Ear Wax - increase since PMR

[Exflex]

Since diagnosis of PMR (and prednisolone) in Jan 2020, actually about a year into this condition, I’ve developed far more ear wax issues and have to use medicinal grade olive oil to soften to help removal. It’s a damn nuisance.

Anyone else noticed similar? It’s a long shot, but any link to inflammation caused by PMR?

(Male aged 71, although I don’t look any older 😉 )

[SnazzyD]

On Pred I had for the first time in my life, lots of ear wax. With diligent oiling I still had to have the wax removed twice in 4 years. Unfortunately as we get older our natural wax removing ability of our ears reduce along with the addition of thicker hairs in the canal. Wax is also made worse by cleaning (water or home implements), dust, allergies and irritant wax clearance drops like bicarbonate. I saw lots of ears in my role as a nurse.

[Exflex in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you - knowing there’s a medical relationship with age and ear hair thickening helps my understanding.

I wonder how Pred plays into this. The medicine is to reduce inflammation which sounds counterintuitive. But hang on me, Pred is known to have deleterious effect on muscles skin and connective tissue, so why not ears!

I had a large lump of ear war removed in August last year, and the same ear is at it again. At the time the person who did it said the wax in the other ear was too hard to remove. A month or two ago I had a ‘present’ in the shower. (£60 one ear, £100 for two.)

[Koalajane]

I have always had this problem. I put oil in my ears once a month. I haven’t noticed it get worse. I had my wax removed about a year ago and not been since. It is expensive to get it removed now in UK

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I also developed a lot of ear wax with PMR but it improved a lot with pred.

[Exflex in reply to PMRpro]

lt could become a ‘standard ’ diagnostic tool for doctors … CRP, ESR and ear wax. 😉