Have you ever felt the pressure inside your ear with some pain and ringing sound? Or the feeling of blockage inside the ear? This is because of the hardening of excessive ear wax. Ear wax is secreted naturally inside the ear. Its purpose is to lubricate and protect our ears from bacterial growth. The body produces a normal quantity of ear wax that does not cause irritation. But under some circumstances, ear wax is secreted in large amounts or hardened earwax is formed that causes exasperation.
ENT doctors recommend some guidelines to remove ear wax. Otherwise, it may cause damage to your ear-drum or the chances of ear infections are high. So, it is advisable to consult your ENT doctor for any complaint regarding your ear. You can take advice from the best ENT specialist in Karachi through Marham.
According to Guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, ear wax should not be removed unless it is causing any problem. Excessive removal of ear wax causes some other issues. Because ear wax is a natural secretion and its presence in your ears has some purpose.
How ear wax is produced?
Ears have sebaceous and sweat glands (outer ear canal) that produce fatty secretions. Dead skin and other debris combine with these secretions to form ear wax.
Why ears secrete more wax?
Sometimes it is your body that is producing more wax than the normal or sometimes foreign particles like an insect, food, or small stone triggers the ear to produce more wax and cause irritation. With age, the secretions also change inconsistency that causes hard ear wax. And some people have a natural tendency of getting hard ear wax.
How to remove ear wax safely?
According to the specialists, these are the safe methods to remove ear wax:
Use of ear drops:
Some over the counter ear drops are used to soften the ear wax so that it can be removed easily. These medicines have wax softening agents. They may contain carbamide peroxide, which is similar to hydrogen peroxide and some have sodium bicarbonate.
Use of hydrogen peroxide:
Ear wax can be removed by using few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Pour few drops of hydrogen peroxide into the ear and tilt the head in this way, that the solution reaches into the inner canal and after few minutes tilt your head in the opposite direction to allow the softened ear wax to move out.
Use of saline and warm water:
With a dropper pour the plain warm water or saline into the ear to soften the hard ear wax. You can pour these solutions with the help of a bulb syringe.
Ear irrigation:
Ear irrigation can be done at home with the irrigation kit or by the doctor at his clinic. This process needs some expertise. So that fruitful results can be drawn without damaging the ear-drum.
Precautions:
The following things should be avoided when you have hard ear-wax compaction.
- Avoid using cotton-buds. They push the wax deep into the ear canal.
- Avoid using any hard object like pen or keys to scratch your from inside.
- Do not use oils as they make the wax stickier.
- Avoid using ear candles as they can damage the ear-drum.
Take-home Point:
Always seek medical advice before treating your ear. Never use hard objects and cotton buds to remove the hard ear wax. Rather use wax softening agents and then irrigate your ear. If the problem persists, consult your ENT doctor.
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