Otosclerosis | Ear Wax

EAR WAX

Ear wax (cerumen) is a natural product secreted by special skin glands in the ear canal.  It is very much like oil which keeps your skin soft on other parts of your body.  It ranges from orange to almost black, from soupy like syrup to crumbly hard.  It is NOT dirty!  It protects the ear canal from various skin infections and conditions.  It is manufactured near the outer opening to the ear hole, and naturally migrates towards the surface, if left undisturbed.

Unfortunately, in a mistaken attempt to stay “clean,” people attempt to clear ear wax with a variety of tools (Q-tips, bobby pins, keys, pipe cleaners!).  They usually push the wax in deeper, but often successfully clean the ears too completely, leaving the delicate skin of the ear canal unprotected.  These people often complain of chronic itching, or may develop bacterial or fungal skin infections of the ear canal.   Occasionally, they will puncture the ear drum attempting to clean the ears out.  Wax does not hurt, but when a solid piece of wax presses against the ear drum, this can be uncomfortable and often muffles the hearing as well.  Left undisturbed, it is far more likely that the ears will be self cleaning though there are a small number of people who need help cleaning excess ear wax.  People who wear hearing aids or noise or water protection ear plugs can have more than the usual trouble with wax being forced down into the ear canals.  (Even a little bit of ear wax can plug the small tubes of a hearing aid.)

As we age, the outer opening to the ear canal collapses to a variable degree and then the wax may not move towards the surface as readily (like a penny in a bottle, the canal remains open but the opening is narrow).  These people are at greater risk of getting plugged up with the use of Q-tips or similar because the cotton tip of the Q-tip is just large enough to completely fill the hole, so anything in there gets pushed in deeper.

For most people, a fingertip and a tissue wiped in the outer hole will serve to clear away that wax which has come to the surface so they will not look “dirty”.   The wax removal kits available over-the-counter seem to work but are a little harsh and moderately expensive.  Mineral oil (or baby oil or olive oil), one drop to each ear once weekly, and then, optionally, a half cap full of regular peroxide once monthly is a very gentle, safe, and cheap way to keep ears clean.  Do NOT place any liquids in your ear canal if you have a known perforation or the ear drum, or if you have pain or liquid drainage, without your doctor’s consent.

While adults using Q-tips regularly scuff up the skin in the canal, and occasionally stir up bleeding, or even puncture the ear drum, it is especially important NOT to teach children to use Q-tips (even by example), because they are much more likely to have accidents and cause injury.

“Swimmer’s Ear” is a bacterial infection of the ear canal, usually caused not by swimming, but by too clean ear canals.  It involves rapid development (<24hrs.) of intense pain, drainage, and muffled hearing.  It usually requires a doctor’s assistance to clear.  A fungal infection of the ear canal, again usually caused by too thorough cleaning, will involve fairly intense itching, muffled hearing, and the feeling/sound of moisture in the ear canal, but no drainage and usually no pain.  It may develop over several days to weeks.  Again, a doctor’s assistance to clear the build up of debris and supply appropriate medications will usually be necessary.

DANGER:  Ear candling is a popular way to clear ear wax.  The explanation is that the draft from the burning candle will suction the wax out of the ear canal.  The ear canal is sealed at the bottom by the ear drum.  No amount of suction will cause the wax to come up out of the ear canal, because there is no air flow.  The people who advertise candling will point to a build up in the bottom of the candle which they claim is ear wax.  This is probably burned wax and ash from the taper.  The FDA has condemned ear candling after numerous reports of injuries ranging from hot wax dripping on the face, hair or ears to catching hair on fire, etc.  If you like the idea of a warm dark room with soothing music and pleasant aromas, please indulge yourself with a massage.  Just don’t let anyone candle your ears!!