Before you go jamming a cotton swab deep inside your ear to clean it, consider the risks. Pushing a cotton swab far inside your ear can push ear wax deep inside the ear, causing a blockage. An ear wax blockage may cause symptoms of hearing loss, a feeling of fullness inside the ear, itchiness and discomfort. If it's OK with your doctor, you can use home remedies and over-the-counter products to remove your earwax blockage. Otherwise, he may opt to treat your blockage in the doctor's office.
Step 1
Swab the outside and back of the ears with a cotton swab if desired. Carefully swab the opening of the ear canal, but do not push the cotton swab inside your ear, according to Health Services at Columbia on its official website.
Step 2
Allow the wax to emerge from the inside of the ear canal on its own. The ear canal will push excess wax to the outside of the ear naturally. After the wax reaches the outside of the ear canal, wipe it away with a warm washcloth or a cotton swab.
Step 3
Soften any hardened, blocked earwax by placing a few drops of glycerin in the ear, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine in the article "Wax Blockage" on MedlinePlus.com. Repeat once a day for several days until the wax emerges from the ear canal.
Step 4
Irrigate the ear with an over-the-counter irrigation device if the blockage does not emerge after using glycerin. Fill the bulb syringe with water, then carefully squirt the water into the blocked ear. Remove the water from the ear by leaning your head over the bathroom sink or an empty bowl.
Step 5
Consult a doctor if you are unable to remove the earwax blockage at home. Your doctor may use a tool, such as a high-pressure syringe filled with water, to remove the wax.
Tips and Warnings
- If you do not have glycerin at home, use a few drops of baby oil to soften the ear wax.
- Do not attempt to irrigate the ear with a water device designed to clean teeth. Do not put anything sharp inside the ear to remove an earwax blockage.
Things You'll Need
- Cotton swab
- Washcloth
- Glycerin
- Over-the-counter irrigation device
