Various types of ear drops can soften earwax and may provide relief from the symptoms caused by compacted wax. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, compacted earwax or cerumen occurs most frequently in geriatric or special needs individuals, but this potentially bothersome condition also affects approximately 5 percent of healthy adults and 10 percent of children. Remember to talk with your health-care provider before using ear drops to soften earwax, particularly if you suffer from certain health conditions such as a punctured eardrum or diabetes.
The Facts
Earwax lines the outer portion of your ear canals, serving the dual purpose of lubricating the delicate ear skin and protecting the inner ear from foreign particles such as dust and bacteria. In certain cases, this earwax collects and builds up in the ear canal, hardening and causing various ear symptoms, including ear pain or noises, hearing loss and a feeling of fullness in the ear canal, according to Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. This situation often occurs when external objects, such as hearing aids and cotton swabs, block the ear canal or shove chunks of wax farther back into the ear.
Types
The two main types of ear drops used to soften earwax include water-based solutions and oil-based remedies. Water-based ear drops--which include plain water, saline solution, hydrogen peroxide and sodium bicarbonate--serve to dissolve the wax; once broken down into smaller particles, the wax typically drips to the outside of the ear canal. Oil-based ear drops--including almond oil, olive oil and mineral oil--soften and lubricate earwax, which helps to dislodge the sticky chunks of cerumen and allows them to slip more easily from the ear canal.
Efficacy
Instilling ear drops directly into the ear canal of the affected ear often provides the only treatment necessary for getting rid of compacted earwax, especially for mild cases of impacted wax. However, you may need to use additional removal methods, such as irrigation or manual wax removal by a physician, for more severe cases of hardened wax. The AAFP notes that evidence indicates the use of cerumenolytics--wax-softening drops--may increase the effectiveness of irrigation by as much as 97 percent.
Considerations
Check with your doctor before placing any type of ear drops in your ear to soften wax, especially if you have a personal history of ear problems or may have a punctured eardrum. Certain ruptured eardrum symptoms, such as ear pain, ear noise and hearing loss, are similar to the symptoms of compacted wax, so it's important that you check with your doctor before providing treatment if you experience any of these symptoms. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery notes that you should have your doctor manually remove earwax if you have ear tubes or suffer from diabetes or a compromised immune system.
Usage
If you opt for a water-based cerumenolytic, use enough of the liquid to fill the ear canal, as recommended by the AAFP. Three to four drops of oil-based cerumenolytics generally provide enough liquid to adequately lubricate the compacted wax. Use the selected ear drops for up to three or four days, seeking help from your primary care doctor if the wax doesn't soften and dislodge from the ear during that time.
