What is earwax?
It is normal to have earwax in the ear. Earwax does not occur because of poor hygiene as some people may think!
Earwax is made up from a combination of clever ingredients that are produced by our body which incorporate particles from the sebaceous glands and apocrine sweat glands in the ear canal.
Normal levels of earwax help to act as a protective layer helping to trap dust/ dirt and bugs as well as ensuring the ear is kept healthy through lubricating the skin and providing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Whenever we chew, yawn or talk earwax is naturally encouraged to move along the ear canal and out of the ear, a bit like a conveyor belt!
Whilst many are unaffected by problems with earwax, for some an increased build up of ear wax can be an underlying cause of a deficit in hearing or other issues.
Symptoms of earwax build up
Common symptoms include:
- Hearing loss
- Tinnitus – buzzing or ringing in your ears
- Sensation that your ears are blocked/ feel full
- Feeling of dizziness/ discomfort
Why does earwax build up in my ears?
You may experience a build up of earwax if you have any/ or a combination of the following:
- Narrow ear canals
- Damaged ear canals
- A skin condition which is affecting the area around your ear
- Excess hair in your ear canal
- Inflammation of the ear canal such as that caused by otitis externa (also known as swimmers ear).
Ear Hygiene
It is really IMPORTANT that you NEVER use cotton buds or objects (e.g. hair pins, tooth picks, fingers etc) to try to remove earwax from the ear canal as you could push the wax further in compacting it and making the situation worse as the wax will be unable to find it’s way out in the usual way, you also risk damaging your ears!
The use of cotton buds can also worsen the problem of excess earwax as they stimulate the ear canal to produce more wax!
Regular use of olive oil or earol can help to soften wax build up, helping it to fall out on its own and preventing ears becoming blocked.
How to use ear drops
Do not use ear drops if you have a known perforation of your eardrum.
- Lay on your side with the ear that requires drops facing upwards.
- Gently pull the outer ear back and upwards (just backwards in children).
- Use 2 to 3 drops of room temperature olive oil or earol in the ear canal.
- Have a little relax... Stay lying down for 5 minutes (or if sitting keep your head tilted so that the oil doesn't run out). When you sit up wipe away any excess oil with a tissue. Do not put cotton wool in the ear as this will absorb the oil.