Do’s and Don’ts of Ear Wax Removal
Got clogged ears but suspect that your wireless earbuds aren’t the culprits? It might be the waxy buildup inside your ears!
Removing earwax buildup requires careful and deliberate methods. There are do’s and don’ts of ear wax removal that need to be followed so you can keep your ears healthy while you clean them.
Use prescribed ear drops.
Been experiencing ringing or a slight discomfort in your ears for some time now? Then maybe you should see an ENT specialist to check for potential hearing disorders.
But if your ears are starting to feel “full” and impacted even though you haven’t been using your gaming headset, it’s probably due to significant earwax buildup.
Your ENT doctor could first prescribe an allergy test to see if there are potential irritants that are causing the discomfort in your ear.
But if it’s a simple matter of an impacted cerumen (AKA earwax buildup), you will likely get a prescription for an ear drop that softens the wax enough so it gets dislodged on its own.
Never use a Q-tip to clean ears!
It could be a hard habit to break if you’ve been removing earwax with Q-tips since you were a child. But basic ear health care is being careful about what you put inside your ear — even the things that are supposed to clean them!
Those things are great for cleaning your outer ear, but not for retrieving ear wax. You’re really just pushing your ear wax deeper into your ear canal when you use a Q-tip.
Besides, your ear wax can get already get loose and rid itself if you take frequent warm water showers and go about your day eating, talking, and just moving your head.
This way, you won’t be subjecting your ear to potential injuries or even infections while you get clean.
See an ENT.
An ENT specialist has all the skills and tools to look into your ear and see if a family of spiders is living there (just kidding, though it’s been known to happen!).
It’s easy enough to treat earwax buildup, but seeing an ear doctor can help those with potential hearing disorders be properly diagnosed. For instance, if the discomfort is accompanied by slight hearing loss, then you might be referred to an audiologist to see if something else is the matter.
So beyond keeping your ears wax-free and clean, you’ll need to see an ENT regularly if you want to keep enjoying your favourite live music and be able to hear things optimally.
Avoid fad ear cleaning tools and techniques.
Photo by Sarah Chai from Pexels
You can clean your outer ear and surrounding areas as part of your skincare routine. But never fall for those fad and “must-have” contraptions you see advertised that promise to effectively get rid of your earwax at home.
The best ear wax removal centres in Singapore exist so you won’t have to experiment with Q-tips, hairpins, candling, and other dangerous techniques. These are safe, painless, and medically approved methods performed by trusted ENTs.