So, about 5 days ago, I was routinely cleaning my ears out with a q-tip (I'm aware this is not the best way and often results in bad things, but I know that now) and apparently I had an excessive amount of wax in my ear. So as I was swabbing in my right ear, I suppose I must have pushed some wax and wedged it against my eardrum or something because I lost hearing in my ear. Well not entirely, but a large amount and I am for the moment heavily hearing impaired in my right ear, I can barely hear anything with it.

So this had happened to me back in May or something, and I scheduled an appointment with my doctor (just my physician) to check it out. I happened to talk to my brother who this had happened to when he lived in Italy for a year. The doctor there had told him to put olive oil in his ear and come back in a week and he would flush it. So he did that and it worked and he could hear again. So back in May, I did that. The whole olive oil thing, I went to the doctor, and he flushed my ear and I could hear wonderfully again. It was great and I was happy.

I scheduled a doctor's appointment the other day. So I went in there yesterday. And I hadn't had as much time as in May to use the olive oil as much as I did (3 days vs. 1 day or something). So I went in and he tried to flush my ear and it didn't work. I still couldn't hear. (in fact I think it may have gotten worse) So after further examination he told me that he thought there was fluid behind the eardrum and wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic. So I've been taking this medicine since yesterday (it's only a 5 day thing) and so far I have no improvement whatsoever. I think it may have gotten worse again.

So if this doesn't work, I'm gonna schedule another appointment and see what's going on, but I wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else. I'm interested to know what you've done about it and such. It is not fun at ALL to lose your hearing, let me tell you. I don't trust my physician too much (he's kinda crazy), so if anyone else has something that they did that worked for them, I'd be interested to know. It really bothers me for this to happen, largely because I don't hear too well anyway. I sit in classes now and try to figure out what is going on, heh.

I'm pretty sure this is only temporary. I don't see why it wouldn't be. But if it's not, I'm gonna be sad. Also, I wanna warn you guys, be careful with q tips. Those are dangerous mother fuckers. Anyway, help would be appreciated or similar stories, I know I can't be alone!

That really sucks, man! I'm sorry and I hope you get better soon. I haven't had a really similar experience, however I do remember Vaginal Barrel losing her hearing for some time! Maybe check that out?

Well, I'm not completely deaf, but half deaf due to a bacterial infection in both my ears which has caused them to swell and shoot immense pain throughout my head. I've been taking some eardrops for a few days and depending on my condition tomorrow I will either go to the walk-in clinic and get someone to look at them again, or continue taking the eardrops for 1 or 2 more days. It seems slightly better today, though. At least the pain has stopped so I'm no longer on the floor holding my head and being marinated in complete suffering.

I am slightly concerned over a painful lump that seems to be located right under my ear as well. I can push it around a bit with my fingers, but it hurts. I've never noticed it before so it's quite possible it is simply something that has become swollen as opposed to something that requires immediate attention.

I've had this happen too... when wax gets compressed against the eardrum, it's basically a natural earplug. Flushing it with a water syringe and hydrogen peroxide has worked for me. But, if your doctor has confirmed that wax isn't the problem, I guess antibiotics could work if it's some kind of infection. Does your eardrum hurt at all?

But... olive oil? Seriously? I've never heard that, and I don't think I'd be too keen on putting that shit in my ear canal. And like you mentioned, q-tips aren't intended to actually be inserted into your ear, and doing so will only compact the wax further or cause an infection.

Catslacks: I get "lumps" sometimes too, usually below/behind the ear or on that bit of skin that extends over the ear canal. They're annoying, but pretty harmless as far as I know. Dunno what causes them though.

Yeah, those cotton swabs are apparently really bad for your ears. Sometimes the inside of my ear gets itchy and it's terribly hard to resist the urge...

Also, it's not like you can just let the wax build up forever (although in this case you are supposed to rinse out your ear with hydrogen peroxide or something?)

Yeah, those cotton swabs are apparently really bad for your ears. Sometimes the inside of my ear gets itchy and it's terribly hard to resist the urge...

Also, it's not like you can just let the wax build up forever (although in this case you are supposed to rinse out your ear with hydrogen peroxide or something?)

i've always found q-tips and ears to be a dumb idea. and occasionally caused considerable pain doing so.
I just do what I can with my finger usually.

I've occasionally had a big build-up or a few that limited my hearing. Then went to the doctor to get those removed. This one time I pulled a blob the size of a large wasp out of my ear (I didn't even know about it, it was somewhat unintentional) from my ear at work :|  fortunately no one was around to see that fall out and onto the ground

Q-tips are bad? o_O

Then how am  supposed to clean my ears? :S

I always clean my ears with those...

listen to Radiohead - 2 + 2 = 5

When I was 12 or 13 I became almost "deaf" for some reason and couldn't hear anything other people said but it went away in a few days on it's own but it was really terrible. I don't know what to do in your case but I hope you get better soon.

Q-tips are bad? o_O

Then how am  supposed to clean my ears? :S

I always clean my ears with those...

Your ears are actually pretty good with keeping themselves clean, although a gentle swab now and then helps too. Cleaning your ears out with flushing or a swab every day is an absolute no-no though. Your ears have a protective layer over the skin inside them which can become infected if you wipe it or wash it away, ie: swimmer's ear.

I know Sarah/VB lost his hearing for a while but it wasn't due to wax buildup. Either way, if he was around maybe he would tell his story????

i think his hearing still isn't too flash
i had something like this before, it went away with time. it was quite painful though

Q-tips are bad? o_O

Then how am  supposed to clean my ears? :S

I always clean my ears with those...

from what i've heard you shouldn't use anything smaller than your little finger when cleaning your ears. the wax is usually there for a reason!

Actually I wasn't paranoid about this but now I am

yeah great now i think i've got cancer every two seconds and i'm gonna freak out every time i see a q-tip