Earwax Basics
Earwax. Great table topic,
right? Maybe not, but earwax is a natural, normal part of your body. It helps
clean and lubricate your ears. Without it, your ears would become dry and itchy
and pretty uncomfortable.
Earwax forms in
glands located in the skin of the outer part of your ears. It traps dust and
dirt, and gradually transports these "invaders," along with skin
cells, to the ear opening. There, it flakes and falls out or gets washed out by
you. When all goes well, you don't even need to clean your ear canals. Just
wash your outer ears with soap and water when taking a shower or bath.1,2
But if earwax builds up, it's time to take action. You
may have symptoms such as a feeling of fullness, ringing, discharge, itching,
odor, or partial hearing loss.1 Here's another clue: Your family
members have started teasing, "Didn't you hear me? Get the wax outta your
ears!"
Start by cleaning the external ear with a cloth, but
don't insert anything, such as a cotton-tipped applicator, bobby pin, piece of
paper – or even your finger – into your ear canal. This does just the opposite
of what you intend: It pushes wax deeper into your ear canal and can cause
infection. You can also damage the ear canal or eardrum.2 Whatever you do, don't try a product called
ear candles for extracting earwax. These involve inserting a cone-type device
into the ear canal and setting the other end on fire! They can cause serious
injury. 1,2
What if you still have symptoms? In most cases, home
treatments to soften wax work just fine. I can direct you to some possible
options in our store.
At home, lie on your side and deposit a few drops of one
of these products in your ear. If this alone doesn't work, you can try ear
syringing. This involves suctioning the wax out of year ears. Again, I can help
you find these ear syringes here in our store. They work best if you put water,
saline, or wax dissolving drops in the ear canal about 15–30 minutes
beforehand.1
Before trying any of these products, it's best to discuss
it with your doctor.2 If you
have diabetes, a weakened immune system, perforated eardrum, or tube in your
eardrum, a doctor should manually remove any built-up earwax, using special
devices such as graspers and suction. A special ear, nose, and throat doctor called
an otolaryngologist may be the best person for the job, especially if you have
a narrow ear canal. 1 Occasionally, you may also need antibiotic
eardrops for an infection.2
New nickname, Shrek? No worries. Some people make more
earwax than others.2 If
needed, you can see your doctor for preventive cleaning as often as every 6 to
12 months. 1
Nothing herein constitutes
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or is a substitute for professional
advice. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other
medical professional if you have questions or concerns about a medical
condition.
Sources:
1.
American Academy
2.
Nemours
Foundation: "Dealing With Earwax." Available at: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/earwax.html?tracking=P_RelatedArticle. Accessed April 18, 2012.
