Harsh Treatment by ENT

[Jiri]

Hello everyone,

On the advice of my GP I went to see a local ENT for some earwax removal (since I got tinnitus and hyperacusis I started to use earplugs a lot).

The ENT rammed this long, slim cotton bud into my ear, twisting it around there in all kinds of angles. So I went "Ouch!". The exact same thing for the other ear. Then he decided he's going to use a piece of absorbent cotton moistened in disinfection (ethanol?), plugged it in my ears and started pushing it back and forth! That just sounded so loud inside.

Once the 'procedure' was finished, he goes "You didn't have much earwax." I almost fell off a chair.

Now my ear cannals are burning (that's the disinfection I guess), but by far my biggest concern is - is it likely that this type of ears cleaning could permanently worsen one's tinnitus??

Thank you for your attention.

Jiri

 

[glynis]

@Jiri ,
I have never heard of that way of clearing out ear wax by ENT I hope it gives you no problems.
love glynis

 

[GregCA]

I had wax removed from my ear a little under a month ago with a curette.

 

[dpdx]

I never heard of that earwax removal before. Please give your ears a rest already.

 

[Mellow7]

Was the tool used something like shown in this video?



If so, I had the same procedure done to me, unknowing what kind of discomfort it could bring, by my GP.

It also hurt my ear canal for a few days after, but that is to be expected, the tissue in there being quite sensitive. I would not be afraid of a spike or an increase, since a curette (or a similar tool) is often regarded as the safest way to remove ear wax.

 

[Tamara]

It can not be done this way, precisely because it is a sensitive region, this must be done very gently.If you have injured the external auditory canal, it may even cause a bacterial or fungal infection.Be very careful now, just do something with a reliable ENT.I hope nothing bad happens.

 

[RingerBell]

Now my ear cannals are burning (that's the disinfection I guess)

It also hurt my ear canal for a few days after, but that is to be expected, the tissue in there being quite sensitive.

As far as I've understood, the wax is also there to protect the skin of the ear canal. So no wonder if all of it is scraped out and wiped with antiseptic that ears are sensitive afterwards. I hope you don't get any further problems beside the burning ear canals.

 

[Bill Bauer]

is it likely that this type of ears cleaning could permanently worsen one's tinnitus?

The fact that your T hasn't spiked yet is a good sign, as is the fact that you haven't been experiencing ear fullness following the procedure.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I went to see a local ENT for some earwax removal

Did you use a special liquid (beginning at least a week prior to the procedure) to soften the wax?

 

[Tamara]

Curette or a similar tool is often regarded as the safest way to remove ear wax,but the doctor must know how to use the instrument and how the procedure should be done.

 

[Tamara]

Curette or a similar tool is often regarded as the safest way to remove ear wax,but the doctor must know how to use the instrument and how the procedure should be done.

 

[Tamara]

Curette or a similar tool is often regarded as the safest way to remove ear wax,but the doctor must know how to use the instrument and how the procedure should be done.

 

[Tamara]

Curette or a similar tool is often regarded as the safest way to remove ear wax,but the doctor must know how to use the instrument and how the procedure should be done. This procedure does not hurt.

 

[dingaling]

That is evil, but sadly the way some doctors work. I hope this was done with the aid of a microscope.

"Kinder" ENTs use microsuction, aka an "ear vacuum"

 

[Bill Bauer]

"Kinder" ENTs use microsuction

Search this forum - you will see a large number of posts where people's T became debilitating (permanently) following microsuction.

 

[dingaling]

Search this forum - you will see a large number of posts where people's T became debilitating (permanently) following microsuction.

That's partly the reason I put "kinder" in quotation marks

 

[Jiri]

Everybody, thank you for your responses. It's really nice to see people care.

I had wax removed from my ear a little under a month ago with a curette.

It wasn't a curette. Idk the ENT's tool terminology. It looked like a long metal cleaning swab with a bit of cotton on either side.

Was the tool used something like shown in this video?

No, it wasn't. Really, more like a long needle with a bit of cotton on either side. I searched the entire google and couldn't find one single pic of it.

It can not be done this way, precisely because it is a sensitive region, this must be done very gently.

I fully agree.

The fact that your T hasn't spiked yet is a good sign, as is the fact that you haven't been experiencing ear fullness following the procedure.

Unfortunately, that's not the case. I've had my t. spike start like 2 hrs later with a bit of pain in my right ear I don't know if it due to stress or bec he accidentally perforated my tympanic membrane + the cotton piece cleaning afterwards.

That is evil, but sadly the way some doctors work. I hope this was done with the aid of a microscope.

He just looked into my ears and then shoved that thing right into them & twisted it around inside.

but the doctor must know how to use the instrument and how the procedure should be done.

Precisely. I am not too sure this one cared enough. He was done 'cleaning' both of my ears within seconds.

Did you use a special liquid (beginning at least a week prior to the procedure) to soften the wax?

I didn't. I'm too afraid to put any form of a liquid in my ears. Just soft Ohropax earplugs after I'd washed my hands.

...​

Ok. It wasn't a curette (or it could've been some version of it?). It looked literally like a long needle with a piece of cotton on either side. When he sticked that thing into both of my ears and twisted it around there, it caused me a lot of discomfort (who am I kidding, it hurt). He was done clearing out both of my ears within seconds. Found almost nothing. I thought I had some cerumen buildup is why I went to see him. He might have pentrated my tympanic membrane, then he used a piece of rolled up cotton moistened with disinfection (alcohol) and started pushing it quickly inside and back (if you use your pinkie, that kind of noise). That was loud for me (my hyperacusis). Had he penetrated my eardrum it's also possible that some of that alcohol disinfection got thru the tiny cut and... damage, t. spiking.

I used to see this doctor when I was a kid and he was always gentle. He got divorced some years ago and completely changed. Today it was kinda brutal. I have a t. spike now. It's either my stress levels up or smth that he had messed up!

 

[Bill Bauer]

Did you tell him about your situation before the start of the procedure?

 

[Jiri]

Did you tell him about your situation before the start of the procedure?

He knows about my situation very well. He was the first ENT I saw after my tinnitus onset. He knows about my hyperacusis as well. This was meant to be just a simple earwax removal done by an ENT specialist.

To make matters worse there's a big storm outside now...

 

[Bill Bauer]

To make matters worse there's a big storm outside now...

I hope you are wearing double hearing protection.

 

[Bill Bauer]

This was meant to be just a simple earwax removal done by an ENT specialist.

He should have insisted on you using that liquid for over a week before the procedure. Now you can't trust his judgement anymore...

 

[Jiri]

I hope you are wearing double hearing protection.

I slipped on my Peltor X4A and hiding in a corner. I am too worried to put anything in my ear cannals now.

Now you can't trust his judgement anymore...

Exactly. As a matter of fact when I saw him last year November, he said he was going to retire early spring this year. When I asked my GP about him, she answered that she thinks there's a new ENT. I wasn't really expecting to see him.

Nonetheless, my tinnitus is spiking again (can hear it perfectly in my muffs), there was just a very loud crack of a thunder outside now, hate it hate it! and am really scared that this doctor caused my tinnitus to get worse.

I'm hoping and praying again that this will be just a temporary spike or else, Idk... there's no win win situation.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Hopefully the spike is just a result of you being under a lot of stress.