Olive Oil, Mineral Oil for Treating Irritation of Ear Canals from Heavy Earplug Use?

[Alue]

So I know people have used olive oil or baby oil for earwax buildup. I don't have a problem with earwax, in fact I have almost no earwax, but I do have a problem with pretty severe irritation of my ear canals from wearing foam earplugs a lot. (I'm not looking for a lecture on earplug use, I have to use them in moderately noisy places.)

Aside from using different types of earplugs, my ENT told me that I could try putting oil in my ears or on the earplugs to see if that helps with the irritation. He said mineral oil, baby oil, olive oil should all be fine. Does anyone have recommendations for the type of oil to be used?

I have a jug of "food grade" mineral oil that I've used for other purposes, but I don't know if that's intended for 'cosmetic' use, it's more for wood cutting boards and that sort of thing. From my understanding baby oil is just mineral oil with fragrance added in. Olive oil seems like it would be fine, but I know it can go bad unlike mineral oil.

What types of oil have other people used? As long as it's 'food grade' does the source really matter?

 

[Nonna]

I've kept olive oil on my skin since I was 20. It will make you glow. My skin looks a lot healthier than the girls my age. It never gives me breakouts or anything bad to say about it.

 

[Alue]

I've kept olive oil on my skin since I was 20. It will make you glow. My skin looks a lot healthier than the girls my age. It never gives me breakouts or anything bad to say about it.

Do you just use regular cooking olive oil?

 

[Nonna]

Do you just use regular cooking olive oil?

Yes cooking section at Walmart.. (liquid gold)

 

[Elinor]

If you try this, let us know if it works.

 

[Alue]

If you try this, let us know if it works.

I will. I've tried olive oil so far.

Am I the only one that gets irritated ear canals from earplug use? They actually turn red and hurt sometimes, different from hyperacusis pain.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Am I the only one that gets irritated ear canals from earplug use?

What kind of earplugs do you use? I remember you said that you have wide ear canals. This is strange, as you would think that there would be less friction... Might you be pulling out the earplugs too fast (or jamming them in, instead of rolling them and letting them expand)?

 

[GregCA]

Am I the only one that gets irritated ear canals from earplug use? They actually turn red and hurt sometimes, different from hyperacusis pain.

It's not uncommon. Ear canals can be quite sensitive to begin with, and ear plugs create friction when you put them in and take them out...

It is indeed very different from hyperacusis.

 

[Alue]

What kind of earplugs do you use? I remember you said that you have wide ear canals. This is strange, as you would think that there would be less friction... Might you be pulling out the earplugs too fast (or jamming them in, instead of rolling them and letting them expand)?

I use hearos xtreme. They are the largest foam earplugs I have found. Smaller ear plugs don't give me the same level of protection. If it's not even filling in the gap, it's not going to give much protection.

Part of the problem is likely that I put them in and pull them out too often, but I feel I have to moving in and out of moderately noisy areas, then talking with soft spoken people etc. Plus I don't like wearing them too much when I'm not in a noisy area. It really sucks. I have custom molded earplugs that work fine, but they make the occlusion effect with my voice horrible. Maybe it's the frequency of my voice (I have a deep voice) but it's just booming when I have the custom molded earplugs in. My ENT mentioned the idea of drilling a small hole in custom molded earplugs so I would still get some protection but it might lessen the occlusion effect. I need to think about it some more, but it's an interesting idea.

It is indeed very different from hyperacusis.

Yeah, I have both unfortunately. The irritation is like having a rug burn on the inside of your ear canals. Friction is the main culprit, but the foam earplugs probably also act as a sponge soaking some of the components (oils) that form into earwax. I have almost no earwax in my ears.

 

[Bill Bauer]

pull them out too often

When you pull them out, how many seconds does it take?

It takes me 5-6 seconds - I try to be as slow as possible. This way there is no noise when I pull them out, and it seems that there is less irritation...

 

[Alue]

When you pull them out, how many seconds does it take?

It takes me 5-6 seconds - I try to be as slow as possible. This way there is no noise when I pull them out, and it seems that there is less irritation...

O wow. That's like in super slow motion. I don't yank them out, but it doesn't take more than a second.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I don't yank them out, but it doesn't take more than a second.

I am using 3M 1100 foam plugs. If one tries to pull them out too fast, there is a popping sound that once had given a serious spike to me. Try moving slower, and hopefully there will be less irritation.

 

[Alue]

Figured I'd update. I've been using olive oil for the past few days and it really does seem to be helping. I haven't used my digital otoscope to look in my ears, but the iritation seems to be gone for now. It can get messy and isn't ideal for a lot of situations (I've mostly only used it when at home), but it does seem to make the earplug slide in better and feels like it actually makes a better seal as well. When I get the time I'll look in my ears to see if the redness is gone.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I've been using olive oil for the past few days and it really does seem to be helping.

Do you just place a few drops into your ear?

 

[Alue]

Do you just place a few drops into your ear?

Rubbed it onto earplugs. I also just put it on my custom molded earplugs then slid them in. I figure that's a better way of coating the whole surface without putting excessive amounts into my ear.