Interesting Things We’ve Found in Ears

*Warning – This post contains images of objects found in ears* 

Ear Wax Removal

Our ear wax removal service is really popular. Our ears naturally make wax to protect the ear and it usually falls out on its own. However, in some cases our ears can make a lot of wax which can become impacted. This can cause hearing loss, earache, tinnitus and dizziness and is generally quite unpleasant. Although it can be tempting to reach for the cotton buds or stick a finger in there, it’s really not a good idea. Poking around in there can push the ear wax further into your ear and towards your eardrum. We’ve seen and heard some horror stories, it’s not worth the risk trust us! The best thing to do is speak to your GP or an audiologist. We recommend using olive oil drops before paying us a visit to help soften the wax. 

More Than Just Wax..

Over the years we have removed a LOT of ear wax from our clients’ ears. Occasionally though we come across something else nestled in there amongst the wax. We like to document some of the more unusual finds. Is that weird? If you answered yes, then we suggest you look away. If, like us, you’re intrigued then take a gander through the photos below at our strangest finds!

 

Hearing Aid Domes 

This isn’t too shocking of a find for us, we’ve found a handful in various ears over the years. The hearing aid dome is the rubber tip that goes into your ear when wearing hearing aids. The domes come in various sizes and should be a comfortable fit in the ear. They can be removed easily for cleaning and, as they are quite small, can easily be misplaced. If one is lost it’s really important to check that it hasn’t got stuck in the ear. Losing a hearing aid dome in your ear is more common than you’d think and can happen when the dome is the wrong size or needs changing. 

Ear Wax Removal

Ear Wax Removal

Cotton Buds

I know we mentioned earlier about not using cotton buds but here’s another reminder anyway. Our poor client had been struggling with a wax blockage and tried to remove it with a cotton bud. Unfortunately the tip of the cotton bud had dislodged in the ear which caused significant hearing loss. Fortunately, we were able to safely remove this along with ear wax and restore our client’s hearing!

Ear Wax Removal

Homemade Swim Plug 

On this occasion we found a piece of silicone which had been fashioned into a DIY swimming plug. Our client was unsure what was causing their hearing loss and booked an appointment for wax removal. In one appointment our audiologist discovered and carefully removed the silicone and cleared the blockage, restoring our client’s hearing. 

Ear Wax Removal

Pencil Lead

One of our more recent finds was from the tip of a pencil! Again, another gentle reminder not to stick things in your ears if you can. Our client thought this must have been stuck in there for years. It was safely removed during a wax removal appointment and hearing was restored. 

Pencil Lead

Grommet

NOT to be confused with Gromit, the cheese loving cartoon. A grommet is a small tube (1.5-2mm in size) and its purpose is to drain fluid away and keep the eardrum open. Fluid behind the ear or ‘glue ear’ is common in young children and needs treating if it is causing problems with hearing or speech or causing lots of ear infections. The grommet usually falls out naturally once the ear is better. In this young client’s case the grommet had not naturally fallen out of the ear. During a routine ear wax removal appointment the old grommet came out of the ear canal along with the ear wax. (No 5p for reference here but it is TINY.)

Grommet

Blu Tac 

We’ve saved the best (and most graphic – sorry if you’re squeamish) image until last. Our audiologist noticed a blue coloured mass when inspecting the ears before wax removal. The image was captured and cautiously the wax was removed. The mass was in fact a small lump of Blu Tac that was lodged in our client’s ear! It was safely removed and discarded (no photo was taken you’ll be pleased to know) and our client’s hearing was restored!  

Ear Wax Removal

Keep your eyes peeled for more strange finds!

That’s all for now, we hope you’ve enjoyed our strangest ear finds. Any future finds will be posted on our social media pages so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram