Earwax
Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear! Cotton
swabs are for cleaning bellybuttons, not ears. You have probably
heard these admonitions from relatives and doctors since childhood…read
on to find out what they meant.
The
Outer Ear and Canal
The outer ear is the
funnel-like part of the ear you can see on the side of the head,
plus the ear canal (the hole which leads down to the eardrum).
The ear canal is shaped somewhat like an hourglass-narrowing
part way down. The skin of the outer part of the canal has special
glands that produce earwax. This wax is supposed to trap dust
and dirt particles to keep them from reaching the eardrum. Usually
the wax accumulates a bit, dries out and then comes tumbling out
of the ear, carrying dirt and dust with it. Or it may slowly migrate
to the outside where it can be wiped off. The ear canal may be
blocked by wax when attempts to clean the ear push wax deeper
into the ear canal and cause a blockage. Wax blockage is one of
the most common causes of hearing loss.
Should
You Clean Your Ears?
Wax is not formed in
the deep part of the ear canal near the eardrum, but only in the
outer part of the canal. So when a patient has wax blocked up
against the eardrum, it is often because he has been probing his
ear with such things as cotton-tipped applicators, bobby pins,
or twisted napkin corners. These objects only push the wax in
deeper. Also, the skin of the ear canal and the eardrum is very
thin and fragile and is easily injured.
Earwax is healthy in normal amounts and serves
to coat the skin of the ear canal where it acts as a temporary
water repellent. The absence of earwax may result in dry, itchy
ears.
Most of the time the ear canals are self-cleaning;
that is, there is a slow and orderly migration of ear canal skin
from the eardrum to the ear opening. Old earwax is constantly
being transported from the ear canal to the ear opening where
it usually dries, flakes, and falls out.
Under ideal circumstances, you should never
have to clean your ear canals. However, we all know that this
isn't always so. If you want to clean your ears, you can wash
the external ear with a cloth over a finger, but do not insert
anything into the ear canal.
| What Are the Symptoms of Wax Buildup? |
- partial hearing loss, may be progressive
- tinnitus, noises in the ear
- earache
- fullness in the ear or a sensation the ear is
plugged
|
Self
Treatment
Most cases of ear wax
blockage respond to home treatments used to soften wax if there
is no hole in the eardrum. Patients can try placing a few drops
of mineral oil, baby oil, glycerin, or commercial ear wax
removal drops, such as Waxsol,Eurax in the ear. These
remedies are not as strong as the prescription wax softeners but
are effective for many patients. Rarely, people have allergic
reactions to commercial preparations. Detergent drops such as
hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may also aid in the removal
of wax. Patients should know that rinsing the ear canal with hydrogen
peroxide (H2O2)
results in oxygen bubbling off and water being left behind-wet,
warm ear canals make good incubators for growth of bacteria. Flushing
the ear canal with rubbing alcohol displaces the water and dries
the canal skin. If alcohol causes severe pain, it suggests the
presence of an eardrum perforation.
When
Should I See My Doctor?
If you are uncertain
whether you have a hole (perforation or puncture) in your eardrum,
consult your physician prior to trying any over-the-counter remedies.
Putting eardrops or other products in your ear in the presence
of an eardrum perforation may cause an infection. Certainly, washing
water through such a hole could start an infection. In the event
that the home treatments discussed in this leaflet are not satisfactory,
or if wax has accumulated so much that it blocks the ear canal
(and hearing), your physician may prescribe eardrops designed
to soften wax, or he may wash or vacuum it out. Occasionally,
an Ear Nose Throat Surgeon may need to remove the wax using microscopic
visualization.
| Other Possible Causes of Hearing Loss |
- perforated eardrum
- middle ear infection (otitis media)
- external ear infection (otitis externa)
- acoustic trauma
|
Source:
This page is adapted from a brochure published by the American
Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Inc., 2000
|
