Impacted Ear Wax

Cleaning ear wax is one of those disgusting routine activities which we all hate to do. Most of us use a Q-tip or cotton swab to clean the earwax. Clearing the wax out of outer ear is our general idea of cleaning an ear. But did you know that this so-called 'cleaning' activity does more damage to your ear than anything else? Yes, cleaning ear wax with Q-tip or cotton swabs often pushes the wax deep into the ear canal. Hence, though the outer ear shows no trace of any ear wax, the inner ear canal is probably full of it.

Facts About Earwax

Ear wax is the secretion of wax glands present in the ear, often mixed with dead skin and oil. Though, the sight of earwax disgusts us, it is actually very useful in protecting the ear from infections. Ear wax traps the dirt and prevents it from entering the inner ear. Hence, moderate production of ear wax is actually beneficial for the ear. However, if there is an overproduction of ear wax, it may lead to an impacted ear, if not cleared on time. Impacted ear wax is different from impacted cerumen, which is excess secretion of ceruminous glands. The symptoms associated with impacted ear are pain in the ear, cough, vertigo, itching, ringing of ear called tinnitus, etc. Regular cleaning of ear wax prevents accumulation of wax in the ear canal. But, if the cleaning is not done by a proper method, it can aggravate the problem.

How to Remove Impacted Ear Wax

Removal of impacted ear wax needs to be done under medical supervision. However, if you wish to remove it at home, you need to proceed carefully. First, you'll need to soften the impacted ear wax with an oil solution. You can use baby oil or glycerin and pour it drop by drop in the ear by tilting your head. Cover the ear with a cotton ball for some time. If you feel that the wax has loosened up a bit, you can consider taking it out. For that, use a rubber bulb syringe available at any drug store. Fill the syringe with water at a temperature of around 98 degrees. Squirt the water into the ear so as to get rid of the wax by using little pressure. Then, tilt your head and let the water ooze out of your ear. Repeat the procedure several times until you are sure there is no trace of any ear wax. It is better to routinely do this, so as to prevent ear wax from getting accumulated.

Apart from the above method you can also use light suction to get the ear wax out. Or you may also use a wire loop to remove it. For that, expose the ear to a powerful headlamp to soften the wax.

If not treated on time, impacted ear wax can lead to severe problems like permanent loss of hearing, nausea, etc. Hence, it is always better to have your ear cleaned regularly, no matter how disgusting you find the act.