Dark ear wax

[Eve]

I have a (very bad I know) habit of gently cleaning my ears out with a cotton bud, mainly as my ears irritate me so much through menieres disease.

The last couple of days there has been some really dark ear wax coming out on them and just wondered whether it's anything I should get checked out or if it's just normal.

Any ideas welcome and I know I shouldn't clean my ears out with cotton buds so if anyone has any better suggestions they are welcome too.

It's not like I even get a build up of wax, it just seems to sooth them a bit when they are driving me mad.

[brenda]

Jenna --are you a smoker ? A friend of mine has dark ear wax and is a smoker.Just a thought ,but get it checked to put your mind at rest.

[albaqwerty]

please get it checked out. I was told by my pharmacist that anything that comes out of ears which isnt clear, go to GP, they can then set your mind at ease

[daffy654]

I tend to use the curved end of a hair grip (kirby grip) to carefully clean my ears........I know it sounds gross but it is far better than pushing a cotton bud down there.The grip gets thrown away afterwards of course.

[Eve]

I am yes, have been for about 10 years though it's only been in one ear the last couple of days.

I wondered if it was maybe old wax or something had been bleeding in there though there are often painful and irritated due to the menieres so hard to tell.

My menieres has been pretty off especially today, worse than it's been for a while and had quite a lot of pain and been feeling pretty off balance (well a lot more so than normal) though the rapidly changing weather isn't really helping that.

[Eve]

I will albaqwerty, I've got to speak to the practice nurse tomorrow about some blood test results so will ask her opinion then and book an appointment if necessary.

Never thought of something like that Daffy, I am always very gentle and don't go far in at all, I think it's more of a sooth the itch kinda thing with me as they get this horrible feeling like they're crawling.

My ex used to try and get me to use a tissue over a finger.

[ethandron]

apparently, dark ear wax is just ear wax that has been in your ear for a long time and is nothing to worry about.

[barry1010]

Dark ear wax is perfectly normal, it is simply dirty. If you can bear it, pour a drop or two of olive oil into your ear and plug with cotton wool before you go to bed.
This will soften any old ear wax and help it to move up the canal without doing harm.

[wolf63]

My right ear is sore just now due to an infection caused by me poking around in it with a cotton bud. I got ear drops from the doctor but am dying to scratch the itchy bits.

My ear some times bleeds - that could make it darker.

I will lay off the cotton buds for a while!

[sqad617]

jenna..this is normal.......normal colour for wax is dark brown.

Your GP will syringe it out as if it is soft enough to come out,it is soft enough to syringe out without drops.

[sqad617]

albaqwerty.....tell your Pharmacist that the only thing that WOULD worry me, was "clear fluid coming out of my ear"