Having your ears feel full is a major sign of ear wax build-up. If not treated properly at the right time it can cause damage to the lining of your eardrum or worse loss of hearing.
It is very important to have ear wax removed from your ears at regular intervals of time. But, this does not mean cleaning your ears regularly with cotton swabs.
Doing this can actually do more damage than damage control. In this blog, we are going to dive deeper into cleaning the ear wax at home. Effective cleaning with safe treatments is something that you should try for functional ear health.
Why Is It Important To Have Ear Wax Removed?
While cleaning your ears you may see a white, yellow, or brown substance that is sticky or can be flaky. These are something that are made up on their own and are healthy for protecting your ear from infection and dirt.
However, excess ear wax can be dangerous and cause discomfort for a long period. Here is how an ear wax build can affect you.
- Ear infection
- Ringing in your ears
- Temporary hearing loss
- Ear aches
- Itching
- Extreme coughs
- Dizziness
- Blockage in the ear canal
How To Treat Excess Ear Wax At Home
The simple solution to treating ear wax at home is to wait for the wax to naturally pass from the ear canal and clean it with a wet clean cloth. If you have hardened wax buildup in the ear then you may
1. Soften Ear Wax
Over-the-counter solutions and medicines are available to soften the ear wax that has been built up. Ear drops, baby oil, glycerin, or hydrogen peroxide can help soften up the wax. Tilt your head to the side and pour 3-4 drops of one of these onto the affected ear canal and wait for 15 minutes.
2. Irrigation
Once the solution or oil has softened the wax, it will be easier to remove it by irrigation. Take the rubber bulb syringe and pour warm water into it. For this process, tilt your head to the side with the affected ear on the top. Now, slowly place the end of the rubber bulb syringe on the opening of your ear and pour the water. Now sit straight and let the wax and water run out from your ear.
3. Cleaning The Ear
Once the wax is out of your ear, you can dry your ear using a soft cloth to remove the remains of it from your ear. Gently place the towel at the ear and rub it on the opening. You should feel your ears open up and light.
Also Read: What Are Some Common Diseases Of The Ear? Find Out!
Safety Considerations
While you are doing this process at home, remember to have an adult supervise you, so that if anything goes wrong, they can seek medical help instantly.
- If you feel excruciating pain at a point in time, you should stop this process immediately.
- Clean everything before using them on your ear.
- While pouring the liquid into the ear canal, you should be tilting your head while standing or sitting.
- Avoid using any pointed or sharp tools like safety pins, hair pins, and paper clips, in your ear to remove the wax.
Home Remedies To Prevent The Building Of Ear Wax
Preventing the ear wax from building up can save you from frequent doctor visits for your ear and treating it. You can use the below ingredients for softening up your ear wax that is readily available at home.
- Baking soda dissolved in water
- Alcohol
- Warm water
- Mineral oils like coconut, or almond oil
- Saline water
- Glycerine
- Paraffin
- Garlic dissolved oil
These cleaning agents are not only effective at removing the ear wax from your ear but also help you manage the earache. Garlic has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which can help treat the ear ache and infections.
Conclusion
Having your ears flushed out of wax is healthy and beneficial, but do not do it often as it may cause infection. If you experience multiple episodes of earache and discomfort then you should see a specialist in ears, nose, and eyes. This can indicate a symptom of an underlying problem or help you manage the pain.
