The 2 Best Ways to Remove Ear Wax, and 3 Methods to Avoid – Livestrong
Over-the-counter ear drops are the best way to remove earwax at home.
Image Credit: chameleonseye/iStock/GettyImages
Like armpit hair and nose boogers, earwax is just one of those annoying things you’d love to get rid of. Unfortunately, there’s no way to say sayonara to the sticky stuff in your ear canals entirely. And you shouldn’t try to, either.
“Some earwax is a good thing: It keeps your ears moist and clean and prevents your ears from itching and fee…….
Over-the-counter ear drops are the best way to remove earwax at home.
Image Credit: chameleonseye/iStock/GettyImages
Like armpit hair and nose boogers, earwax is just one of those annoying things you’d love to get rid of. Unfortunately, there’s no way to say sayonara to the sticky stuff in your ear canals entirely. And you shouldn’t try to, either.
“Some earwax is a good thing: It keeps your ears moist and clean and prevents your ears from itching and feeling uncomfortable,” Ksenia Aaron, MD, an ear, nose and throat specialist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, tells LIVESTRONG.com.
Because earwax also helps keep water and germs out, it reduces your chances of developing a nasty ear infection, too, she says.
Here are the best ways to remove earwax at home, what not to try and when you should see a professional (aka your doctor).
Tip
Symptoms of too much earwax are similar to having water in your ear, so if you’ve recently been swimming, bathing or even sweating profusely, consider whether wax or water is causing your issues.
2 Safe Ways to Remove Earwax
1. Over-the-Counter Ear Cleaning Drops
These work well if you just have a small amount of wax, says Yin Ren, MD, PhD, an ear, nose and throat specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.
“Look for one that contains hydrogen or another form of peroxide, like Debrox,” he recommends. “This softens earwax and breaks it down gently, without causing any skin damage.”
- Place five to 10 drops in your ear, then wait several minutes (you can either lie down or put a
cotton ball in). - Sit up and let the liquid flow out. Most of the time, the
earwax should be completely removed, Dr. Ren says. - If it’s not, you can use the
bulb syringe sold in the wax removal kit to flush out your ear with very
lukewarm water, Dr. Ren says.
Warning
Don’t use a bulb syringe to flush your ears if you have a hole in your eardrum, or if you’ve ever had ear surgery (like putting in ear tubes). It can damage your eardrum.
Instead of ear drops, you can use baby oil or mineral oil, says Zan Mra, MD, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
- Use
an eyedropper to apply a few drops of the oil into your ear canal. - After a day or two, once the wax
has softened, use …….Source: https://www.livestrong.com/article/13767732-best-way-to-remove-ear-wax/
