Ear wax is a naturally occurring substance in healthy ears, but it’s quite common for wax to build up in the ear canal and can impair hearing. Sometimes you may not even know you have a wax build up, or you may have a feeling of fullness in your ears, or you may have difficulty hearing. Ropata doctors and nurses can look into your ear and tell you if you have wax that needs removing. Some people build up wax very quickly and require regular wax removal.
Cleaning your ears at home
We strongly recommend that you do not use cotton tips to clean your ears.
Cotton tips can push wax further into the ear canal where it can get stuck. They can also scratch the delicate lining of the ear canal. The best way to clean your ears is to wash the outside of the ear with a flannel. For most people, leaving your ears alone is the best way to keep them clean. The skin inside your ear canals is like a conveyor belt moving from the inside of your ear to the outside, with the wax sweeping up the dust and debris.
Ear syringing process
Before your doctor performs an ear irrigation, they will want to look inside your ear to ensure that your symptoms are the result of excess wax buildup or foreign materials, and not something more serious.
You may be asked to put oil or wax softening drops into your ears for a couple of days if the wax looks too hard to irrigate out.
Your doctor may diagnose excess earwax by inserting an instrument called an otoscope into the opening of your ear. The otoscope shines a light into your ear and magnifies the image.
If wax buildup is the issue, your doctor will perform the irrigation in their office using a syringe-like tool. This tool will be used to insert water, or a water and saline mixture, into the ear to flush out the wax. You may feel slight discomfort from the water in your ear, or from holding your ear in place.