For some reason my ears get clogged up with earwax (cerumen is the technical term) about two to three times a year. When it first happened, I was told to use a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide and one of those rubber bulbs you use to clear a baby’s nose. This strategy never worked for me, and I would inevitably end up in a doctor’s office hard of hearing. I got tired of paying the copay for something that seemed so trivial, and did some research only to find that for about $12 you could order a near identical chrome syringe as the one they use in a doctor’s office and do it yourself. All it requires is standing (or sitting) in the shower, and carefully syringing your ear with warm water. After a few syringes full of warm water out pops the ear wax plug, and wham my hearing comes back all at once.

At $11, it’s probably one of the better investments I’ve ever made. With that being said, there are some precautions, and you should probably talk to your doctor before you do this yourself.

First, not everybody has wet earwax. Many asians have the recessive trait for dry earwax, and as such they have their own special tools for removing blockages. If you have any pain in your ear you’re better off going to the doctor to get it done lest you damage your tympanic membrane. Also, some people can be sensitive to temperature changes in their inner ear and can experience dizziness and vertigo (some instructions tell you to do it seated in case you fall over; this is made worse if you use cold water). I would also not recommend using these on children given that they have shorter ear canals, and are more prone to ear infections (especially if they’ve had issues with eustachian tubes). Definitely talk to your pediatrician first.

Finally, you shouldn’t be cleaning your ears too frequently. Cerumen serves many functions and as such shouldn’t be removed on a regular basis unless absolutely necessary. As it stands, if you find yourself needing to clean out your ears a few times a year these are great tools. It takes a little bit of time to learn how to aim into your ear canal, but once you get the hang of it you can save yourself an unnecessary trip to the doctor.

-- Oliver Hulland 10/3/14