Your Cart is Empty
Ever wondered how to remove ear wax when your ear feels stuffy and uncomfortable? That clogged sensation is more than just annoying—it can be a precursor to hearing loss. While many people reach for cotton swabs at the first sign of discomfort, this common approach might be doing more harm than good.
Earwax, scientifically known as cerumen, serves an important purpose in our bodies. In fact, this substance has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties that help protect our ears. However, about 5% of adults suffer from excessive or impacted earwax, which can cause symptoms like pain, muffled hearing, dizziness, and even tinnitus. Earwax removal is the most common ear procedure performed by primary care physicians, highlighting how frequently people seek professional earwax removal.
Despite the common urge to clean earwax, this natural substance serves crucial protective functions. Earwax, medically termed cerumen, is not a sign of poor hygiene but rather an essential component of ear health. This waxy secretion acts as your ear's personal bodyguard, forming a natural barrier against potential threats.
Earwax primarily consists of shed skin cells, along with fats and other substances secreted by the ceruminous glands. This oily mixture creates a protective acidic layer that effectively kills bacteria and fungi, preventing infections. Furthermore, it traps dust, dirt, and other foreign particles before they can reach deeper into the ear canal and potentially damage the eardrum.
The ears possess a remarkable self-cleaning mechanism. The natural movements of your jaw while speaking and eating gradually push old earwax toward the ear opening. Eventually, this wax dries up, flakes off, and falls out on its own. Consequently, most people never need to take extra steps to clean their ears - they naturally maintain themselves.
Attempting to remove earwax can disrupt this delicate balance. Cotton swabs and other objects inserted into the ear often push wax deeper into the canal, compacting the ear wax and causing blockages rather than removing them. Additionally, removing earwax eliminates its moisturizing properties, which can lead to dry, itchy, and cracked ear canals.
Notably, people with too little earwax are more likely to experience problems such as itchiness and flaking skin in the ear canal. The absence of earwax removes the natural lubrication and protection, leaving ears vulnerable to infection.
Unless earwax is causing specific problems like hearing difficulties or discomfort, it's generally best to let your ears' natural cleaning process work undisturbed.
When earwax buildup causes discomfort or hearing difficulties, you should ask yourself if it’s wise to try removing it at home? Can it be done without risking hearing damage?
While there are some home remedies for earwax removal that involve softening the hardened wax or trying to irrigate the ear canal, there are even over-the-counter products from the drug store, but the best approach is to see your doctor. There are very serious consequences if ear wax removal goes wrong so, leaving it to the experts is a better approach. Especially important is that you never attempt ear irrigation if you have:
Medical attention becomes necessary when experiencing symptoms such as persistent ear pain, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness, coughing, or hearing loss. Particularly concerning symptoms that warrant immediate medical care include fever, drainage from the ear, foul odor, or earaches that don't subside. These could indicate infections or other serious conditions beyond simple earwax buildup.
Healthcare providers diagnose earwax blockage by examining the ear canal with an otoscope, a specialized tool that lights and magnifies the inner ear. This allows them to clearly visualize the extent of the blockage and determine appropriate treatment.
Professional earwax removal typically involves one of several techniques. Doctors may use irrigation to flush out the wax, employ suction devices to vacuum it out, or utilize specialized instruments like a cerumen spoon, forceps, or curette for manual extraction. These procedures are generally quick, taking only a few minutes to complete, and are performed with precision to ensure no damage is done to the ear drum.
Hearing aid users face particular challenges with earwax, as the devices can block normal wax migration and stimulate increased production. Subsequently, earwax is responsible for 60-70% of hearing aid repairs, making regular professional cleaning especially important for these individuals.
Remember that cotton swabs and other insertion methods often push wax deeper into the ear canal, potentially causing more harm than good. Similarly, ear candles are neither effective nor safe, potentially causing burns and other injuries.
