Last week, I went in for my annual check-up, and everything seemed perfect—great blood pressure, healthy lungs, and a strong heartbeat. But then my doctor took a look into my ears.
“Oh my,” he exclaimed.
What did that mean? My heart sank. “Is everything alright?” I asked, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over me.
“You have a significant amount of wax in here; it’s obstructing my view. We need to clean it out,” he replied.
I was mortified. It felt unclean, even though I knew it was out of my control. Hearing the doctor talk about “cleaning something out” was unsettling. He pulled out an instrument resembling a pen with a light and began to probe my ear. It wasn’t pleasant. I winced as he scraped away at the wax. Once he finally extracted the impacted buildup, my embarrassment faded, replaced by genuine curiosity. I was shocked by the sizable glob of brownish-orange wax he had removed. And he wasn’t finished—he dove back in for more. Gross.
After several attempts on one ear, he moved to the other, and the same dreadful process continued. I was left wondering how I could hear at all! I should’ve taken a picture of that tissue; it was unbelievable. After the procedure, I left with a simple “Thanks, see you next time.”
Once home, the experience lingered in my mind. Was this common? Would it happen again? Should I be worried? Instead of asking the doctor, I turned to Google. I discovered that impacted cerumen, the technical term for excessive earwax, can lead to all sorts of issues like hearing loss and even vertigo. Fascinating, but I was more interested in how to remove it myself.
Before long, I found myself on TikTok, binge-watching earwax removal videos. OMG, have you seen them? If not, you should! Or maybe you shouldn’t. But seriously, they are both captivating and disgusting. Some people had so much wax it looked like it was about to overflow from their ear canals. I couldn’t fathom how they didn’t know! Surely someone—spouse, child, or a stranger on the bus—must have mentioned it. If I saw that, I’d have to say something.
Once the “cleaning” began, it was like watching a thrilling movie. Sometimes, it was a quick scoop with a curette; other times, it was a battle with stubborn wax balls stuck to the ear. I found myself cheering them on, “Yes! Get that wax!” It was oddly satisfying.
Some had flaky earwax that required picking, and others used tweezers to extract it. But the best part? The suction machine! It was like magic watching that wax disappear instantly. I watched for over an hour before reluctantly heading to bed, thinking I was done. But the next day, my feed was flooded with more earwax removal videos, alongside pimple popping ones—what was happening to me?
Curious, I decided to share this newfound interest with my kids. My eldest walked away in disgust, while my second son gagged dramatically. My third son didn’t seem to care, but my five-year-old daughter was all in! We grabbed popcorn and continued watching. Her commentary about color, texture, and stickiness made it even more enjoyable. We both preferred darker globs removed with tweezers, while the flaky stuff was a bit off-putting for both of us.
Is earwax gross? Yes. Am I embarrassed by my interest? A little. But will that stop me from watching more? Absolutely not. I’m even tempted to check out toenail fungus, but I should probably limit my exploration to just wax and zits for now.
Looking for more insights?
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Possible Search Queries:
- How to remove earwax at home
- Signs of impacted earwax
- Earwax removal techniques
- What to do about excessive earwax
- Health risks of earwax buildup
In summary, my experience with earwax removal not only left me feeling liberated but also sparked a fascination that I never anticipated. While it may seem odd, I’ve embraced this unusual hobby, sharing it with my daughter and reveling in the quirky world of ear hygiene.