EUA (examine under anaesthetic) operation list and it’s marked urgent. In November I have my operation and a polip is removed which is benign. I have after surgery specialist appointment and am recommended a hearing aid. Specsavers fit me out with two hearing aids on the NHS and although I can’t hear normally with the aids everything is just fine.
Remember whatever you do don’t poke around in your ear as it could cause problems later.

 

[trophywench]

Two chaps we know quite well are very deaf - one is the Chair of the local prostate cancer support group and has been deaf and needed hearing aids for at least half of his adult life - now over 80 so he is used to it and gets regular revisions of his aids by ENT specialists at his usual Leicester hospital as he lives on the outskirts of Hinckley. (Induction Loop fitted in their house for his house phone, has never and will never, have a mobile phone) Anyway - ENT couldn't take the impressions needed for his new pair of in ear aids, because of wax and so usually they just syringe them and sort it, but nope - had to go, get wife to ring Specsavers, get appt there a week later, go home, get her to drip warm olive oil in for a week, go to Specsavers, have wax removed, go back to hospital in another week ..... and several months later yes he got his new aids and they fit and work properly. Being made specifically for each patient, it'll never be instant even once they have the impressions.

Everything takes longer than you imagine these days - and yes Austin I know hearing sight and teeth all need the proper specialists but, you would have thought hospitals would have that specialism to hand !

 

[JJay]

Part of creeping NHS privatisation. Many practice nurses have set up their own little businesses holding wax removal clinics in their spare time.

 

[Austin Mini]

Two chaps we know quite well are very deaf - one is the Chair of the local prostate cancer support group and has been deaf and needed hearing aids for at least half of his adult life - now over 80 so he is used to it and gets regular revisions of his aids by ENT specialists at his usual Leicester hospital as he lives on the outskirts of Hinckley. (Induction Loop fitted in their house for his house phone, has never and will never, have a mobile phone) Anyway - ENT couldn't take the impressions needed for his new pair of in ear aids, because of wax and so usually they just syringe them and sort it, but nope - had to go, get wife to ring Specsavers, get appt there a week later, go home, get her to drip warm olive oil in for a week, go to Specsavers, have wax removed, go back to hospital in another week ..... and several months later yes he got his new aids and they fit and work properly. Being made specifically for each patient, it'll never be instant even once they have the impressions.

Everything takes longer than you imagine these days - and yes Austin I know hearing sight and teeth all need the proper specialists but, you would have thought hospitals would have that specialism to hand !

Specsavers charge £55 to clean out your ears free at ENT . I have the original ear mold in case I need another making. Your home insurance should cover you for loss as it’s £100 to get replacement.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you’ve had problems with your ears @Austin Mini

Glad you were able to get things sorted 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Hearing and sight are so important to maintaining quality of life and you should do all you can to protect them. They always say never prod about in your ears yourself. My son in law poked about with an earbud and the tip came off and got embedded deep into his ear which he had to go to A & E to have removed.
I met a lady who at 86 had just had cochlea implant on the NHS and it had made a huge difference to her.
The technology for hearing aids has improved no end in recent years but still requires the trained people to get them right for the individual.
My daughter was told when she needed hearing aids at age 25 that it was important to wear them all your waking hours as it was your brain that did the hearing not your ears and the brain would never adjust if you kept taking them in and out.
She had her hearing corrected by surgery after 20 years of wearing the hearing aids.