How can I get rid of all that wax in my ears?

FOR many years I have had a problem with a lot of ear wax clogging up my ears. I’ve been told ear syringing is unsafe, so what other treatments are available?

SYRINGING used to be done by a nurse or doctor using a large ear syringe to squirt water into the ear, then suck the water and the wax out together. The problem was controlling the pressure of the water jet. Too forceful, and you could damage the eardrum.

These days we use ear irrigation performed by a machine which is able to accurately squirt the water into the ear at a safe and consistent pressure. The ear wax is dislodged and then travels out with the water. This is routinely done in GP surgeries.

Ear softening drops containing either olive oil or almond oil are also considered very effective. After a week of putting these in, any compacted ear wax may well dislodge.

If neither drops nor ear irrigation work, micro-suction is available at some NHS hospitals: the wax is sucked out using a safe, very thin suction device and no water or syringing.

Avoid cotton buds – they jam built-up wax into the ear even harder.

WHY is there no information anywhere about polymyalgia rheumatica? I was diagnosed just over three months ago and have never been in so much pain. I am 74 and was previously fit and active, but now I feel a cripple. I am on prednisolone but it doesn’t seem to be helping.

POLYMYALGIA rheumatica, or PMR, is a the most common of the rheumatic diseases – conditions that lead to inflammation, pain and stiffness in the joints, tendons, ligaments, bones and muscles.

In PMR, which is also sometimes just called polymyalgia, aching is felt in the muscles and there is stiffness, particularly around the shoulders and neck, the hips and the pelvis. Pain may travel to the knees and the elbows.

It’s thought to be caused by the immune system turning inward and attack the body’s healthy tissues. It is usually diagnosed in older adults, particularly those over 70.

Patients complain of morning stiffness, difficulty rolling over in bed, getting up from a chair or raising the arms, and tiredness, lack of appetite and ankle swelling.

Prednisolone, a steroid, dampens the inflammatory processes in the body. This is the standard treatment and symptoms should ease after three to four weeks. If things don’t improve, an increased dose and a referral to a rheumatologist should be considered.

A lack of response to treatment may indicate false diagnosis. PMR can mimic other joint conditions including arthritis, lupus or even thyroid conditions, so it is important to suggest these to your GP if treatment is ineffective.