Cerumen impaction (ear wax)
Wax (cerumen) impaction is a very common reason for visits to the ear nose and throat office. There are some things you can do to prevent bothersome plugging of the ears, however. Earwax is produced in the outer 1/3 of the ear canal in an area called the cartilaginous (flexible) ear canal. Cerumen usually doesn’t get deep into the ear canal unless it is pushed, either with a finger, Q-tips, or sometimes with a hearing aid. Cerumen, which is the name for earwax, is produced by glands in the skin of the outer ear canal. Ear wax is beneficial to the body. It has oils and other chemicals that prevent infection, so it helps protect the ear canal. If you have too little wax, it can result in dryness, itching and irritation and sometimes infection.
What not to do: Has anyone ever told you, “Don’t put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow “? It’s true! Definitely avoid Q-tips, which should never be used in the ear unless by a doctor. Qtips will push the wax deep into the ear canal making it very difficult to remove. Don’t get water in your ears. The ears were designed to be self cleaning, and the more you try and “help “ them, the unhappier they will be!
What you can do: Again, keep water out of the ears. The ears don’t need to be cleaned, and they don’t like getting wet.
After showering, dry around the ear with a towel. If you really can’t keep the water out, you can always saturate the cotton ball with Vaseline and then put it in the ear canal.
You can also put a couple drops of mineral oil or baby oil in the ear once a week. This will lubricate your ear canal, dissolve the wax, and help prevent itchiness and dryness.
The earwax should work its way out. If it doesn’t, we’d be glad to help! Continue to use the mineral oil however, as it will make the job much easier once you get to our office.
