EAR WAX REMOVAL

Symptoms of Ear Wax Build-Up

Do you feel that you need ear wax removal (clinically referred to as cerumen removal) because one or both ears feel stuffed, clogged, stopped up, plugged or that sound is muffled? Do one or both ears ring (tinnitus) or do they itch? The following provides information about evaluation of ear canals, cerumen removal and how a hearing healthcare provider can determine if you have ear wax in ear by first examining your ear.

What is Ear Wax

The wax in your ear (cerumen) is a natural substance produced by the secretion of oils by glands in the ear canal (sebaceous glands) to lubricate the ear, trapped dust or other substances that enter the ear and dead skin cells lining the ear canal. Mother-nature recycles wax naturally approximately every 4-6 months. Old cerumen flakes out of the ear canal in tiny amounts at a time on its own through jaw movement, bathing and desiccation (drying out). Because of this, most people never need cerumen removal their entire lives.

Wax is also important to the good bacteria in the ear canal so some wax is good for your ears. The best policy is to leave your ears alone and leave it up a healthcare provider to look into the ears to determine if wax is excessive or not. They can tell you instantly if there is too much or just the right amount.

No Ear Wax

Mild Ear Wax

mild ear wax in the ear canal

Significant Ear Wax

image of significant ear wax in the ear canal

Causes of Ear Wax Buildup

There are 4 main reasons why some individuals experience wax buildup:

Narrow ear canals: Mother-nature produces a surprisingly wide range of ear canal sizes and shapes, not often related to the size of an individual. And it is not uncommon that one -ear is slightly bigger or smaller than the other ear, resulting in ear wax in ear but not the other ear.
Ear wax consistency: some individuals produce sticky ear wax that is resiny like honey which won’t dry on its own and flake out of the ear canal naturally.
Cotton swab usage: while cotton swabs can remove the wax closest to the entrance of the canal), they push an equal amount of ear wax deeper into the ear. Repeated cotton swab usage creates a viscous cycle in which more wax builds up in the ear canal like a snowball. Eventually the wax snowball become larger and larger and tightly packed deep inside the ear canal. Removal of the wax from ear then requires a hearing healthcare professional to remove the wax. As with cotton swabs, some hearing aid users also struggle with wax buildup because the devices push wax deeper and deeper into the canal.
Working in dusty or dirty environments: various trades in the construction industry can create a lot of dust. Those that work on a farm or around horses also are exposed to a lot of dust. Over time, that dust can slowly accumulate with the dead skin and oils in the ear canal.

Treatments

Prior to performing any treatment for cerumen removal it is a MUST for a hearing healthcare professional to look in your ears to determine that wax in ear is truly what causing your symptoms of plugged ear feeling or reduced hearing. At Peninsula Hearing Services, a special video camera for the ears called a video otoscope is used to view ear canals on a large big screen monitor so both the audiologist and patient can perform a visual examination of ears together to determine if it is necessary to remove ear wax from ear.

The following are the best ear wax removal treatments.

Manual removal by the hearing healthcare provider: using delicate medical instruments designed specifically for wax removal, this is the quickest and most efficient way to remove impacted ear wax.
Otoset: for stubborn wax that cannot be removed by the provider with ear instruments, a procedure using warm water with a mild suction painlessly removes the cerumen in approximately 30 seconds.

Self Care

Over the counter (OTC) wax removal treatments.

There is no shortage of ear wax removal products in your local drug store. These use a combination of wax softeners and a water delivery system in the ear canal using a water bulb syringe that looks like a small turkey baster. Such treatments are not well studied and rely on proper insertion into the ear canal of the softeners and syringe. They also require that the right amount of softener and water are discharged into the canal and properly removed. A lot of steps and technique for the layperson. Finally use of such systems for ear concerns when no wax exists could damage your ear and/or hearing.

OTC removal treatments also don’t allow for a pre and post treatment visual examination of the ear canal to determine if wax removal is needed due to an ear infection or hearing loss posing as wax blockage and if the wax was successfully removed by the treatment.

Some use medicated ear drops that can irritate the delicate skin of the ear canal and eardrum .

Alternative Treatments

Ear candling, which involves use of a cone shaped candle placed into the ear canal to draw wax out of the ear canal has been found to not work. This procedure may be harmful because it can burn your ear drum or ear canal.
Essential oils have also not been proven to work and some people may experience an adverse effect or irritation on their ear canal or ear drum to the oils.

Schedule Your Ear Wax Removal Appointment Today

You don’t have to put yourself at risk by trying to perform ear wax removal at home. If you suspect wax buildup or have any questions about ear wax removal, we’re ready to help.