All ears for a cure for wax; HEALTHMATTERS YOUR MEDICAL QUERIES ANSWERED with Dr Elena Douse.

Byline: Elena Douse 

Q. I think I may have wax in my ears. For the last few weeks I have noticed that my hearing hasn't been as good as usual. I have needed to turn the television up and I have missed parts of conversations.

I use cotton buds regularly to clean my ears but this doesn't seem to have helped. What's the best way of getting rid of wax? A. Firstly, NEVER use cotton buds in your ears. As well as risking damaging the delicate linings and membranes in your ears, the bud can actually push hard wax further down the ear canal and make things worse.

Make an appointment with your GP or practice nurse so that they can have a look inside the ears to ensure that wax is present. Hard, impacted wax is dark brown or black in colour and can totally block the ear canal, thereby affecting hearing. Applying warm olive oil or sodium bicarbonate drops to the ear canal for seven to 10 days will usually be effective in softening the wax so that it can then be syringed from the ear. Once the wax is removed I would expect your hearing to return to normal, but if your hearing problems persist, it may be worth your GP referring you for a hearing test.

are Q. I suffer with itchy, flaky skin in my ears and regularly get ear infections, which are very painful and give me horrible wet, discharging ears. Is there anything that can be done to stop me from getting these infections, as I don't really want to keep using antibiotic drops? A. Eczema in the ear canal is very common, and gives rise to the itchy, flaky skin that you are describing. Scratching this skin can cause infection to set in, giving symptoms of pain and wet discharge from the ear. Once infection develops, the only effective treatment is antibiotic drops, as you have been prescribed. To prevent infections developing, keep your ears as dry as possible. Water, whether from the shower or the swimming pool, makes the eczema worse. Shampoo also aggravates the skin of the ear canal and makes flaking and itching worse. Invest in a good pair of earplugs that you can wear in the shower, bath and swimming pool. Your GP can prescribe you some hydrocortisone cream (a weak steroid cream) which you can apply to the ear canal. Q. I am 65 years old and over the last few months I have gradually developed a "ringing" in my ears. A friend thinks that I may have tinnitus and says there's nothing that can be done for this. Is this true as the ringing is now keeping me awake at night? Roald Dahl's early life.

A. It does sound like you are suffering from tinnitus - a common condition which causes hissing, buzzing, whistling or ringing noises in the ears. There are many causes of tinnitus, including wax, age-related changes, disorders of the small bones of the ear and exposure to loud noise. Rarely, more serious underlying causes such as tumours in the brain can cause symptoms of tinnitus. It's worth visiting your GP for an examination to rule out such causes. In the absence of any obvious, simple, treatable cause such as wax, there is, unfortunately, no cure for tinnitus. Sufferers are more aware of the tinnitus at quiet times, eg at bedtime or when relaxing at home. Listening to calming music during these periods may help distract you from the irritating ringing you are experiencing. Wearing a special hearing aid, which generates "background/white noise", can help mask the tinnitus. Keeping occupied and focusing on other activities can again help distract you from the noises in your ears. Tinnitus gets worse at times of stress, so try to minimise stress levels. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a specialist form of counselling, is a recognised treatment for tinnitus - CBT helps patients cope with the symptoms of tinnitus and the effect it can have on their lives. For more information and support, visit the British Tinnitus Association website at www.tinnitus.org.uk Send your questions to Dr Elena Douse c/o South Wales Echo, Six Park St Cardiff CF10 1XR