If you've experienced hearing difficulties lately or have noticed that your ears are itchy and uncomfortable, you might be wondering what you can do at home to rectify the problem. Oils have long been used as a softening agent for cleaning excessive ear wax out of the ear canal, but not all oils are safe for this use. Regardless of how you choose to clean your ears, it's important to visit a doctor regarding any changes in hearing or feeling in your ears to discover and treat the source of the problem.
Baby or Mineral Oil
Mineral oil is a petroleum-based oil and is used as a skin moisturizer, and when in food grade form, as a laxative. It is in a class by itself because it is neither synthetic nor organic but is instead a by-product from the distillation of crude oil. Baby oil is simply mineral oil with added fragrance. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests mineral oil as an agent to soften and remove excessive ear wax. It may also be used on a tissue or cotton swab to clean excess dirt from the outer ear while gently moisturizing the skin.
Olive Oil
Olive oil may also be used for cleaning the interior and exterior of your ear, according to the ENT Nursing website. It can also be used to clear an insect from your ear canal, according to Medline Plus, an informational website published by the National Institutes of Health. After tilting the head so that the affected ear is facing up, gently pour olive oil into the ear canal until the insect crawls or flies out or floats to the top of the oil.
Nut Oil
Coconut or almond oil can be used in place of mineral or olive oil as a softening agent for cleaning out ear wax. However, do not use nut oils if you have a nut allergy or if you are unsure of your sensitivity to nuts and nut oils.
Recommendations
Although mineral, olive, and nut oils may be used for ear wax removal and gentle cleaning of the inner and outer ear, it is strongly recommended that you visit your general practitioner or an ear, nose & throat specialist if you suspect you have an ear wax blockage or other issues with your inner ear. It isn't even necessary to clean your inner ear since it is designed to clean itself and attempts to clean a healthy ear canal may lead to infection or harm your ear drum, notes Aetna's InteliHealth advisory website.
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