Ear wax build-up isn't necessarily a medical crisis, and Mayo Clinic experts say it can be removed at home. However, when it comes to your methodology and the tools you use, be very careful; your eardrum isn't impervious to perforation. The use of sharp objects of any kind, as well as "ear candles," are both extremely bad ideas.
Why Remove Earwax?
A normal amount of ear wax is necessary to protect your inner ear from microorganisms such as bacteria as well as other things that don't belong there, according to the National Institutes of Health. Ear wax usually migrates to the ear's opening, where it either falls out or is removed with a wash cloth. However, some ears create a surplus of ear wax, which can harden, block the ear and cause hearing loss.
What You Need
The first thing to remove from your arsenal when you clean out ear wax is a cotton swab. When people have wax impaction against the eardrum, it is usually caused by poking and prodding with swabs, hair pins or twisted tissues, states the American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO). These only push the impaction in deeper. According to information provided by the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, the only thing you may need to remove ear wax is a softening agent, such as baby oil or mineral oil, or a peroxide-based drop, but only if the eardrum isn't perforated. Liquids that pass through a hole in your eardrum may cause infection.
Syringing
The only other thing you may need to remove ear wax is a bulb-tipped syringe, which can be purchased at a drugstore or as part of a wax removal kit. The syringe is filled with warm water (or saline) to prevent you from getting dizzy while you irrigate your ears. The Mayo Clinic states that this process is often most effective after you've used softening drops for a couple of days. The AAO stresses that you should not use a syringe if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, if tubes have been inserted in your ears, or if you have a weak immune system.
Dangerous Equipment
Topping the list of things to avoid when removing ear wax are ear candles, cone-shaped devices that are inserted into the ear and lit on the opposite end. Theoretically, the heat "draws" out ear wax. However, the Mayo Clinic and AAO strongly urge you to avoid ear candling. According to the clinic, there's no evidence that it works. Moreover, you could burn yourself or rupture your eardrum.
Other Cautions
If you can't remove ear wax by yourself, you can have your ears cleaned by a medical professional. Your doctor may use a curette to extract the impaction manually, or may use a suctioning device. The AAO states that removal by a doctor is advisable if have a narrow ear canal, your eardrum is perforated, you wear ear tubes, or if you have diabetes or a suppressed immune system.
