How to Get Rid of Ear Wax

How to Get Rid of Ear Wax
Before you Begin .Saline Solution . Hydrogen Peroxide. Vinegar and Alcohol. Baby or Mineral Oil. What Not To Do

The ear is composed of external, middle (tympanic) (malleus, incus, and stapes), and inner (labyrinth) (semicircular canals, vestibule, cochlea) portions. The auricle and external acoustic meatus (or external auditory canal) compose the external ear.
The external ear functions to collect and amplify sound, which then gets transmitted to the middle ear. The tympanic cavity (middle ear) extends from the tympanic membrane to the oval window and contains the bony conduction elements of the malleus(The hammer-shaped bone that is the outermost of the three small bones in the mammalian middle ear. Also called hammer.), incus( An anvil-shaped bone between the malleus and the stapes in the mammalian middle ear. Also called anvil. ), and stapes(The innermost of the three small bones of the middle ear, shaped somewhat like a stirrup. Also called stirrup. ). The primary functionality of the middle ear is that of bony conduction of sound via transference of sound waves in the air collected by the auricle to the fluid of the inner ear. The inner ear, also called the labyrinthine cavity, is essentially formed of the membranous labyrinth encased in the bony osseus labyrinth. The labyrinthine cavity functions to conduct sound to the central nervous system as well as to assist in balance.
Earwax is a natural substance that helps protect the ear and ear canal, sometimes it builds up, causing hearing difficulties or discomfort. Earwax can be cleaned from the ear, but take care not to damage any of the sensitive parts of the ear while doing so. This article should help you remove earwax safely and effectively, while steering you clear of some of the more dangerous and ill-advised methods.

Method 1 of 6: Before you Begin

1- Make sure you don't have an ear infection to begin with. If you have an ear infection, clearing away excess earwax could lead to a perforated eardrum.[1](Ironically, earwax actually protects against infections.) Do not proceed with any of the methods, especially ear irrigation, if you:
• Have had problems with irrigation in the past
• Have had a perforated eardrum within the past year
• Have mucus-like discharge draining from your ear

2- When in doubt, see a doctor. Draining or removing earwax from your ear canal may not sound like a risky procedure, but it has the possibility of turning bad if you don't know what you're doing. If your ear hurts, don't risk it. Instead, see a doctor and consult with them about the following procedures.

Method 2 of 6: Saline Solution

1:In a glass, mug, or saucepan, mix together 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix until the salt is dissolved.
2:Soak a cotton ball in the saline solution.
3:Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the saline solution easier.
4:Take the soaked cotton ball and squeeze some of the salt water into the ear.A few drops are more than enough; don't drown your ear canal.
• Wait for gravity to bring the saline solution down through the wax.
5:Tilt your head the opposite way and wait for the salt water to drain out.

Method 3 of 6: Hydrogen Peroxide

1:In a glass or mug, mix together equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide (3%). There are some stronger hydrogen peroxide solutions (6%+), but they may not be available OTC. Stick with 3% or lower.
2:Soak a cotton ball in the peroxide solution.
3:Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the solution easier.
4:Take the soaked cotton ball and squeeze some of the peroxide solution into the ear. A few drops are more than enough.
• Wait for gravity to bring the peroxide down through the wax. You should feel a tingling sensation as the bubbles fizzle in your ear.
5: Tilt your head the opposite way and wait for the solution to drain out.

Method 4 of 6: Vinegar and Alcohol

1:In a glass or mug, mix together equal parts white vinegar and rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. This mixture is especially effective for swimmer's ear, which is an infection of the outer ear canal brought about by water residue being trapped in the ear after swimming.[2] This is because alcohol helps water evaporate.
2:Soak a cotton ball in the vinegar solution.
3:Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the solution easier.
4:Take the soaked cotton ball and squeeze some of the vinegar solution into the ear. A few drops are more than enough.
• Wait for gravity to bring the vinegar down through the wax. You should feel a warming sensation as the alcohol hits the skin and dissolves.
5:Tilt your head the opposite way and wait for any remaining solution to drain out, if necessary.

Method 5 of 6: Baby or Mineral Oil

1:Apply baby oil or mineral oil directly into the ears. Fill a medicine dropper with your choice of drops.
2:Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the solution easier.
3:Squeeze two to five drops of the oil into the ear.
4:Place a cotton ball into the ear to keep the oil from dripping right out again. Allow the oil to set for several minutes.
5:Remove the cotton ball. Bend your head and allow the oil to drip from your ear.
6:Use a saline spray or water at room temperature to flush out ear wax.
• This can be used bi-weekly to help clean the canal and reverse the buildup of ear wax, although earwax is naturally protective and there's no reason to use it every day.

Method 6 of 6: What Not To Do

1:Don't use Q-Tips for deep cleaning. Q-Tips can be used in the outer ear to remove superficial earwax, but don't dig into the ear canal with a Q-Tip. The tissue in your ear canal is extremely delicate; it's easy to introduce infections by smashing into any of the tissue near the tympanic membrane, or eardrum.
• Another reason that doctors advice against using Q-Tips to remove substantial buildup in the ear is that you're likely to push more earwax into the canal than you are likely to bring it out. If that's the case, what's the point in using a Q-Tip?

2:Don't use ear candles. Ear candling is when you place a cone-shaped device into the ear, light a candle on the far end of the spout, and let the pressure of the candle vacuum out the earwax. That's the theory, at least. Ear candling doesn't work, and is dangerous, for the following reasons:
• Earwax is sticky. The pressure that it would take to "vacuum" earwax from the ear canal would be so great that it would unfortunately rupture your eardrum. This is because earwax is sticky and doesn't move readily.
• Ear candling can deposit candle-wax into your ear. Instead of taking earwax from your ear, candling can easily deposit candle-wax into your ear. That's because you're lighting a candle perilously close to your ear, on a device that funnels into your ear.
• Ear candling can be dangerous. There are a host of medical problems waiting to happen as soon as you decide to use an ear candle:[3]
• The air inside the ear can become so hot that it can burn the inner ear.
• The candle can accidentally result in a fire if care is not taken.
• The procedure may result in a perforated eardrum.

3:Don't spray any liquids into the ear with force. Doctors may do this but you should not. Liquids that are thrust into the ear canal may get past the tympanic membrane and cause an ear infection. Liquids that are thrust against the tympanic membrane may cause damage to the inner ear.