That’ll be £55 please. I had found that treatment until recently available on the NHS was now only available in the private sector. I had one ear cleared by microsuction at a hearing aid centre this morning. It took 10 minutes and cost £55.
Another stealth tax. I wonder what the next cost transferred to the taxpayer will be.
(What came out was about the size of a grain of rice but my wife’s treatment produced a huge lump, as bid as a honeybee. The audiologist tried to flog some hearing aids although recent test in the same centre had shown she didn't need them.)
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I don't really understand why it is stealth, or tax for that matter.
And not the b***** taxpayer again!! I presume that you're referring to yourself?
Every single adult in the UK pays tax. Every one. The only exception that springs to mind is people in prison, and even then it is being paid for them.
So I presume that what you really meant was "transferred to the taxpayer paid by people will be".
Now presumably you realise that 'people' are paying always? Because everything is paid for with money collected from you or directly by you. Only the point of payment changes.
However, if you're paying for your ear treatment directly that means that you are not subsidising anybody else's ear treatment and they are not having to subsidise yours.And nobody is paying the NHS to manage or administer that service.
What's your problem with that exactly?
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Whenever I wash my hair, I direct the flow into my ears. Haven't had to have them syringed for over forty years.
PARDON, WHAT, HALF PAST THREE !
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Clearly the public lacks ear wax tax facts.
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or try the well named Earol
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A retired GP friend tells me that you can use your elbow to clean out your ears ............ but nothing smaller.
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>> or try the well named Earol
>>
Bought some yesterday. It don't come cheap at £6.35 for 10ml.
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>>Bought some yesterday. It don't come cheap at £6.35 for 10ml.
Bunged some 3% H2O2 down my blocked ear - cleared it in no time at all at all.
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"or try the well named Earol"
It's just pure olive oil. The bottle is 10ml so that's £635 per litre. Expensive salad dressing.
Annoyingly they make the top unremoveable so you can't refill and reuse it.
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>> >> or try the well named Earol
>> >>
>>
>> Bought some yesterday. It don't come cheap at £6.35 for 10ml.
>>
£6.50 now in Boots, but currently on offer at £4.87.
Bought a couple today.
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>> Bought a couple today.
>>
Obviously :-)
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>> I wonder what the next cost transferred to the taxpayer will be.
Now I know. There was news over the weekend that some NHS trusts are debating restricting free hearing aids to those who have severe hearing loss and presumably those on benefits. So for the rest, that'll be several thousands pounds, thank you.
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>> >> I wonder what the next cost transferred to the taxpayer will be.
>>
>> Now I know. There was news over the weekend that some NHS trusts are debating
>> restricting free hearing aids to those who have severe hearing loss and presumably those on
>> benefits. So for the rest, that'll be several thousands pounds, thank you.
As a pensioner you will be exempt, not that I would want a free NHS hearing aid anyway.
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Seeing as this thread has revived, I'll reply to Zero.
The NHS have given me a set of hearing aids which are the same brand etc as a mate's , who paid over £3k for his. The only difference appears to be his "behind the ear" bit is a little smaller than mine. We've both got them same app with the same features. So I'm not sure brand snobbery works so well :-)
I was advised by a hearing specialist that those which go right inside your ear and are therefore invisible can and do give rise to infection fairly easily and are not really recommended (except maybe by people making commission on them!). They used to be £5k a pair, probably more than that now.
I don't like wearing them so I don't much, though I am getting to the point where at least one is helpful. One upside is that I can get a disabled persons railcard, and a carer can accompany me at the cheaper rate on the trains. However that isn't much use as SWMBO needs her own card anyway.
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I get my wax removed by the Audiology clinic. No charge. When I go in for new batteries or some problem I ask for a wax check.....no problem for them.
I have two aids from the NHS, top of the range...they talk to each other. Wearing specs, they can get a bit painful so I often just keep one in. I'm going to ring for an re-assessment as they are getting a bit distorted...or maybe it's wax. The medical staff are very good and it's only one right turn and 3/4 mile straight road away plus free parking.
Oh, there's a cafe on site and a bacon barm helps with recovery !
Ted
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>>
>> I get my wax removed by the Audiology clinic. No charge. When I go in
>> for new batteries or some problem I ask for a wax check.....no problem for them.
>>
>>
>>
I got mine done in November, £70 for both ears.
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>> I get my wax removed by the Audiology clinic. No charge.
Interesting, is that service available to all or is there some form of 'gatekeeping', like having a hearing aid.
Mrs B's ears are constantly filling with wax to the point her hearing is badly affected. A familial issue which affected her Mother, Brother and, to a lesser extent our two offspring.
