Earwax
blockage
Overview
Earwax blockage occurs when earwax (cerumen)
builds up in your ear or becomes too hard to wash away naturally.
Earwax is a helpful and natural part of your
body's defenses. It cleans, coats and protects your ear canal by trapping dirt
and slowing the growth of bacteria.
If earwax blockage becomes a problem, your
health care provider can take simple steps to remove the wax safely.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of earwax blockage may
include:
·
Earache
·
Feeling of fullness in
the ear
·
Ringing or noises in
the ear (tinnitus)
·
Hearing loss
·
Dizziness
·
Cough
·
Itchiness in the ear
·
Odor or discharge in
the ear
·
Pain or infection in
the ear
When to see a doctor
Earwax blockage that has no symptoms can
sometimes clear on its own. However, if you have signs and symptoms of earwax
blockage, talk to your health care provider.
Signs and symptoms may signal another
condition. There's no way
to know if you have too much earwax without having someone, usually your health
care provider, look in your ears. Having signs and symptoms, such as earache or
hearing loss, doesn't always mean you have wax buildup. You may have another
health condition that needs attention.
Wax removal is most safely done by a health
care provider. Your ear canal
and eardrum are delicate and can be damaged easily. Don't try to remove earwax
yourself by putting anything in your ear canal, such as a cotton swab,
especially if you have had ear surgery, have a hole (perforation) in your
eardrum, or are having ear pain or drainage.
Children usually have their ears checked as
part of any medical exam. If needed, a health care provider can remove excess
earwax from your child's ear during an office visit.
Causes
The wax in your ears is made by glands in the
skin of your outer ear canal. The wax and tiny hairs in these passages trap
dust and other materials that could damage deeper parts of your ear, such as
your eardrum.
In most people, a small amount of earwax
regularly makes its way to the ear opening. At the opening, it's washed away or
falls out as new wax replaces it. If your ears make too much wax or if earwax
isn't cleared well enough, it may build up and block your ear canal.
Earwax blockages often happen when people try
to get earwax out on their own by using cotton swabs or other items in their
ears. This usually just pushes wax deeper into the ear, rather than removing
it.
Diagnosis
Your health care provider can see if you have
earwax blockage by looking in your ear. Your provider uses a special tool that
lights and magnifies your inner ear (otoscope) to look in your ear.
Treatment
Your health care provider can remove excess
wax by using a small, curved tool called a curet or by using suction
techniques. Your provider can also flush out the wax using a syringe filled
with warm water and saline or diluted hydrogen peroxide. Medicated ear drops
may also be recommended to help soften the wax, such as carbamide peroxide
(Debrox Earwax Removal Kit, Murine Ear Wax Removal System). Because these drops
can irritate the delicate skin of the eardrum and ear canal, use them only as
directed.
If earwax buildup continues, you may need to
visit your health care provider once or twice a year for regular cleaning. Your
health care provider may also recommend that you use earwax-softening agents
such as saline, mineral oil or olive oil. This helps loosen the wax so that it
can leave the ear more easily.
Lifestyle and home
remedies
You can get many ear cleaning home remedies
over the counter. But most of these treatments — such as irrigation or ear
vacuum kits — aren't well studied. This means they may not work and may be
dangerous.
The safest way to clean your ears if you have
excess wax is to see your health care provider. If you're prone to earwax
blockage, your health care provider can show you safe ways to reduce wax
buildup at home, such as using ear drops or other earwax-softening agents.
People shouldn't use ear drops if they have an ear infection unless it's
recommended by a health care provider.
Don't try to dig it
out
Never attempt to dig out excessive or hardened
earwax with available items, such as a paper clip, a cotton swab or a hairpin.
You may push the wax farther into your ear and cause serious damage to the
lining of your ear canal or eardrum.
Alternative medicine
Some people try to remove earwax themselves
using a technique called ear candling (ear coning). Ear candling involves
lighting one end of a hollow, cone-shaped candle and placing the other unlit
end into the ear. The idea is that the heat from the flame will create a vacuum
seal that draws wax up and out of the ear.
However, ear candling isn't a recommended
treatment for earwax blockage. Research has found that ear candling doesn't
work. It may also burn or damage the ear.
Essential oils — such as tea tree oil or
garlic oil — are also not a proven treatment for earwax blockage. There is no
data that shows they are safe for earwax removal, or that they work.
Talk to your health care provider before
trying any alternative remedies for removing earwax.
Preparing for your
appointment
You're likely to start by seeing your health
care provider. In some rare cases, however, you may be referred to a provider
with special training in ear disorders (ear, nose and throat specialist).
As you prepare for your appointment, it's a
good idea to write a list of questions. Your health care provider may have
questions for you as well, such as:
·
How long have you been
having symptoms, such as earache or hearing loss?
·
Have you had any
drainage from your ears?
·
Have you had earache,
trouble hearing or drainage in the past?
·
Do your symptoms
happen all the time or only sometimes?
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