Have you ever heard of this way of getting wax out of your ears?

This is @hearkats field of expertise…she gave me great advice for my son. Track her down!

My Grandma used to use warm oil. So I guess it’s a classic.

I’ve always been told not to put drops of any kind into your ear unless directed by your doctor to do so. I vaguely remember something bad about mineral oil and ears, but I’m too tired to look it up. Tomorrow.

Ear wax is there for a reason. Keep it from showing too much, clean up around your ear. But don’t clean in your ear.

i did it once, it worked but i don’t have mineral oil lying around.
probably should…

Here’s the process Apparently quite safe.

Here’s another helpful hint to fix swimmer’s ear: a few drops of rubbing alcohol.

I’ve heard of this working.

But frankly, I can’t imagine having that kind of free time. One hour per ear?!

@bythebay: Thanks for the recommendation!

Ear wax is like mucus… it is part of our body’s natural defense mechanism. The vast majority of people should not concern themselves with it, because it takes care of itself. The wax is there to catch dirt, debris, and critters in order to prevent them from damaging the delicate structures of the hearing mechanism. There are tiny hairs that push the wax toward the opening of the ear canal, so we can wash it away with our washcloth as we shower. That is all we need to do to clean our ears!

Cotton swabs not only push the wax in deeper, past where the hair can get to it, but they also shear off the hair—damaging and potentially destroying nature’s own amazing self-cleaning system. In addition, the fibers on the swab can abrade the thin skin in the ear canal, leaving tiny scratches… like all scrapes, they itch as they heal; so we go in and scratch the itch with another swab and make it worse! It’s a horrible cycle, and a hard habit to break… I know, because my mother dug in my ears when I was a kid just like everyone else’s.

Some people have very narrow ear canals, or very hard/dry wax, or over-productive glands that make too much wax. Some people are prone to external ear infections (“swimmer’s ear”). These people may benefit from use of ear drops. Exactly what substance is best depends on that person’s particular situation. Therefore, it is a good idea to be evaluated by an Ear Specialist (ENT, Otologist, Otolaryngologist) for a proper evaluation of your unique conditions to get an appropriate recommendation.

@cprevite: I usually suggest watching a TV program or something while the drops soak in. You could even Fluther while laying on your side… especially if you gave an iPhone. :-D

@hearkat: So, is the mineral oil thing bad? What about the thing @SeventhSense mentioned? Can it hurt?

I don’t use a wash cloth when I shower. I usually just use a cotton swab on the outer ear when I first get out of the shower and my ears are still wet. Is that okay? (I recently stopped using it on the inner ear. You’re right, it’s SO hard!)

For some reason, some people have a tendency to build up too much ear wax. It can build up enough to block the external ear canal. If this happens, or if you are one of those prone to such build up, you can clean your ears safely but it is a good idea to talk to your doctor if this is a frequent problem.

And yes, the short answer is that mineral oil is one of the acceptable home remedies, although apparently a drop of oil twice a day for several days may work as well as lying on one side with oil in your ear for an hour. Other substances that can be used this way are glycerin, hydrogen peroxide or even warm water (follow the water with a bit of rubbing alcohol to dry the canal).

However, if you have a severe problem or a home remedy does not resolve the problem, you need to see your doctor.

The long answer starts here.

According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of earwax blockage may include:

* Earache
* Feeling of fullness in the involved ear
* Ear noise (tinnitus)
* Decreased hearing in the involved ear

However, because these same things can signal quite different problems, the first time you certainly need to go to a doctor to be certain that it is earwax causing the problem. Until you have established that you are at higher risk than normal of ear wax build up you may want to see your doctor each time until a pattern is seen.

Your doctor can easily remove excess wax from your ears in the office. However, if your doctor feels that you are especially prone to ear blockages you can use a wax-removal medication, such as carbamide peroxide (Debrox, Murine Ear Drops), every four to eight weeks as a preventive measure, as suggested by your doctor. These drops can irritate the delicate skin of the eardrum and ear canal, and so should be used only on the advice of your doctor.

There are some home remedies that the Mayo Clinic suggests may be helpful. These are as follows:

“Home Remedies -

* Soften the wax. Use an eyedropper to apply a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil, glycerin or hydrogen peroxide in your ear canal twice a day for no more than four to five days. This will soften the wax.
* Use warm water. After a day or two when the wax is softened, use a rubber-bulb syringe to gently squirt warm water into your ear canal. Tilt your head and pull your outer ear up and back to straighten your ear canal. When finished irrigating, tip your head to the side to let the water drain out.
* Dry your inner ear. When finished, dry your outer ear with a towel or a hand-held hair dryer. Dry your ear canal by applying one full eyedropper of rubbing alcohol, then tip your head to the side to drain the alcohol. However, do this only if your doctor advises it. If you have a hole in your eardrum or a sore in your ear canal, the alcohol can be painful and may even damage the inner ear, affecting your hearing and balance.

