How to safely remove earwax
<p>Earwax – for the most part you wouldn't know it's there.</p>
<p>What it lacks in appeal, it makes up for in function, protecting the ear canal from infection. But if you have too much of the stuff, things can turn nasty. </p>
<p>For the lowdown on earwax – both the good and bad – we asked someone who couldn't be more passionate about the subject, ear nurse Melitta Swanepoel from <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.theearclinic.co.nz/" target="_blank">The Ear Clinic</a></strong></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span> Here's what we learnt.</p>
<p><strong>1. What's the purpose of earwax?</strong></p>
<p>It acts as a mechanical barrier: it shields the skin in the ear canal from excessive moisture and acts as an acidity regulator, providing an acid cloak that inhibits bacterial and fungal infections.</p>
<p><strong>2. So it can protect us from germs and bacteria getting into the ear canal? But why so many ear infections then?</strong></p>
<p>Yes, it shields the canal from infections.</p>
<p>But infections can form when the acid balance is disrupted: for example, when lots of moisture builds up behind the wax in humid weather. Another example is when water gets caught behind wax after swimming or surfing. The moisture and water cannot get out and this produces the perfect medium for infection.</p>
<p><strong>3. Do some people produce more earwax than others? And why?</strong></p>
<p>Some people make a lot of wax and that's purely because of genetic reasons. Wax is made by small glands just inside the ear opening.</p>
<p><strong>4. What problems can too much earwax cause? </strong></p>
<p>Too much earwax can affect your hearing because, if your ear canal is blocked, sound waves can't penetrate down to the ear drum. And there's an increased chance of getting an infection because humidity or water that builds up behind the wax can't make itself out.</p>
<p>For some people, there is pain around the jaw and neck, and there can be difficulty with pain when flying, and tinnitus or ringing in the ears.</p>
<p><strong>5. What is the best way to remove earwax on a regular basis – do you recommend cotton swabs or just leaving it to remove itself naturally?</strong></p>
<p>Wax naturally travels out from the ear canal to your ear opening. You don't need to remove it as it typically dries up and falls out. You could clean it lightly with a wet tissue or cloth. We don't promote using cotton buds or swabs as they can puncture the ear drum.</p>
<p>The best and safest way to remove wax professionally is through the suction method. This is done while using a microscope so everything can be seen in the canal, while the ear is being cleaned, as opposed to the syringe method where the ears are syringed out blindly.</p>
<p><strong>6. Universally, people think earwax is a bit icky. Do we need to reassess our attitude to this important bodily secretion?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Earwax is not dirty. It is there for an important purpose, and only gets dirty when it gets infected.</li>
<li>Finally, some important notes around ear care.</li>
<li>If your ears are itchy and you are not hearing so well, you most likely need them cleaned.</li>
<li>If they feel sore and are sticky and weepy, you need to get them seen as soon as possible, as you most likely have an infection. This wax must be suctioned out so the antifungal or antibiotic drops can get in. These ears must never be syringed as this would make the infection worse.</li>
<li>Children with middle ear infections and children with grommets should have their ears checked regularly with a microscope so that any wax gathering around old grommets can be removed.</li>
<li>Surfers need to have their ears viewed at least once under a microscope as they can develop bony hills in their ears caused by the ear canal trying to protect itself from cold water. Wax can gather around these hills and cause bad blockages.</li>
<li>Swimmers who are competitive have to take extra care to keep their ears dry when they get out of the pool. They can invest in custom-made earplugs that help keep the ear dry; lightly blow drying the ears (while drying hair) can keep them dry, too.</li>
<li>Lastly, mothers shouldn't let children put their heads under in the bath as this can cause chronically sticky, infected ears. </li>
</ul>
<p>Does this article change the way you think about earwax? Let us know in the comments below.</p>
<p><em>Written by Aileen Nakhle, first appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
<p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/03/how-to-get-water-out-of-your-ear/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">7 ways to get water out of your ear </span></strong></em></a></p>
<p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/05/how-to-protect-your-ears-from-the-cold/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to protect your ears from the cold</span></em></strong></a></p>
<p><a href="/health/hearing/2016/05/problems-that-arise-from-untreated-hearing-loss/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">4 problems that arise from untreated hearing loss</span></em></strong></a></p>
