Earwax may be unsightly but it’s only a problem when it starts to affect your hearing.
Earwax itself is not a problem. It’s a naturally occurring substance that actually protects, cleans and lubricates the ear canal. Earwax is only a problem when excess wax builds up and is compacted, potentially leading to hearing loss, tinnitus, earache, discharge or uncomfortable fullness in your ears.
Put away the swabs
Cleaning out your ears with a cotton swab is a bad idea. Even the cotton swab packaging tells you not to use in your ear, yet many people still do. When using a cotton swab to clean your ears, you may pick up a tiny amount of earwax, yet the bulk of the wax just gets compacted and jammed further into the outer ear canal. Pretty soon, it’s time to go to the doctor to undo the damage done by using swabs.
Safety first
Using an ear wax cleaning tool, which are available at several retailers, can provide a simple, quick and affordable solution to deal with both earwax buildup and ear itchiness. Most earwax tools are made of a soft plastic and will have a scoop end which is an effective way to remove unwanted earwax. These tools should not be used on the outer ear canal but will scoop out wax much better than a cotton swab.
Daily use of an ear cleaning tool will fend off the buildup of excess ear wax, eliminating the need to go to a doctor.