Gentle Solutions For Earwax Removal

Earwax may sound icky, but it’s actually a normal body secretion that helps clean your ears. When it gets too thick, however, it can lead to hearing loss and ear infections.

Avoid generic cotton swabs, which push earwax deeper into the ear canal, packing it in and making it harder for your ears to naturally get rid of it. Instead, try one of these gentle solutions:

Salt Solution

Despite its unpleasant appearance, earwax (also known as cerumen) serves an important function by protecting the ear canal and inner ear from harmful substances. Earwax also acts as a natural moisturizer and prevents the skin in the ears from getting too dry or itchy. Earwax is produced by the glands in your ear canal, and it is normal for a small amount of it to build up inside your ears from time to time. While some people have overactive glands that produce too much earwax, a buildup of earwax can still be easily removed with home remedies.

Attempting to dig out excessive or hardened earwax with cotton swabs, paper clips or hairpins is not recommended, as it can push the earwax further into the ear canal and cause an earwax blockage. In addition, attempting to clean the ear with a baby oil or glycerin solution can actually make the earwax harder to remove by softening it and making it more runny.

To safely remove earwax, you can use salt solution to soften it. You can buy saline solution at your local drug store or make it yourself by dissolving one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. Wet a cotton ball with the solution and gently drip it into your ear canal. Tilt your head to the side and let the earwax drain out of the ear for about five minutes. Repeat this process with the other ear.

You can also use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to soften earwax. It is available at most drug stores, and you can purchase it in a small syringe to insert 1 to 2 drops into your ear canal. Using a homemade baking soda solution can also be helpful in softening earwax.

Another good option is warmed olive oil. It has a similar effect on earwax to the saline solution and is safe for most people. Drop a few drops of the warm oil into your ear canal and wait ten to fifteen minutes. You may need to repeat this treatment several times a week to successfully remove the excess earwax.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a clear, colorless liquid that is mostly water with one extra hydrogen atom. It’s often used as a household sanitizer and can be found in your medicine cabinet. It can also be an effective solution for removing earwax. An ear cleaning in Aberdeen is the best option if you ever need professional intervention for ear wax removal.

Many over-the-counter (OTC) ear drops contain hydrogen peroxide, which can be used to soften and remove earwax. Hydrogen peroxide is a cerumenolytic, which means it helps to dissolve earwax. Some people also use a homemade solution of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide to clean their ears. This home remedy may not be as effective as earwax removal drops, but it can help to soften earwax before it gets impacted in the ear canal.

It’s best to use a small amount of diluted hydrogen peroxide in the ear canal, rather than pouring a large amount at once. A high concentration of hydrogen peroxide can damage the skin in and around the ear, which could cause pain or itching.

A few drops of a 3% solution can be placed in the ear canal several times a day to soften and remove earwax. Using a bulb syringe can make the process easier and less messy. The ear canal should be tilted to the side when the drops are applied, as this will help the wax drain out of the ear.

People should never try to remove earwax from the ear canal with objects like cotton swabs, paperclips, or hairpins. These objects can cause ear infections, pain, or even a ruptured eardrum. People who have a tendency to produce excess earwax should visit a doctor for safe and effective earwax removal.

If a person’s earwax is causing pain, itching, or hearing loss, they should consult with their doctor for a medical evaluation and treatment. People with impacted earwax should schedule an appointment with their ENT specialist for safe and effective earwax cleaning. Those with concerns about their hearing should also contact an audiologist to have their ears tested for an ear infection. The audiologist can recommend an appropriate course of action to safely remove earwax and prevent recurrence.

Olive Oil

Putting olive oil into your ears is a tried-and-true method for softening ear wax. It may not be an instant solution, but it can work over time. Just squirt a few drops into your ears twice a day for a few weeks and you’ll notice that lumps of earwax will naturally fall out of your ears, usually while you’re sleeping or showering.

Using cotton swabs or other objects to remove earwax is not recommended, as it can damage your ear drum and push earwax deeper into your ear canal, leading to earwax blockages over time. Also, if you wear earbuds or headphones, this can encourage earwax buildup by blocking the ear canal’s normal exit route.

If you want to use a home remedy for earwax removal, make sure that it’s made with medical-grade olive oil and contains no additives or fragrances. You can find products like this online that are specially formulated to safely and effectively dissolve excess earwax while minimizing discomfort, itching, and other side effects.

The best ear wax removal products come in an easy-to-use spray format that is much less messy than olive oil. They also provide a metered dose, so that you can be confident that you’re using the correct amount and not overdoing it. This helps avoid overloading your ear canal with oil, which can cause hearing loss and other problems.

While earwax is useful for protecting your ears, too much can impair your hearing and trap bacteria that can lead to infections. However, removing earwax by force can damage your eardrum, and syringing should be left to doctors only in certain circumstances. Attempting to remove earwax at home can be painful and dangerous, so it’s better to try other home remedies or visit a doctor for professional help.

Warm Water

The natural earwax our bodies produce serves to protect the ears and auditory canals from dust, bacteria, insects and other environmental dangers. However, earwax build-up can cause discomfort and hearing problems. Here are a few ways to manage this gunk at home with safe, gentle solutions.

Warming the earwax can help to soften it, facilitating its natural evacuation. You can do this by gently heating a cloth in the oven or with a hot water bottle, or by using a shower head with a low-pressure stream of warm water.

You can also use a dropper to apply an earwax-softening solution, such as baby oil or mineral oil. This will assist with earwax removal by loosening the wax, and may prevent a build-up in the future.

Hydrogen peroxide is another option for removing earwax. This household item can be used in the same way as the saline solution above, with one or two drops applied to the ear while tilting the head. This should be done once or twice a week, until the earwax is gone.

Olive oil can also help to eliminate earwax by making it easier for the body to naturally evacuate the gunk. A few drops of olive oil can be placed in the ear while the head is tilted, and it should be left for a few minutes before tilting the ear again. This technique can be repeated several times a day, until the earwax is removed.

Irrigating the ear with a rubber bulb syringe can also be an effective method for earwax removal, as long as you are careful not to harm your eardrum. It is recommended that you talk to your healthcare provider before trying this at home, especially if you have a tinnitus or a hole in the eardrum.

It is also important to avoid the temptation to clean your ear canal with cotton-tipped swabs, bobby pins or other objects. Putting foreign objects in the ears can push earwax deeper into the ear canal and result in a blockage that can lead to aural fullness, discomfort, ringing in the ear or even hearing loss.