You may need to repeat this wax-softening and irrigation procedure several times before the excess earwax falls out. However, the softening agents may only loosen the outer layers of the wax. If your symptoms don’t improve after a few treatments, see your doctor.

Earwax removal kits available in stores also can be effective at removing wax buildup. If you’re unsure which one is right for you, ask your doctor for advice on how to properly use other earwax-removal methods.”

Using a Q tip just shoves the wax way down into your ear worse. I have really waxy ears i know it’s gross and I have to have my mom who is a nurse squirt water in them every couple months to get the wax out. That works best for me. She uses a little bulb syringe like you use on a baby.

My sister used to use hydrogen peroxide for swimmer’s ear.
Like Hearkat said, most people probably don’t need to bother.

That being said, I love cleaning my ears and do it anyway.
It doesn’t take an hour…probably less than five minutes.

The timing is kind of like microwaving popcorn.
After you pour a small amount into your ear,
these tiny bubbles will form and rise to the surface.

It’ll sound a lot more dramatic (in your ear) than it looks.
When the popping slows down, you can dump it all out
onto a paper towel or wadded up kleenex.

Warning: Process is ridiculously tickly!
You may giggle hysterically the first time you do it.
Keep a napkin handy to catch any stray dribbles.

I often recommend Debrox, which you can buy over the counter. Works like a charm, and even provides little fizzy bubbles in your ear, for added excitement.

@shilolo Your mention of fizzy bubbles piqued my curiosity.
(Because the same thing happens with hydrogen peroxide.)
I just googled it and found that carbamide peroxide is a source of hydrogen peroxide.
Basically, it releases about 35% hydrogen peroxide when exposed to water.

Is there an upside to this delay release?

Yes, it is the same thing. The other advantage to Debrox (I believe, I’m not pushing it) is that it is more viscous, which allows it to slowly enter and destroy the wax piece by piece. Regular hydrogen peroxide will drain out, quickly. Debrox is a bit like Draino for the ear…

@shilolo: thanks for the tip!
i’ll ask you the same question i asked hearkat: so, she said most people don’t need to clean the wax out of their ears, but it feels ickkkkyyyy. using the product you suggested won’t hurt anything just because i don’t “need” it right?

unfortunately, I don’t know much about the mineral oil tip. But I have learned that the best time to clean my ears is after I’ve just woken up. Sounds gross, but it’s better because you’ve sortof been warming up your ears all night rolling aroundon your pillow, which softens things up a bit in there. It seems like cleaning in or right after showering is more risky, as there’s a possibility of trapping water in there.

I used to get swimmer’s ear really badly every summer as a kid. I realized that one reason it would happen was because we’d always jump out of the pool and lie on the hot wet pavement (we called it “chicken frying”) and sometimes I’d lie with my ear against the pavement. When you get up, it creates a little ear-canal vacuum and sucks water up there from the wet pavement. Ouch.

Please let us know if you try the mineral oil, and whether it’s effective.

@La_chica_gomela It won’t hurt as far as I know. Just don’t use it every day.

@shilolo: thanks, you’re awesome!

@LC_Beta: I feel a kinship w/ you because we have the same two first initials on here (People call me LCG for short sometimes). I tried it today, and I didn’t really see any earwax come out. I had a hard time figuring out how to put drops into my own ear from a bottle that dispenses in large squirts, but I rigged up a way, and then I laid down to read a book while the oil did its thing. When I turned over, the mineral oil did seem to come out, but it was just clear, didn’t seem earwaxy, and the rest of the day I’ve had a strong urge to dig into my ears with Q tips like I used to before I knew that was bad. It’s like an itch you can’t scratch! Now I want some of that stuff shilolo recommended just to get the rest of the mineral oil out!

Straight peroxide and alcohol may be too drying for some; mineral oil may be to greasy for others. That is why each individual should speak to a physician about their particular symptoms and biology.

Earwax removal drops (Debrox is the best known among several brands) are thicker and less drying than straight peroxide, so they are more effective at breaking down and softening the wax.

Sorry- my patient came in and I wasn’t done…

If you have never been told by someone who looked in your ear that you have a wax build-up, then these substances are may well be completely unneccesary. If you can hear well, and have no pain or discomfort in your ears, do not put anything in them. If your hearing seems muffled or you have ear pressure or pain, then please consult a physician to have your ears examined. Such symptoms may be due to wax build-up, but there are numerous other conditions with similar symptomatology.

<—so grateful for jellies who share their knowledge!

@hearkat
Good point. Consult an M.D. if there is serious blockage. I’ve never had issues with my ears. I just gently swab the outer ear canal with a Q tip.

This looks like a good alternative…an electronic ear drier.

The only problem is why does a glorified hair dryer cost $100?!!!

@timothykinney: I have one and I recommend it to my patients that have moisture problems… it is specially manufactured so that the temperature, air pressure, and noise levels will not damage your ears or hearing (like a hair dryer will). It also has a rechargeable battery that lasts a long time, and interchangeable, washable tips for use by multiple people in the household.