Ear Wax Removal Tools

Earwax isn't dirty---it's there to protect your ears from infections and keep out foreign objects. However, earwax buildup can cause pain, itching, discharge, a nasty smell, and, in rare cases, hearing loss. Here are some earwax removal do's and don'ts.

Drops

• The best method to remove extra earwax is simply to use ear drops to loosen the wax. You can purchase ear drops at your pharmacy, or just use water or saline solution.

Irrigation

• Irrigating your ear (injecting water into the ear) can also help, but it can also be dangerous, as it can flush wax further into the ear and possibly cause infection.

Physician

• If you have a serious problem, your doctor can remove the earwax for you.

Swabs

• Don't use cotton swabs, such as Q-Tips, to remove earwax. You could shove the wax further into your ear or even tear your ear drum.

Ineffective Products

• "Candling" and over-the-counter earwax vacuums both promise to suck out earwax, but are ineffective. It is not possible to create a vacuum strong enough to suck out earwax without also bursting an eardrum. Candling--placing a cone-shaped device in the ear canal and extracting earwax with a burning wick--is especially dangerous because the heat of the flame can burn your inner and outer ear.