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Having Blocked Ear. Taking Advill. Tried Wax Cleaner And Found Brown Substance On It. Any Ideas?

Posted on Tue, 14 Aug 2012

Question: Hi,Ive been having some issues with a blocked right ear for several yrs.from scuba diving,when I go into the water.I usuall take some advill and it clears up in a few days.This time,it's been close to 2 weeks and now I'm not sure if it is that or some sort of wax build up.I tried the some kind of wax cleaner last night and this morning their was a brown substance on the cotton I had in my ear.This never appeared when I had the problem before.Any idea's?
Thank You
XXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (1 hour later)

Hi

Thanks for the query

The problem of yours seems to be an impacted wax, which could have swollen up after getting into the water. The brownish discharge you noticed on the cotton buds confirms the same. But there could also be a possibility of the blocked Eustachian tube, which can be confirmed after a complete ear examination.

I would suggest you to consult your doctor for the wax removal or else the fungus may grow on the wet surface in the ear canal. Also, avoid using ear buds to clean the ear because you can push the wax further XXXXXXX into the ear canal.

Hope this answers your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar