Ear Health & Ear Lavage!

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I recently experienced the worst ear infection I have ever had to date. Have you ever experienced one?

My right ear throbbed, there was intense ringing and a lot of stabbing pain. It was worse when I tried to sleep. 

I went to my doctors right away and she of course, recommended a variety of options. 

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I chose what I believed would be the fastest to stop the pain. She prescribed ear drops from the pharmacy. I immediately drove to the pharmacy then  rushed home to apply them . 

It felt soothing but I still experienced stabbing pain inside my earand my head.. My ear was congested ; I couldn’t hear very well out of my infected ear. My balance was off so much that I accidentally bonked my head on my granite countertop- on the same side as the infected ear. 

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I  had no pain relievers in my place so I used whatever I had to numb the pain. 

The next day I called the Dr. again, which she prescribed a different product. I immediately purchased it hoping this time it would stop the pain

Well,  it felt like battery acid in my ear… So, I stopped. 

I read up about how most ear infections are viral not bacterial so antibiotics wouldn’t really help. I called back to report my condition to my Doctor and she felt really bad about my experience. She mentioned that I had a lot of ear wax build up which could have contributed to this problem.

She now encouraged me about taking extra vitamin C with lots of water and applying heat compresses on the ear.. One compress she shared was an onion compress.. I’m like, onion? She said yea, it can draw out the pain. I thought, well I will usually try something once.

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Well trust me it was disgusting.. She also mentioned ear lavage procedure. ( ear irrigation) when I’m feeling better; keep reading I will share more. 

My dog avoided me, due to the onion smell. The scent was so overwhelming it  made me nauseous.. So now I’m in pain, smelling like an onion and nauseous.. 

Meanwhile a friend  was so sweet he googled all types of home remedies for me.

I’m really more into natural self care remedies than drugs but, when you have pain… 

I’m into whatever will STOP the pain.. He introduced  to me a salt pack- recipe (thefarmersalmanac.com) This one thing was amazing!! After using it-

 The next morning NO pain!

I felt so much better. The salt compress is an effective natural pain remedy &  It has antibacterial properties too! I had never heard of this and so glad I tried it! 

Oh what a relief it is to be pain free.. 

I checked on healthline.com,  they recommend a lot of reliable and trusted health information. 

So what is Ear Lavage ?

It’s ear irrigation; a routine procedure used to remove excess earwax, or cerumen, and foreign materials from the ear.  The ear naturally secretes wax to protect and lubricate the ear as well as to keep debris out and hinder bacterial growth

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Under normal conditions, the body keeps the amount of earwax in the ears under control. Too much earwax or hardened earwax can cause a blockage in the ear, resulting in earaches, ringing in the ears, temporary hearing loss, or infections.

 

Purpose of ear irrigation
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The ear, especially the canal and eardrum, is very sensitive. Earwax buildup can cause damage to these structures over time. This can affect your hearing. 

Removing excess earwax with ear irrigation is a safe way to minimize the risk of infections & damage to the ear.. 

Sometimes foreign materials like food, insects, or small stones can get into the ear. In these cases, the goal is to safely and quickly remove the items before they move deeper into the ear or do damage to the delicate canal. Ear irrigation/ ear lavage, can be effective in removing foreign materials from the ear.

It basically feels like having a shower for your inner ear..its so gentle and soothing.. You won’t  believe the crap that comes out too!!   You feel so clean and clear hearing!! I’m going to continue doing this on a semi annual basis – recommended by the Doctors of course..  There are Risks.. 

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The risks of ear irrigation
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Do not undergo ear irrigation (either at home or at a doctor’s office) if you have a damaged eardrum, tubes in your ears, or a condition that weakens your immune system. You also should not get ear irrigation if you have an active infection in your ear canal. 

While ear irrigation is a relatively common procedure, The risks could damage your hearing ! 

 If you are living with a health professional then sure, have them do this procedure for you. But, If you have just had an infection, or in pain… I wouldn’t recommend it. Have a doctor that provides this procedure check out your ear canal first! 

In my case, I wasn’t  about to  irrigate my ear without fully knowing what was going on inside. 

I made a second appointment here in Seattle. The clinic is a Naturopathic clinic bastyrcenter.org they provide this Ear lavage treatment, that my Doctor mentioned.

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I had 2 Doctors & 2 clinicians – soon to be Doctors, checking out my ear. They agreed with my Doctor about wax buildup. They were so careful in their check up prior to getting this irrigation procedure. They thoroughly evaluated my health and checked out both of my ears!! 

This clinic is listed on the contact page for any Seattlites interested in visiting this wonderful clinic. 

Does insurance pay for this?
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Original medicare/medicaid will cover ear irrigation aka, Ear Lavage . The advantage plan may cover the procedure if medicare/ medicaid doesn’t. It’s known as medicare supplement insurance .

Check with your private insurance and ask. . Either way the relief this treatment provides is worth it!  

My ears feel great;  my balance is back and NO further risk of another infection. 

I hope this information helps you if you or your loved ones get an ear infection. 

  • Feel free to reach out to me here or for immediate discussion- I have a Chat bot now on the site. 

Check it out! 

In closing..

“Confronting illness can be an opportunity to awaken to the profundity of life. A person who has faced a major illness knows how to deeply savor life. Real health is the will to overcome every form of adversity and use even the worst of circumstances as a springboard for new growth and development. Simply put, the essence of health is the constant renewal and rejuvenation of life."

Thank-you for visiting!

PS. This blog is Free!
Please share it with anyone you feel would enjoy it.. Thank-you

Joyce Wood, chhc

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