Feeling a sense of discomfort in your ears? Do they feel blocked, and you can barely hear? It is possible that the build-up of earwax in the ear canal is causing that stuffed feeling, which is accompanied by itching and pain. Earwax is a common problem, but if not treated at the right time, it can cause complications.
Earwax or cerumen is a natural substance produced as part of the body’s defense mechanism against bacteria and other foreign particles. It acts as a natural lubricant that traps the dirt while reducing the growth of bacteria. Earwax removal should not be done on a regular basis but only as and when required. It is a natural protection for the inner ear and eardrum.
How To Get Rid Of Earwax
Many times, since the earwax hardens, it becomes difficult for it to fall off on its own. Softer wax tends to come off easily. Hence, most remedies for the removal of earwax will try to soften it to bring it out towards the exterior portion of the ear.
Clean Ears With Hydrogen Peroxide
- You Will Need
- 3% hydrogen peroxide solution
- Water
- Cotton ball
- Mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water to make a solution.
- Tilt your head sideways, with your wax-filled ear facing the ceiling. Using the cotton ball, squeeze some of this solution in your blocked ear.
- Let it settle for some time. Now, tilt your head towards the floor so that the extra solution can trickle out.
A single use of this remedy should give relief from the blocked ear.
Even though it has a chemical name, hydrogen peroxide is absolutely natural. It is merely water reinforced with additional oxygen. All living organisms produce hydrogen peroxide naturally as a natural immune response to infection. Hydrogen peroxide bought from the medical store is chemically produced by passing compressed gas through a water solution. It can be used to remove earwax. It is also a disinfectant that will keep ear infections at bay
Coconut Oil For Earwax
You Will Need
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Dropper
What You Have To Do
- Lightly warm up the oil and using the dropper, pour a few drops slowly in the affected ear.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes. Now, tilt your head to remove the melted ear wax.
- How Often You Should Do This
- Repeat this process if required.
Why This Works
Coconut oil is very useful to get rid of earwax. It contains medium chain fatty acids similar to sebum, and hence can be used without any worry. As it is also natural and effective against microbes, it lowers the risk of any infection. It may actually kill a wide range of harmful bacteria that accumulate due to the wax build-up
Clean Ears With Alcohol
You Will Need
- 1 part rubbing alcohol
- 1 part white vinegar
- What You Have To Do
- Mix the two ingredients and flush your ear with this solution to get rid of earwax build-up.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this every few weeks to keep your ears clean and infection-free.
Why This Works
A mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol helps dissolve the earwax. Alcohol serves as a drying agent and evaporates when the temperatures are low. Vinegar has astringent properties and fights microbial infections.
Almond Oil For Ear Wax
- You Will Need
- Almond oil
- Dropper
- What You Have To Do
- Fill a dropper with almond oil at room temperature. Use it in the same way as the coconut oil.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this as and when required.
Why This Works
Almond oil is another lubricant that assists in the elimination of earwax. The almond oil softens the wax and makes it easy to remove.
Clean Ears With Baby Oil
- You Will Need
- Baby oil
- Dropper
- Cotton ball
What You Have To Do
- Put a few drops of the baby oil with a dropper or a cotton ball into the blocked ear.
- Block the opening of the ear by using another cotton ball. This way, excess oil will not ooze out. Remove the cotton ball from the ear after some time.
- How Often You Should Do This
- This home remedy can be used every few weeks.
Why This Works
Baby oil is a mineral oil with the addition of a mild, soothing fragrance. Mineral oil is a by-product of petroleum. It is an effective moisturizer and lubricant and softens earwax in no time, making it easy to remove.
Olive Oil For Earwax
- You Will Need
- Virgin olive oil
- Cotton ball or dropper
What You Have To Do
- Warm up the oil for a few seconds in the microwave.
- Pour warm olive oil with a dropper or a cotton ball as described earlier for coconut oil.
- How Often You Should Do This
- Repeat for a few days regularly so that the hardened wax gets ultimately dislodged.
Why This Works
Olive oil is very helpful in softening hardened wax in ears. As it is greasy, it acts on the hardened wax and makes it pliable and easy to remove. Some studies have also indicated that virgin olive oil has strong bacteria destroying properties.
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Mawuena Workartey/ Ghanahospitals.org
