Do the voices of everyone around you seem muffled, or are your ears feeling a bit stuffy? Muted conversations and stuffiness in your ears can be signs that your ears need a little TLC.
In general, your ears pretty much take care of themselves, using earwax (cerumen) to remove unwanted dirt and debris while keeping them properly lubricated.
Earwax also has antimicrobial properties to prevent the growth of the bacteria and fungi that cause infections and inflammation. In reality, healthy ears need a balanced amount of earwax, because too much earwax blocks the ear canal and too little can cause dryness and irritation.
Avoiding both extremes requires cleaning your ears properly to keep the amount of earwax in the ear canal in proper balance. Sometimes you can clean your ears at home using the right technique, but in many cases, professional earwax removal is necessary.
Port Credit Audiology & Hearing Aid Clinic offers earwax removal by trained professionals as a part of our ongoing support for the patients and individuals in the communities we serve.
Avoid Digging in Your Ears
There are so many objects that look like they would fit perfectly into that hole in the outer ear. Though we really don’t want to know all of the dangerous objects (bobby pins, pencil erasers, toothpicks, the corner of a napkin, etc.) you’re using to dig around in your ears, we want to caution you about one of the worst ones: cotton swabs.
Though the general consensus is that they were designed for cleaning your ears, Q-tips or cotton swabs are among the worst things you can use for cleaning your ears. Let me list the reasons why:
- The little cotton tip can come off the end, getting stuck in your ear canal – and/or you might press too hard and damage your eardrum with it
- As you’re digging around in there without being able to see what you’re doing, you are more likely to press the earwax into a tight ball that plugs up your ear or pack it tightly against your eardrum
- If digging in your ears with a cotton swab becomes a daily habit, you’re likely to remove too much earwax, causing dryness and irritation
Among the cases of impacted earwax we deal with, the majority of them are related to the use of cotton swabs or other objects in an attempt to remove earwax.
The Best At-Home Earwax Removal Methods
If your ears are feeling plugged up, your best option is to contact us for a professional cleaning – but sometimes you’re desperate to take care of it on your own. Rather than reaching for a Q-tip or some other object to dig in your ears, here are some of the best at-home earwax removal methods:
- Soften the earwax by putting a few drops of warmed mineral oil, hydrogen peroxide, or saline solution in your ear. Tilt your head so the drops can soak in for a few minutes, and then tilt your head the other way so the earwax can fall out along with the drops.
- Direct the warm water in your shower into the affected ear for a minute or so, and then tilt your head to let the water and earwax drain out.
- Use a rubber bulb syringe to squirt warm water into your ear canal to soften up earwax. Tilt your head and pull your outer ear up and back to straighten your ear canal, squirt the warm water into your ear several times, and then tilt your head to let it run out.
- Apply a warm compress to the affected ear for five to 10 minutes. The warmth and moisture from the compress will likely soften the earwax enough to allow it to fall out when you tilt your head with the affected ear facing downward.
These earwax removal methods are safer and more effective solutions to built-up earwax and can bring you some temporary relief. However, you may still need professional earwax removal, especially if you experience earwax buildup or impacted earwax frequently.
Professional Earwax Removal
How do I know when I need professional earwax removal?
There are times when at-home earwax removal solutions don’t get the job done. In many of these cases, the reason is because the earwax is packed too tightly or has become impacted.
If your ears are packed full of earwax, then you will typically experience the following symptoms:
- Dizziness or balance issues
- Headaches
- Ear pain or discomfort
- Sudden hearing loss
- Ear infections or recurring wax buildup
These symptoms can be warning signs of significant ear health issues, especially if you experience them on a regular basis. There can be a variety of issues contributing to your earwax buildup that can only be solved by proper professional earwax removal and earwax treatment.
In addition to safe and effective earwax removal, your hearing care professional can prescribe formulas that can help control earwax production and help keep it properly balanced.
Port Credit Audiology & Hearing Aid Clinic Is Here to Help
At Port Credit Audiology & Hearing Aid Clinic, we’re properly trained to provide safe and effective earwax removal. Our professional earwax removal process is gentle and painless, and we can help you maintain the proper balance of earwax in your ear canal.
Best of all, after a good ear cleaning, you will experience instant relief from the symptoms of impacted earwax before you even get out of the chair.
Get the relief you need from the stuffiness and pain of built-up earwax by scheduling an earwax removal appointment today! Contact us online using this link, or give us a call at (905) 990-3755.