Neither the GP nor, so far as she can ascertain the hospital, will do anything. You need to go to a commercial (ie for profit) audiology outfit like Boots or Hidden Hearing. She goes to somebody in the old Army place at Weedon who does nothing but get wax out of people's lugs.
My parents both used to have theirs syringed by the GP every year or so. Never needed it myself.
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Just had my ears de-waxed by Specsavers. £55 for both ears.
Used to get it done free at my GP surgery but almost impossible to get an appointment these days. Not a service the audiology department at my local hospital seem to offer.
I have it done every year as wearing hearing aids leads to a large build up of wax.
Last edited by: HughA on Wed 12 Apr 23 at 08:31
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Otex @ £5+ is worth a shot before you spend £50+ in a High Street syringe job!
(other brands are available)
When I was young, in the 1950s, it was almond oil, slightly warmed on a spoon with a match!
Later the ears were doused in warm water. Seemed to work.
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Olive oil. Doesn't need to be extra virgin.
I suffer occasionally. I haven't had to do it for years but an ear bulb works OK over a period for washing out with warm water. Sometimes you see the word 'suction' used in relation to ear wax but I wouldn't risk that. You also need to take car not to 'hydraulic' your earholes.
www.amazon.co.uk/Otex-3453305-Express-Combi-Pack/dp/B002FAHBKA/
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>> Olive oil. Doesn't need to be extra virgin.
>>
Prior to medical attention I use the easy name to remember Earol
It is a small pump action Olive oil spray.A quick warm of the bottle prior to use is also suggested
Doc has a look at the problem and if action required then an appointment with the nurse for her to use her spray/such device and all sorted.
All free!
I have sometimes been advised that when it is cold weather to put a plug of cotton wool in my ears for a day or two after treatment.
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Our Audio folk use suction, it seems to be ok. I drip olive oil in and pop a bit of cotton wool in at bedtime. I usually do it for a few days prior to suck job.
Rang this morning and got an appointment on Friday for a possible re-assessment due to occasional distortion of the sound....thank the Lord for subtitles !
The voices of young women, especially Yanks, are particularly bad. Its like having the news read by The Chipmonks. Mrs T likes Judge Judy, ( heaven knows why, she's normally quite intelligent ) I turn it off as soon as she leaves the room. Leads to some animosity !
Some dimwit American broad whinging about how she lent 3 bucks to a friend in 1956 and never got it back !
Ted
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>>Mrs T likes Judge Judy, ( heaven knows why, she's normally
>> quite intelligent ) I turn it off as soon as she leaves the room. Leads
>> to some animosity !
We love it. Gives a few minutes of light entertaiment during mid afternoon cuppa.
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>>We love it.
The ole woman luvs it, watches it most daze actually. Tis watchable.
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Oh dear, y’see, this is exactly the sort of thing I’m worried about happening if I do decide to retire this year.
That I might start taking an interest in ear wax and daytime TV.
:-(
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Doing the garden, digging the weeds, who could ask for more?
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>> Oh dear, y’see, this is exactly the sort of thing I’m worried about happening if
>> I do decide to retire this year.
>> That I might start taking an interest in ear wax and daytime TV.
>> :-(
I'm just thankful I haven't got hair coming out of my lugholes like pampas grass.
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Pampas grass can lead to all manner of complications I believe…
Still, the consequences might be energetic enough help to clear the wax out of your ears I suppose. ;-)
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>> Pampas grass can lead to all manner of complications I believe…
>> Still, the consequences might be energetic enough help to clear the wax out of your
>> ears I suppose. ;-)
>>
...not thinking about the title of a film about Joe Orton, by any chance... :-O
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So sorry, but my knowledge of these things is not extensive, I just seem to remember something about Pampas grass being a signal of willingness to be a particularly accommodating neighbour.
You clearly have a more in depth understanding of such matters, not that I’m judging or anything. ;-)
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>> That I might start taking an interest in ear wax and daytime TV.
>> :-(
>>
...retire, dear boy. At least one of those is optional (and at your age the other would probably have manifested itself by now, anyway - along with a lack of manual dexterity).
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OMG! I’ve just googled the Joe Orton thing…
Strongly suggest that others here don’t!
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..it was once seen as a crossword clue - "Listen, though it might be physically impossible". :-)
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Not in the Broadsheets surely?
:-0
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...might have been the Telegraph, but possibly the FT. ;-)
(or maybe the Guardian, they're Cultured folk over there)
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Ear wax removal - No FM2R
