What is ear wax and can you prevent earwax build-up
You can’t prevent earwax. It’s there to protect your ears from dirt and germs.
But you can keep using eardrops to soften the wax to reduce it building up. This will help the wax fall out on its own and can prevent blocked ears. However some people are troubled by ear wax throughout their life and this is when professional removal is needed.
Causes of earwax
You might have earwax build-up because:
- you just have more wax in your ears – some people do naturally produce more wax that others.
- you have hairy or narrow canals (the tubes that link the eardrum and outer ear)
- of your age – wax gets harder and more difficult to fall out as we get older.
- of hearing aids, earplugs and other things you put in your ear – these can push the wax further in
How to tell if your ear is blocked with earwax
You can have:
- earache
- difficulty hearing
- itchiness
- dizziness
- an ear infection
- sounds such as high-pitched tones coming from inside the ear (tinnitus)
Once the earwax is removed, these symptoms usually improve. Contact me to book an appointment.
Wax removal on the NHS
Unfortunately this service has been significantly reduced over the years and many GP practices are no longer offering the service.
How you can treat earwax build-up yourself
Important
Do not use your fingers or any objects like cotton buds to remove earwax. This will push it in and make it worse.
Putting in olive or almond oil in a few times a week can help to prevent build up.
Over 2 weeks lumps of earwax may fall out of your ear, especially at night when you’re lying down.
There’s no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums get rid of earwax.
If this is unsuccessful, speak to a pharmacist as they might recommend you use sodium bicarbonate drops to dissolve the earwax. The earwax should fall out on its own or dissolve after about a week.
Do not use drops if you have a hole in your eardrum (a perforated eardrum).
If your ear wax continues to cause a problem or your ear is badly blocked, you might need this professionally removing by a trained practitioner. Please make contact to book an appointment for ear irrigation
