Frequently Asked Questions
Your
Ear
QUESTION: What is the best way to remove wax from your ears?
ANSWER:
There are several methods that may be used to remove earwax:
- place a
damp face cloth over your smallest finger and wipe the entrance
of the ear canal
- apply a
small drop of olive oil once or twice a month to keep the wax
soft so it will move easily out of the ear
- have your
doctor check for wax and remove it regularly. (Some people may
need the wax removed from their ears once a year; some as frequently
as every three months.) Doctors can remove the wax by flushing
the ears with warm water, and this can only be performed if the
eardrum is intact. Sometimes, a doctor may remove the wax using
a special tool or machine (similar to a tiny vacuum)
- local pharmacies
offer kits you can use for flushing wax; check with your doctor
to ensure the kit is safe for you
- "candling"
is also practiced for wax removal and must be performed by a person
properly trained. Candling is more effective on soft wax in small
amounts and must be done frequently.
QUESTION: What is the best method to keep your ears clear of wax?
ANSWER:
The medical term for earwax is cerumen; it is produced by the
cerumen glands located in the first half of the ear canal. Earwax
is very useful! It lubricates the skin of the ear canal and prevents
it from drying out and becoming itchy, it has a nasty odour that
discourages small insects from entering the ear canal and setting
up house, it contains a natural antibiotic and it's sticky so that
if a foreign object enters the ear canal it will get caught up and
usually not travel down the canal. Because of its beneficial nature,
you should not remove all of the wax in your ears.
Wax
can become a problem when it blocks the whole ear canal and interferes
with hearing. The body naturally moves the wax to the outside
of
the ear canal, and normally the wax should come away from the canal
walls, the tiny hairs or cilia in the ear canal reflex outward
to push the wax to the outside of the ear where it tumbles out
on
its own or can be easily removed. Do NOT use cotton swabs, toothpicks,
bobbypins, etc. to remove it; even cotton swabs can damage the
skin
in the ear canal and any can scratch the skin of the canal, leading
to infection. The cotton swabs may even pack the wax into the
ear
canal deeper, making it more difficult to be removed by your doctor.
QUESTION: What do I do about itchy ears?
ANSWER:
There are several causes for itchy ears, ranging from skin disorders
and dry skin to perspiration build up behind a hearing aid. If you
persistently have itchy ears, we recommend that you consult your
family doctor. Doctors can identify any skin condition and recommend
appropriate treatment. Many people apply a small drop of olive oil
to keep ear wax (cerumen) soft and moisturize the skin of the outer
ear. Island Hearing sells an excellent product called EARGENE
that also soothes and conditions the skin of the ear. If you wear
a hearing aid, itchy ears can be caused by moisture build up behind
your hearing aid. We recommend taking your aid out periodically
to allow the ear to dry.
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