Earwax: When to Leave It Alone and When to Seek Help

Also known as cerumen, earwax may not be something we like to talk (or think) about often, but it does play an important role in the health of our ears. This natural waxy substance is produced by the glands in the skin of the ear canal. It is made out of dead skin cells combined with oily sebum, sweat, and hair. Contrary to what many may think, having earwax is not a sign of bad hygiene, it just means your ears are doing their job. Though excessive earwax can cause some concerns, your ear canals do not need to be squeaky clean – in fact, cleaning out your ears can sometimes cause more problems.

What is Earwax For?

Earwax production is your ear canal’s self-cleaning function. It plays several irreplaceable roles, including:

• Moisturizing your ear canal to keep the skin from drying out
• Trapping dirt and debris to prevent them from reaching further into your ear
• Collecting dead skin cells
• Creating a hostile, acidic environment that inhibits germs from growing

So, as you can see, as much as we don’t like to admit it, we need earwax. Depending on your age, ethnicity, environment, or even your diet, the composition and amount of earwax can change. This may make it more or less difficult to deal with at different times.

Is Earwax a Problem?

Even though earwax is a necessary bodily product, it can create some problems if it is produced in excess. Earwax normally finds its way out of the opening of the ear canal, where it can get washed away during your usual shower routine. But certain habits such as wearing earplugs or earphones, dusty or dry environments, and eating foods that promote sweat or oil production like spicy or fatty foods, can bring on an unwelcome excess of earwax.

Cerumen impaction refers to the accumulation of earwax, which may result in a partial or full blockage of your ear canal. As you can imagine, this can cause a few problems, such as hearing loss or tinnitus.

If this is the case for you, it is reasonable to want to clear out this blocked earwax, but sticking cotton tips, hairpins, or pens into your ear canal is not the solution. Inserting something into your ear canal runs the risk of scratching the delicate skin, introducing an ear infection, or puncturing your eardrum.

How to Clean Earwax Safely

There are a few ways that different earwax softening drops work, whether to dissolve the cerumen, break it up into smaller pieces, or add enough lubrication to loosen it so it can come out of the ear canal on its own. These drops are available from your local pharmacy or grocery store without a prescription and can be used safely at home when you follow the instructions.

Earwax softening drops can be effective for helping with mild to moderate cerumen impaction, but for more stubborn earwax, a visit to your hearing doctor may be in order.

How Does an ENT Specialist Remove Earwax?

Also known as an otolaryngologist, an ear, nose, throat specialist is a doctor who has been through medical school and completed further specialist training in – you guessed it – the ear, nose, and throat. This means they’re pretty familiar with earwax.

Hearing doctors have a few techniques in their arsenal against earwax blockages, often aided by a specialized microscope that allows them to view exactly what they’re doing inside your ear canal. You may also have some earwax softening drops as preparation to make the blockages easier to remove.

• Microsuction uses a thin tube to vacuum out the blockage
• A curette is a handheld tool with a curved end, used to scoop out the impacted cerumen
• Irrigation uses a syringe to gently squirt warm water or saline into your ear canal to flush out the earwax

If you’ve noticed you have earwax, keep calm and carry on – earwax is normal, necessary, and good for your ears. However, if the earwax begins to affect your hearing, like blocking your ears or triggering tinnitus, first try earwax softening drops at home. If this isn’t helping, a visit to an ENT doctor will do the trick.