For fans of the Karate Kid, the phrase “wax on, wax off” will have strong meaning.

In the story, Miyagi reveals that Daniel has been learning karate defensive blocks through muscle memory learned by performing mundane chores such as waxing cars, hence “wax on wax off’’.

(Speaking of Karate Kid, surely this movie is due for a modern remake with Joseph Gordon Levitt. It has potential!)

But we are not talking about waxing cars today but rather a topic much more personal.

It is possible to improve your hearing with one appointment with a hearing specialist

How?

If your ears feel blocked, itchy or irritable, it’s likely that ear wax is the culprit. Removing this professionally will do wonders for the clarity of your hearing.

Most people use a cotton tip, thinking they are removing wax when in fact they are pushing the wax further in. The reason is, you cannot see what you are doing.

The old phrase ‘don’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear’ is quite true.

Let me share the story of a client I saw after he had a run-in with a cotton tip

My client was doing laps at the pool, as usual one Saturday morning, and jumped out to clean the water from his ears with a cotton tip. He regularly does this and it is part of his routine.

However, this one Saturday morning there were children kicking a ball around the pool and, like something out of a movie, the ball was kicked in his direction at the same moment that he had the cotton tip inserted.

The ball hit his elbow and pushed the cotton tip through the eardrum. This causes considerable pain, and he partly lost his hearing temporarily and had a few specialist visits for management. But being a fit, healthy man he avoided surgery as it was his first perforation and it should heal up nicely.

This just goes to show that some things are out of your control.

Earwax is also public enemy number one of hearing aids

A whopping 30 percent of people do not use their hearing aids due to ‘poor benefit’, according to Kochkin (2000).

As hearing aids are used in the ear, they are subject to ear wax and moisture. If earwax is not taken out, your hearing aid may malfunction.

Hearing aids are not consumer electronics. It’s not like buying a DVD player.

Many people who are unsuccessful with hearing aids would be astounded to know that once the wax is removed from the ear and/or the hearing aid, the sound comes back.

Most of the time, a broken hearing aid is just blocked with wax, and can be fixed in minutes.

Is ear wax getting in the way of your hearing?

If you think ear wax could be distorting your hearing, make an appointment with a hearing clinic that uses the latest suction-removal technology.
If you’re in Victoria, come and see me at Blamey Saunders hears in East Melbourne.

Kochkin, S. (2000). MarkeTrak V:” Why my hearing aids are in the drawer”: The consumers’ perspective. The Hearing Journal, 53(2), 34-36.

Clinton Nottingham is an Audiologist at Blamey Saunders hears.