Earwax, or cerumen, helps protect your ear canal by preventing excessive bacteria growth and trapping dirt and debris before they can reach the inner parts of your ear, explains the Mayo Clinic. Excessive earwax can create a blockage and lead to pain, hearing problems and a feeling of fullness in the ear. While some earwax blockages require medical treatment, you can often clean excessive wax at home.
Step 1
Squeeze a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide into your ear canal twice a day for four to five days. This will help loosen excess wax, though you should not continue to use these products for more than five days unless directed to do so by your doctor, explains the Mayo Clinic.
Step 2
Tilt your head to the side, and gently pull on your outer ear to open your ear canal. Use a rubber bulb syringe to gently squirt warm water into your ear after the wax has softened. Tilt your head to the opposite side to let any excess water drain out.
Step 3
Pat the outside of your ear dry with a clean towel, and allow the excess wax to fall out naturally.
Step 4
Repeat as necessary. It may take several attempts before the excess wax falls out. However, if you still have blockage after a few treatments, consult with your physician about the appropriate course of action.
Tips and Warnings
- Your doctor can remove excessive earwax with special tools or suction machines and prescribe medication to control wax buildup if you have a recurring problem, according to the Mayo Clinic.
- A doctor should remove earwax from children. Because children’s ears aren’t fully developed, you should not try to remove excess wax at home. Washing the outside of your child’s ear only is fine, explains KidsHealth from Nemours. Although it is common for people to use cotton swabs to remove earwax, this is a potentially dangerous practice, warns the Mayo Clinic. Inserting objects into your ear can push the wax in further and may damage your ear canal or eardrum. Most doctors do not advocate ear candling, an alternative procedure where the bottom of a lit candle is inserted into the ear to draw out earwax, because there is no medical evidence to support its safety or efficacy. Do not attempt to use an ear candle at home or seek out practitioners offering this service unless advised to do by your health care professional.
Things You'll Need
- Eyedropper
- Baby/mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide
- Rubber bulb syringe
- Towel
