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Figuring you’d rather read about my exciting produce purchases, my fun new recipe discoveries, and my exciting life with teenagers – I have spared you the details of my silly but very annoying physical malady of the past few weeks. But, lucky you, now I’m going to share. It’s Gratituesday, after all – and this is something I’m very thankful for. Praise God in everything, right?
Christmas day (yes 6 weeks ago), which also happened to be the day we left for a long road trip to California, my left ear plugged up. Typically when an ear plugs, you can yawn to pop it, right? Not so for me this time. Figuring it would pop any minute, and knowing my chiropractor was closed for the holiday, I did nothing but wait (and yawn a lot).
As it was, my ear remained plugged through our entire drive and visit to California. I went to my chiro immediately after returning home. He adjusted me. He did acupuncture. I went to my homeopathic doctor. I went back to my chiro. I did ear candles. I used essential oils. I went to my massage therapist. I stood on my head (not even kidding). I prayed. I prayed. I prayed. My ear remained plugged.
I had not been sick. I was not in pain. I simply couldn’t hear well in my left ear, and every time I talked I heard my own voice loudly inside my head. Argh! So annoying! I gained a new appreciation and compassion for those with hearing loss. No wonder they struggle to be in large crowds of people.
Bless my family for having to say everything twice. Matt would whisper something sweet into my left ear and I would respond with a blank stare. Poor guy. ;)
Finally I recognized that my ear issue had nothing to do with drainage or lack thereof. Took me long enough, right? Hey, I’m not one to just run to the doctor for every little thing. Typically ear issues can be treated easily and entirely by the chiropractor or with a specific ear draining massage. I wanted to exhaust all other possibilities first. So I did. Since nothing else worked, I finally went to Urgent Care.
This turned out to be an ear wax impaction. They flushed my ear out and two minutes later I was a new woman. The nurse yelled, “THERE NOW, IS THAT BETTER?” Come to think of it, she probably used her quiet inside voice. It just seemed so loud and clear to my freshly cleaned out ear. (You’re welcome that I’m not going into detail about what was flushed out. Wow and wow again.)
So yay for me (and for my family)! I can hear again! From typing on my keyboard to hearing trains go by, I am noticing all the sounds I’ve been missing the past several weeks.
Of all things, today I am thankful for conventional medical treatment and a doctor who didn’t question me or suggest that I take some sort of medicine that would only treat the symptom and not the real issue. That is, after all, why I had avoided going in the first place. Had I known 6 weeks ago that none of that would happen and that all I needed was a date with a high powered water blast through my ear….
In the meantime, my chiropractic adjustments and massage benefited my health, so nothing was lost on those appointments.
So please, leave a really loud (or really soft) comment telling me what you’re thankful for this week. I’LL BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU!!!! How great it is to be reminded of the little things (like hearing) that we take for granted.
I have ear wax impaction happen to me yearly! We bought our own Waterpik to avoid the co pay since we already know the diagnosis. I have never been to chiropractor or homeopathic doctor but I am surprised that no one looked inside your ears. It’s quite easy to diagnose!
I am always surprised at how well I can hear after we clean out my ears! It’s amazing!
I am thankful for Waterpiks! Lol!
i use ear burners from my Amish Store. You can also get them online and most holistic health stores have them. Works every time. I just add a drop of olive oil afterwards to keep the itchy at bay.
Bless your heart! That is really aggravating. I’m so glad you found the problem and solution! I have an ear that has problems, and has for years. It is partially that the eustatian tube doesn’t work properly and the eardrum can’t vibrate enough and part of it is scars from ear infections as a kid. My family gets annoyed by me having them repeat things often. I need a hearing aide, but they cost too much.
My daughter asked me last night what to do to unclog her ear and I told her we needed to google it to see what it could be. She has had a cold so it could be something related to that, or simply earwax!
My husband is an Audiologist. He does NOT recommend ear candles. He also frowns on q-tips, but I still use them. ;)
I use Health Enterprise Ear Wax Syringe. Amazon sells it. Works well but you need to be diligent and squirt away until your ear is cleared. After use I a mixture of white vinegar and alcohol and drop that into my ear. The alcohol dries up the water and vinegar balances the ph in your ear.
I had a perforated eardrum a few years ago after an infection and couldn’t hear for 3 months while it healed up, so I know what it’s like. I am surprised that no one you went to thought of ear wax since that is a common problem, but glad you got it taken care of.
I had this happen a few years ago. I wonder if that’s where the term “the whole ball of wax” comes from??
Haha. I have this problem right now. With my left ear. Started Sunday night.
It has been a couple weeks mixed with blessings and stresses. And, to be honest, some days the stress got the better of me and my attitude. But I am grateful that every day, and even every moment is new and full of potential. I am choosing to focus on the blessings, instead of the stresses (though they still need dealt with, they do not have to get the better of me). I am thankful for the warm sunshine, singing birds, our snoring dog asleep on the couch, our healthy daughter growing inside of me, and a husband who is willing to tackle our major weed problem in the front yard. :)
Please, please, please, PLEASE do not use ear candles. I’m an audiologist. They do absolutely nothing. Nothing. But bring the risk of burns, perforations, infection, ect… No reputable medical association recommends them. Studies were done to show if you straight up burn the candle you get the “wax” that it is supposedly being taken out by the candle. All you are seeing is the impurities in the candle wax. I can point you to reputable scientific journals by otolaryngologist who say do not do it. Pretty please, take this audiologist’s advice (who has seen what a burned eardrum looks like) and don’t do it again. And don’t let your kiddos or husband or neighbour or friend or the grocery bagger either.
I’m SO glad that ordeal is OVER for you (and your family)….and thanking the Lord WITH you that it is!! :-)
What I’m most thankful for this week is getting back into Counseling with my former therapist, who’s also a Christian, and very effective. Without that, I was thinking I might c-r-a-c-k.
I had that problem years ago and had my ear cleaned out at our clinic. The doctor told me to rinse out my ear with hot water every time I am in the shower. I have been doing that about weekly (which is about how often I remember) for years whenever I take morning showers. My ear doesn’t dry in time before bed with an evening shower. I haven’t had a problem since.
I just had this happen this past week, only my ear was really hurting! I can hear so much better now too. My doctor recommended Debrox ear drops for future use.
We are so blessed that we can see and hear and even work. Often when I am feeling too lazy to cook or clean or exercise, I think of my best girlfriend who has spent her entire life in a wheelchair. Many of the things I feel too lazy to do are a great challenge for her. When I think of it this way, I realize how blessed I am.