Ear wax lubricates and lines the ear canals, blocking harmful germs and objects such as dust or bacteria from entering your inner ear. Unless you're trying to remove it from the ears of a wriggling child, cleaning this wax should be a simple, painless process. Acquaint yourself with some basic tips on removing ear wax to help protect your hearing and avoid common pitfalls on the road to clean ears.
Avoid Cotton Swabs
If you're considering purchasing cotton swabs just to clean your ears, think again. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, cleaning your ears with cotton swabs often causes wax blockage. The same holds true for other sharp or pointed objects, such as hair pins and pen caps. Not only could these items push chunks of wax farther back into your ear canal, but they could also potentially damage parts of your ear, depending upon how hard you push them. The National Institutes of Health underscores the need for safety by stating that you should not insert anything into your ear that is smaller in circumference than the tip of your little finger.
Wait for the Wax
Accept the fact that ear wax moves at a snail's pace, and then wait for it to move to the outside edge of your ear openings. The AAO-HNS explains that over time wax migrates out of your ear with gentle encouragement from your moving jaw as you talk and chew. Once it gets to the outside edge of your ear, the wax generally dries up, ready at last for you to remove it. Wipe it away with a warm, moist washcloth or a tissue, which may be easier right after a bath or shower, when the warmth and moisture from the water has helped soften and loosen the wax.
Watch for Warning Signs
Some people just have ears that produce a lot of wax; others may have made the mistake of trying to clean out wax with a cotton swab. Regardless of the reason, you could develop chunks of hardened wax that stick in your ear canal, a condition called wax blockage or cerumen impaction. According to the National Institutes of Health, it's one of the most common reasons why people develop hearing loss. Additional signs that could indicate compacted cerumen include itchy ears, ear discharge, ringing in your ears and a feeling that your ear is plugged.
Clean with Care
Generally you should be able to remove compacted earwax yourself, but talk to your doctor first if you have unusual ear pain or discharge or if the compacted wax is present in a child's ear. The NIH states that acceptable wax softening agents--also called cerumenolytics--include mineral oil, baby oil, hydrogen peroxide and commercial ear drops. Try placing several drops of your chosen solution in the affected ear once or twice daily for no more than four days, followed by a gentle irrigation with body-temperature water, if necessary. If the compacted cerumen shows no signs of improvement, arrange an appointment with your primary care doctor, who may need to remove the wax manually.
