Can you use ear-drops after expiry date?

[ANGELFIRE1]

Hi guys and thanks for the responses so far. The ear drops in question are indeed olive oil. I've been using them for about 5 days now and sadly there's been no improvement. I've also realised they're within the expiry date so no problem there.

 

And to update: I went to the GP's today and he had a look at both ears. The 'bad' ear had a fairly large amount of wax and that's probably what's causing the problem 99.9%.

 

Incidentally the 'good' ear also had a high amount of wax but that one seems fine. But I'll admit, I have to sometimes create a small vacuum (by gently pumping the outside) in that ear to release some extra air (or air pressure). Maybe that's going the way of the other one..

 

I've been told the next step is to make an appointment for ear syringing for both ears. The thing is, I don't want to put olive drops in the 'good' ear because having done that to the 'bad' one, it made it even more muffled. I don't want to end up with both ears knackered until I see the nurse in question.

 

Just want to add: I've been told to ring back tomorrow to make an appointment. Whilst I was at the surgery, the receptionist couldn't find a day to book me in. She went thorough this month; nothing... and then next month; still nothing

 

I really hope there's an opening available in the next few days since work was pretty much a nightmare. I need to get this sorted out asap since I could hardly hear what anyone was saying and avoided pretty much everybody for that reason.

 

If the only appointment is a few weeks away, could I safely do the ear syringe myself? - With the right equipment? - Or would that be too risky?

 

(sorry for the long post)

 

 

Go to your quack and ask him to remove the wax with an ear wax spoon (Jobson Horn). I have mine done twice a year, no drops, no syringing. Here is a link to it been done, a couple of minutes per ear. Job done, hearing perfect again.

 

 

Angel1

Edited October 17, 2016 by ANGELFIRE1

[hauxwell]

I have had my ears syringed in the past and I was told to use drops by my doctor to soften the wax for a week before syringing because it was dry and hard. So not sure if an ear wax spoon would be suitable as I did try to remove it myself with a cotton wool bud and it was painful.

However Angelfire could be right, as I was not aware of this method and of course the texture of the wax in your ears could be soft already.

[GreenyGreen]

Thanks for the further responses, guys. And re. an appointment for the ear syringing; the earliest they can do is 2 weeks from now. I guess I'll have to just count the days down until that time.

 

I also went to my local pharmacist and asked them if they sell any DIY syringing tools (since the likes of Amazon have them), and they said they didn't. He did advise me to use Otex ear drops rather than the olive oil ones. I did what he said and I must admit, they seem more 'powerful' than the olive oil.

 

One more point: if the syringing doesn't work, would that mean I have an ear infection? - and if I do, would there be pain associated with it? At the moment, there isn't any. Just the usual blockage with some ringing noise (tinnitus). Apparently that's normal when there's a build-up of wax.

[BHRemovals]

not sure about ear drops, but ive used optrex eye frops that where 3 years old and they worked ok.

[ANGELFIRE1]

I have had my ears syringed in the past and I was told to use drops by my doctor to soften the wax for a week before syringing because it was dry and hard. So not sure if an ear wax spoon would be suitable as I did try to remove it myself with a cotton wool bud and it was painful.

However Angelfire could be right, as I was not aware of this method and of course the texture of the wax in your ears could be soft already.

 

 

The one "worstist tool" you can use for wax removal from your lugs is a cotton wool bud. All it does is push the wax further down into the ear canal, due to it's design. If you watch the video I put a link to, you will see the horn is designed to get behind the wax, thus removing rather than pushing it further in.

 

It's a painless procedure, quick and simple and guaranteed to restore your hearing, immediately. Provided that it is wax that has caused the hearing loss of course.

 

Angel1.

[hauxwell]

The one "worstist tool" you can use for wax removal from your lugs is a cotton wool bud. All it does is push the wax further down into the ear canal, due to it's design. If you watch the video I put a link to, you will see the horn is designed to get behind the wax, thus removing rather than pushing it further in.

 

It's a painless procedure, quick and simple and guaranteed to restore your hearing, immediately. Provided that it is wax that has caused the hearing loss of course.

 

Angel1.

 

Yes I am aware now that using a cotton wool bud in your ear can push the wax further down the ear. I have watched your video and I think it is a good method of removing ear wax. It is few years since I had my ears syringed and I remember the nurse saying that there is a slight chance with syringing of ear infection after the procedure.

If I ever need wax removing in the future I will ask if I can have the ear spoon to remove it, I didn't know there was a ear spoon for wax removal.

[Daven]

If the container has already been opened it's usually advised they aren't used after 4 weeks regardless of expiry date.

Regards

[GreenyGreen]

Right folks. Went for the ear syringing today. All is fine except the nurse said the eardrum is slightly red. She's not exactly sure of the cause but I'm wondering whether it was the excessive wax that's the culprit?

[geared]

Yea it can be sometimes, did she invite you back in a couple of weeks to double check it's returned to normal?

[GreenyGreen]

Yea it can be sometimes, did she invite you back in a couple of weeks to double check it's returned to normal?

 

She said I need to make an appointment with the GP so he can have another look. It's possible it could be an infection but wouldn't it hurt if that was the case?

 

It's not doing so at the moment. In fact, there's been no pain ever since this whole thing started.

 

BTW, there's still some ringing in my left ear. Will that go away with time do you think?