Yes! Earwax is slightly acidic (~6.1 pH) while acetic acid is more acidic (5% vinegar is ~2.5 pH) so the earwax acts as a base in this reaction.
ETA: there may be other things it is reacting with as well, like leftover soap, but this is how acid base reactions work. A chemical does not need to be above pH of 7 to act as a base. The more acidic compound will give its extra hydrogen to the less acidic compound.
Something being less acidic does not mean that it acts like a base
Bubbling occurs as a result of the production of a gas not as a result of an acid/base reaction in of itself. Baking soda and vinegar react to form CO2 (a gas) water and Sodium Acetate. The CO2 that is produced in that reaction is what causes bubbles NOT the acid/base reaction. eg. if you reacted Sodium Hydroxide and vinegar you will not observe bubbling because there is no gas being produced.
Ear wax should not contain anything that should bubble as a result of the introduction of an acid.
Either what OP is observing isnt actually bubbling or there is something in their ear that shouldnt be.
In an acid base reaction, yes it does. An acid donates a proton, a base accepts a proton. The less acidic compound will accept the proton, making it the base. Acting as a base does not make it alkaline.
Correct, the acid base reaction itself does not cause bubbling. However, baking soda and vinegar are not the only compounds that react to form CO2 (or another gas) in an acid base reaction.
Looking at the components of ear wax reveal it’s composed of a wide variety of different compounds. It’s been a while since I took o chem, so I’m not up to the task of determining which of these components are or are not capable of producing CO2 (or any other gas) in an acid base reaction with acetic acid. Do you have a source detailing these possible chemical reactions?
ETA: The people in this thread are so eager to shut down misinformation that they are actively spreading misinformation that would be rapidly disproven in any gen chem college course. I’ve learned my lesson on trying to share cool chemistry facts with internet strangers.
More acidic means lower pH/higher concentration. What you’re thinking regarding acid base reaction is stronger acid which is related to chemical composition of the acid and not related at all with concentration.
Having a stronger acid is a necessary condition for the reaction to occur but not sufficient.
pH is a measure of the [H+] aqueous concentration. pH = -log10[H+]. Vinegar has a pH of 2 to 3. concentrated HCl can have a negative pH. That DOES NOT mean that the acetic acid in vinegar is a base that reacts with HCl. And what you are claiming would imply that a more dilute solution of vinegar would react with a stronger solution of vinegar which you should understand is absurd. (While acetic acid can be protonated, it requires a strong acid to result in anything other than a very minor/inconsequential equilibrium i.e the hammett acidity function of protonated acetic acid is -6.1) Bases are substances that accept protons. That is not the same thing as having a higher relative pH than something else. i.e acetic acid vs HCl or concentrated Acetic acid vs dilute Acetic acid.
The purpose of my comment has not to list every single example of gas producing reactions. Carbonates, bicarbonates, sulfides and sulfites are the major bases that result in a gas being produced on reaction with a suitable acid. The gen chem courses that Ive taught have a lab that was designed to teach students among other things, that carbonates and bicarbonates react with acids to produce a gas. (CO2) Sulfides and sulfites are not as suitable for that lab due to the production of H2S and SO2 respectively.
The paper you linked to (which you should actually read) discusses the contents of ear wax as being primarily fatty wax like compounds not the carbonates, bicarbonates, sulfides and sulfites that react with acids to form gases.
I am a chemist (and biochemist). You are not sharing “cool chemistry facts” you are sharing misinformation due to your lack of knowledge of the subject you are talking about. You would do well to revist a lot of the topics discussed in gen chem. Chemistry libretext articles on bronsted-lowry and arrhenius bases would be my recommendation.
About peroxide: This substance is used only when removing earwax; for this cleaning, rinsing is recommended, in which liquid is poured into the ear (it can also be injected with a clean syringe and slowly dripped into the ear canal). During this procedure, the patient should lie with his head turned on the side of the healthy ear.
The solution reacts until the peroxide begins to bubble. The remaining content flows out and is wiped off. In otitis media, peroxide should not be used without the knowledge of a doctor — if the inflammation is in the outer ear, it can be transmitted deep into it, leading to a more serious infection or even a life-threatening condition such as a brain abscess. Drip 3% hydrogen peroxide into the affected ear. It will painlessly dissolve impurities in the ear canal. When the liquid stops bubbling, the ear canal is wiped with a cotton swab, the patient is placed on the side of the washed ear, and the rest of the contents flows onto the cotton swab.
Don’t do this. If you have earwax build up go see an ENT. You’re just risking your ear health and the possibility of giving your self permanent tinnitus or something worse.
For sure, I don’t think the Dr. would risk their degree bullshitting, was just curious if the fizzing was normal and didn’t want to pay $15 to ask them!
Why didn’t you stick with 3% peroxide to clean it, out of curiosity? Just none available, or am I the only crazy person who does this from time to time?
