Trying to clean your ears on your own is something that you must never try. Ears are very delicate organs and use some objects like cotton swab or hairpin or paper clip to clean ears can cause much damage. Since earwax does not cause any problems, usually, you should leave it alone and rely on the body's self-cleaning mechanism to remove excess earwax on its own. Some amount of wax in the ears is necessary because it prevents dirt and foreign particles from reaching the eardrum and ear canal. The problem of ear blockage can happen due to excess accumulation of earwax, and you must consult a doctor from Ear & Allergy Clinic who can clean it safely.
What is wax impaction?
Complete blockage of ears can happen due to wax impaction when the yellow waxy substance tends to solidify and fill up the ear canal. When ears are blocked, it leads to some different feeling of fullness that is like having earplugs on. It can also affect your hearing ability because less sound reaches the ears, and sometimes there might be some discharge and odor from the ears. Itching, pain, and ringing in the ear can happen from ear blockage as well as for some other reasons too. If you experience any such symptoms, you must consult your doctor immediately.
How to prevent wax impaction
Wax impaction happens due to excessive dryness of the ear canal, which can occur if the secretion of the body that keeps earwax soft decreases. To avoid the hardening of earwax, you must use some wax softening agents. Applying 2- 3 drops of commercial ear drops, baby oil, and mineral oil into the ear canal for a few days will facilitate the automatic removal of earwax.
Another remedy for wax impaction is syringing of the ear, also known as irrigation, which is a safe method of ear cleaning that only a doctor can do. Although DIY home irrigation kits are available, it is never a good idea to try it doing it yourself because ears are exceptionally delicate, and any unwanted intrusion into the ear canal can be dangerous.
There is a natural way of irrigating ears when you are in the shower. Tilt your head and let warm water enter it. Once the canal is full of warm water, tip your head over and allowing the warm water to flow out along with some ear wax. For the best results, it is advisable to use some wax-softening agent before irrigation.
Hearing aids and earwax
Hearing aid users can have difficulties in dealing with earwax that tends to clog the microphones or receivers of the hearing aids, thereby impacting the performance of the device and affect sound quality. It can block sound and render the hearing aid ineffective. Moreover, some users report increased wax production when using hearing aids. This can happen as the device prevents regular wax removal and stimulate the glands that lead to more wax production.
Going to a doctor for timely and safe earwax removal can resolve the problem.
