Earwax removal may be necessary if the ear canal is blocked by wax. Under normal conditions, cerumen, or earwax, makes its way out of the ear without any help from you. When earwax is not naturally expelled and builds up in the ear, it can be removed at home or in a doctor's office if the blockage doesn't respond to home treatment.
Identification
Earwax is produced by tiny glands found in the ear canals. The presence of ear wax prevents bacteria, dust, foreign particles and microorganisms from entering the ear, and also protects the skin in the ear canal from irritation when exposed to water, according to the National Institutes of Health. After earwax reaches the opening to the ear canal, it forms dry flakes that are easily washed away.
Blockage Symptoms
If you produce too much earwax, your ears may not be able to expel enough wax and a blockage may form in the ears. Signs of a blockage may include an earache, difficulty hearing, itching, odor, coughing, discharge, or a feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear. You may also notice a ringing in the ears or may hear other unusual noises if you have an earwax blockage.
Home Removal
The American Academy of Otolaryngology recommends placing a few drops of baby oil, glycerin, mineral oil, commercial wax removal drops, carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide into the ears to soften the wax. When the wax softens, it will naturally be expelled from the ear. You may need to use drops for several days before the wax softens. Irrigation may also be helpful in removing impacted ear wax, and can be used in conjunction with wax-softening drops. Commercial earwax irrigation kits are available in drugstores. Irrigation is accomplished by using a syringe to place water and saline into the ear to help break up the blockage. Water must be warmed to prevent dizziness during irrigation treatment.
Medical Treatment
If your blockage does not respond to home treatment, a visit to your doctor may be needed. Doctors also use irrigation to remove wax, although the American Academy of Otolaryngology warns against using these procedures if you have a perforated eardrum, tube in the eardrum, diabetes or a weakened immune system. If irrigation is unsuccessful or not recommended, doctors remove earwax manually by using miniature instruments and suction to break up and remove the impacted earwax.
Warning
Although many people use cotton swabs to remove earwax, cleaning ears with this method is no longer recommended. The use of cotton swabs, hairpins, paper clips or other objects to clean the ears may push the wax farther into the ear and cause serious damage to the lining of the ear canal or the eardrum, according to the Mayo Clinic.
