Description

Ear wax (or cerumen) is a natural substance produced in the ears of many mammals, including humans. Despite popular beliefs, it helps keep our ears clean by filtering out dust, debris, and other substances like shampoo. It also protects the ear canal from infection. In some patients, the self-cleaning mechanism gets disrupted, and ear wax becomes trapped. This can happen for a number of reasons, including the anatomy of the ear, as some people have a sharp bend in the ear canal. It can also be due to introducing foreign bodies like cotton buds or Q-tips, which can actually disrupt the ear’s self-cleaning cycle and cause the ear wax to become impacted deep in the ear canal. Nothing should ever be inserted into the ear to clean it. At best, the wax will be pushed deeper into the ear, making it more difficult to remove. At worst, the object can puncture the eardrum, resulting in a significant amount of pain, hearing loss, and specialist appointments A few drops of water or natural oil (olive oil or almond oil) can soften the wax and help it to naturally migrate out of the ear. Other treatments, such as Carbamide Peroxide, can help to soften and loosen wax. If there’s no improvement, the patient should consult a specialist, who may arrange for the ear to be syringed with water or the wax suctioned out under a microscope.

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