[Earwax]
Ear Cleaning at Home: What to Know
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Aktualisiert am Sep 5, 2024
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Many of us want to clean our ears at home, as part of our personal-care routines. That’s why so many bathrooms have packs of cotton swabs at the ready. But the truth is, most healthcare professionals don’t believe in at-home ear cleaning at all—it’s not easy, and there’s the distinct possibility that you will do long-lasting damage to your ear if you go too deep.
When using a Q-tip or cotton swab, you risk pushing earwax further into the ear, which can cause wax to compress against your eardrum (wax impaction) or worse, you may end up perforating your own eardrum. Worse still, it’s possible to do permanent damage to the tiny hearing bones that lay behind your eardrum.
That said, if you do want to do your part to de-gunk your ears, you should know how to do so safely and gently. Follow this advice, checking with your healthcare provider for their approval.
The goal of ear cleaning is to remove excess earwax, also known as cerumen, an oily substance our bodies secrete. The wax, however, serves a valuable purpose: It protects the ear canal and helps remove dirt, dead skin cells and the like. But too much earwax can become impacted, blocking the ear canal and causing hearing loss. This problem is especially prevalent among older people and those who wear hearing aids.
If you do want to do your part to keep your ears clean, it’s best to ask your trusted medical professional for guidance. Never try to clean your ears at home if you have a known perforation or hole in your eardrum, have an active ear infection, ear pain, or have a history of ear surgery.
“In some cases, home care might be part of a comprehensive overall ear management plan,” said Danica Billingsly, AuD, Assistant Professor of Audiology at Northern Illinois University. “However, such a plan should be led by a provider with experience in ear care and with knowledge of your specific ear health. Without such a plan, it is possible to do permanent damage to your ear or hearing.”
Providing you do not have an ear infection or other ear injury, there are home techniques your doctor might prescribe to help remove excess earwax, as noted above. One warning before exploring these options: Don’t jab anything into your ear canal, even a cotton swab.
To soften the earwax for removal, use an eyedropper to apply a few drops of mineral or olive oil, baby oil, glycerin, or hydrogen peroxide/water solution into your ear canal. However, always consult a doctor prior to using any homemade solution.
Although hydrogen peroxide is commonly used for home ear cleaning, you should be especially careful with the amount you use, as it can cause irritation. Homemade solutions should be diluted by at least a 1:1 ratio of water and hydrogen peroxide. You'll need to give the hydrogen peroxide solution some time (5-10 minutes) for the wax to soften, and then use a bulb syringe to gently squirt clean, fresh, room-temperature water into your ear canal. When using the gentler oils, it may take considerably longer and several applications to soften up the earwax.
“The biggest reason for...earwax is more than 50% [of it is] skin cells,” says Billingsly. “And you don't really want to put something in your ear that is good at dissolving skin cells, right? What most of the peroxides (hydrogen or carbamide) are doing is introducing oxygen bubbles under the dried wax to possibly lift it off the canal skin. And what most of the oils are doing is softening the dried skin areas that are catching and stuck.”
When rinsing, you should avoid using warm or cold water as, depending on how much water you use, this can activate the balance system and cause vertigo. Tilt your head so that your outer ear is facing up when the water goes in, then tip your head so that the ear faces down to let the water drain out. Then, gently dry your outer ear with a towel or hand-held dryer from a safe distance. Many patients like to do this over a sink or in the shower for easy cleanup.
This method is not entirely without risks and may not be effective, depending on the severity of the issue. You may need to repeat the procedure more than once before the excess earwax is flushed out, or the solution may only soften the outer layer of wax while the deeper layer is lodged further against the eardrum. Be careful about using only the amount of water recommended by your healthcare professional. If too much remains in the ear, it can create a breeding ground for an infection.
Eardrop solutions for ear cleaning are largely hit-or-miss. If your symptoms do not improve after a couple of applications, contact your healthcare provider for an evaluation.
These drops can be effective in cases where there is a small amount of earwax. To use the product, you should follow the instructions provided by the supplier. This usually involves tilting your head so that the ear you are cleaning is facing up and then using the drops as directed. (It may be easiest to do this while lying down). In most cases, you will need to let the solution settle in your ear canal for several minutes to soften the earwax. Then, tip your head so that the solution and any dislodged earwax can drain out. It is not uncommon to hear bubbling in the canal while the wax is softened. There should not be pain during this process.
This method is riskier than using ear drops and should be approached with great caution, only if recommended by your healthcare professional. Irrigation of the ear should never be attempted if the eardrum is damaged, if you have an ear infection, or if you have ever had surgery on your eardrum.
To use this method, fill the bulb syringe with clean, fresh, room-temperature water. Tilt your ear over a sink and insert the syringe into your ear and gently squeeze the bulb to squirt the water into your ear canal. Repeat a few times to dislodge and flush out the earwax.
When speaking with HearingTracker, Billingsly again cautioned to only try this technique if guided by your ear-care medical professional. In most cases, earwax removal is best left to those who are fully trained and can complete the process without risking damage.
Mara Brooks ist eine langjährige Journalistin und gebürtige New Yorkerin, die jetzt in Barre, Vermont lebt. Sie ist Kommunikationskoordinatorin für die Community of Vermont Elders und Redakteurin der Gemeindezeitungen The Charlotte News und The Hardwick Gazette. In ihrer Freizeit studiert Mara Jura und klassische Musik.
Dr. Gerhart ist eine Audiologin mit Erfahrung in der Pädiatrie bis zur Geriatrie, die in verschiedenen Umgebungen gearbeitet hat, einschließlich Privatpraxis und HNO-Kliniken. Sie leitete zuvor das Audiologie-Programm im Philadelphia School District. Ihre Leidenschaft ist es, Menschen mit Hörverlust zu helfen, den größtmöglichen Nutzen aus ihren Technologien zu ziehen und sie auf ihrem Weg zu besserem Hörvermögen zu begleiten.