I would imagine peroxide is good just for that—from time to time. If you’re treating an ongoing infection, it may be more wise to use something a bit gentler. The acidic vinegar will still do some work, but without the risk of shedding your flesh off if you were to use peroxide many days in a row.
people really trust a rando lemmy comment over the research that is directly in their face, and are ignoring the fact that this was recommended by your doctor lol
Which is why you should stick to what doctors actually know and study instead of jamming some shit in your ears because someone on the net said it would be a neat idea.
Years ago I used to get frequent ear infections and my doctor recommended a 50 percent solution of alcohol and white vinegar. She also mentioned I could buy this same solution at the pharmacy premixed as a treatment for swimmers ear, at a much higher cost. I have been mixing my own and using it ever since at the first suggestion of an earache and haven’t had a true ear infection since.
The whole point of going to a doctor is that they are educated to help us with these types of problems. You want one that just flings a random expensive prescription at you? Fine, look for a doctor that does that. I’ll keep my doctor who understands that not all of us want to throw away money though.
People assume this is the first thing I’ve tried but this is over three appointments across multiple months in combo with several other medications (including antibiotic drops which didn’t seem to do anything). Besides sudafed for managing symptoms, it’s the first thing that has made a noticeable difference (in only three days!). I would have been better off with the homeopath they think I went to!
I’m looking at the full text, can’t find the word buffer anywhere on the page, all I can find is they used 2% acetic acid rather than 5%. Did you mean diluted?
I’m conflicted. On one hand, that’s no homeopathy in any shape or form. On the other hand, in no shape or form does homeopathy work. So I guess the bullshits cancel each other out?
they got an MD at Loyola in chicago and work at/for Kaiser as a regular family Dr.— I specifically picked someone younger cause I figured they would be more up on the science straight out of med school but idk people seem very worked up
It sounds really weird, to be sure. There’s a difference in a food grade compound and pharmaceutical grade of the same compound. Though I guess since it will not interact with a mucosa or internal anatomy it’s OK? Idk, I’m not a health professional. But it smelled more of folk remedy than medicine.
They start like panacea until their actual beneficial uses are confirmed / denied by rigorous study. While they’re in their unconfirmed, protocol-less phase, I’d rather not use.
Willow bark was generally used for headaches and body aches, similarly to how it is today. The same could be said for tons of other medications. It’s perfectly fine to choose not to use them, but a home remedy is not inherently unscientific or dangerous.
I didn’t say they were dangerous. Unscientific? Until there’s science applied to it, they are, sort of by definition.
I take a phytotherapic daily to deal with a chronic illness. It’s scientifically vetted, there’s a protocol with established dosage and its potency is controlled by the lab that processes it.
I’m Brazilian, there is a ton of government sponsored research in folk remedies there, and I think it’s great. What’s not great is how many people (there, at least) are quick to advertise some herbal tea as having miraculous properties without any base to it.
Here’s an example. There’s no evidence for any of these claims. Growing up, all I’ve heard people attribute to it was “digestive” properties, which is another way of saying mildly laxative.
This pattern is repeated ad nauseum to countless other herbs, even the ones that have been studied. A multimillion dollar industry sprung profiteering from anti-scientific sentiment, preying on the vulnerable. Government intervened, requiring supporting science for manufacturer claims on labels and potency control. But websites such as what I linked are still funded somehow and there’s no control on the sale. Quack gurus abound, essentially practicing illegal medicine, making diagnoses on victims reported symptoms and prescribing teas and supplements.
So yeah, I don’t mind people brewing some tea once or twice to deal with some mild discomfort like stomach pain. It’s when vultures circle the seriously ill suggesting their cure evades them because they’re not doing enough and they need their panacea to get better that I start paying attention.
Right, I agree with you about that, but believe you’re using too broad a brush here, I don’t know if that was clear.
There’s a huge difference between ineffective herbal mixtures that are being predatorily advertised to people with chronic illnesses and this, imo. This is more akin to your dentist telling you to rinse with homemade saline solution if you can’t afford mouthwash- it’s a scientifically well established disinfectant, just made at home.
I think it’s wonderful that Brazil’s researching folk cures, too often they’re unresearched by the academic community, even though they’ve been in some cases (not all) used effectively for centuries. I appreciate you wanting to wait until there’s been rigorous academic testing, and I do think that’s the right thing to do, if it’s something that you can do. If you’re in a situation where you don’t have that option, it’s not as easy, in my opinion. Especially because there’s a huge backlog of traditional remedies to test, and not all governments are so open to testing them at all.
That’s neat, I remember reading about that lady who won the Nobel for a Malaria drug made out of wormwood they discovered after combing ancient healer books awhile back.
If this was a Dr. recommendation and they specifically said it was to balance out the PH, then yes, the fizzling makes sense.
When an acid (vinegar) reacts with a base (I assume somehow related to the infection you mentioned) the chemical reactions tend to produce gasses. Baking soda + vinegar is a classic example. You have the equivalent of baking soda in your ear.
You’re generalizing a specific phenomenon, and incorrect. Acid-base reactions only very rarely produce gases. The reactions produce heat and water, only in the case of bicarbonate being a base is a gas produced. This is because carbonic acid forms, which spontaneously decays into carbon dioxide. This is not a universal acid-base phenomenon. Soaps should not cause fizzing with vinegar.
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