The glands of the ear canal naturally secrete earwax. Some people form more wax than others do, and the excess wax buildup can cause pain and can affect your hearing. The problem wax needs to be removed using irrigation, suction or with special instruments by an expert. If wax needs to be removed, you should be aware of the do's and don'ts for a safe wax removal.
Softening Agents
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS), most cases of earwax respond to home treatments. When the wax builds up and becomes hard, it needs to be softened. Instilling drops of olive oil, glycerin or baby oil three to four times daily for three to five days will loosen the outer layer and encourage the wax to come out.
Irrigation
Once the wax is softened, it can be removed either by your doctor or at home. Irrigation is where a rubber bulb syringe is inserted into your ear while your head is tilted up and your outer ear is pulled up, according to the Mayo Clinic. The syringe is filled with water or saline, warmed to body temperature, according to AAOHNS. If cold water is used, you will feel dizzy. The water or saline is squirted into the ear to flush out the wax.
If you have a hole in the eardrum, ear discharge, a tube in your drum or a history of ear surgery then irrigation is not recommended, according to the British Medical Journal. Irrigating a ruptured eardrum will lead to ear infection, according to National Institutes of Health. Irrigating with a jet irrigator used for cleaning teeth is unsafe due to the rapid force, which can damage the drum.
Expert Insight
If home treatments do not help and if there is excess wax, consult your doctor. If you have a hole in your eardrum, it is not safe to irrigate or put eardrops as this could lead to an infection. Manual removal with curette or suction is preferred in patients with narrow ear canals, immune deficiency or a hole in the eardrum, according to the guidelines issued by the AAOHNS.
Your doctor will use a special curved instrument called a curette or a special microscope to remove the wax. He may use a suction to suck out the wax under strong light.
Warning
You should not try to remove the wax with a hair pain, cotton tipped applicator or clips. This will just push the wax deeper inside, causing more earblock. In addition, this may cause injury to the ear canal and can sometimes damage the eardrum, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Ear Candling
According to DoctorHoffman.com, candling, where a lighted candle is placed in the ear canal in the belief that the wax will come out, is an ineffective and unsafe procedure. This can lead to burns and a rupture of your eardrum.
