Remedy for Ear Wax Removal

Earwax buildup can be a difficult problem to deal with, but with the right approach you can get great results. Clean ears doesn't always correlate with better hearing, but a serious blockage can certainly impede your hearing, so it's better to be safe than deaf in this case.

No Cotton Swabs

• Q-tips or cotton swabs actually push more wax down the ear canal than they can effectively take out, so it's actually safer and more practical to use something called an "ear pick." Q-tips do help remove wax, but it has to be considerably loosened from the wall of the ear canal first. Ear picks are typically made from plastic or stainless steel, and there are many different varieties. Some come with a cotton swab already attached to one end. These devices typically have some kind of scoop or design that allows easy scraping of the ear canal to specifically dislodge wax. They are typically more effective on the harder type of dry ear wax, but they can also be used on wet ear wax.

  Methods involving the inserting any cleaning instrument into the ear involve considerable risk of perforating the ear drum and other potential injury. If you are not careful, or if the procedure is not done by a professional, there can be painful consequences. You should always consult a doctor before taking matters into your own hands, especially if your ear wax situation is already causing hearing loss or is otherwise a major nuisance.

Irrigation

• There are plenty of liquids that have proven useful to help in the extraction of ear wax, though water can be just as effective in irrigation techniques. You can use anything from olive oil to specifically designed solutions to target ear wax clinging to your ear canal. A water and vinegar solution is one of the most common mixtures used in irrigation techniques.

  The liquid should be syringed into the ear with the exterior flap being pulled up and back to keep the canal open. The best device for this purpose is one of those blue bulb syringes you can find at any drugstore. The fluid flows along the canal floor, reacting with wax and debris along the way and eventually dislodging it and clearing it out. The solution is always best if it is warmed to approximate body temperature, and it can be done regularly without any serious side effects resulting. The speed of the flow should be regulated at all times, as blasting the ear canal with too much liquid too soon can cause complications. Again, a professional can perform this procedure and/or advise you on how to continue treatment in this manner.

Alternative and All Natural Methods

• Ear candling, or ear coning, is another method utilized to pull ear wax out of your ear canal, but this process has plenty of skeptics. Out of all the methods, this one seems to be the most dangerous since it involves fire. You basically buy an ear candle or cone and put it in your ear with the fat end of the cone facing the ceiling. You lie on your side with the candle burning down from the top until you can't bear the heat or the flame goes out. A tinfoil-wrapped paper plate with a hole punched in the middle is used to keep burning embers falling from the candle from setting your hair on fire or burning the skin around your ear.

  Although this method is the subject of countless testimonials and video evidence that seems to suggest it sucks a great deal of wax from the ear canal, experts say studies have debunked this method. However, there are websites out there that discourage all ear candle practices and point to at least one study that showed the wax that resulted inside the candle after burning did not contain any human ear wax at all.

  Those who do swear by this method often claim it has the power to remove toxins from the whole body through the ear canal. It remains to be seen whether or not it even removes the wax, but it is popular enough to inspire some therapeutic spas to embrace the technique and charge $30-$40 for a typical ear-coning session.

  You can try this method yourself for about $8 for a set of two ear candles, but make sure you are closely monitored during the procedure. One video found online shows a woman wielding a par of scissors to cut away the embers of the candle (which is made of something more like wax paper than a typical candle material) before they get too large and float off. Another danger is associated with poorly made ear candles which might actually send wax droppings into your ear. Check online reviews (the first link in the Resources section will help you get started) and look for the candle brand that is most recommended before trying this technique on yourself.

  Of course, the best way of removing ear wax is keeping it from building up in the first place. Chewing gum and talking will actually help prevent earwax buildup, as the jaw muscle's movement acts as the best pump to keep the ear canal clean.