The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. Your ear never stops working, even when you’re asleep!

What is earwax?

Earwax is a normal, healthy substance made up of oil and sweat secreted from glands in your outer ear canal, scales from your skin and dust particles. Earwax helps to keep your ears healthy. It is anti-fungal and antibacterial. You do not need to wash, scrape or poke wax out of your ears because the wax, along with the skin, usually falls out without you noticing it.

What causes a wax blockage?

In most cases you do not need to clean your ears as your ears are self-cleaning.

Occasionally, wax can build up and cause a blockage. A number of things may cause this.

For example, you may find that earwax is a problem if you have narrow ear canals, if you work in a dusty or dirty environment, or if you wear earplugs a lot. If you use a hearing aid, the ear mould may interfere with the natural process of skin and wax moving out of your ear.

This can cause wax to build up in your ear canal. Men are more likely to get wax blockages than women, and older people are more likely to get them than younger people.

Ear care

If you look after your ears, you can help to prevent wax blockages forming in the first place. Never poke anything in your ears such as fingers, cotton buds or matches. Try to avoid very dusty, dirty or smoky places as these things can combine with wax to form a blockage.

Should I try to remove a wax blockage myself?

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have a perforated eardrum, are prone to ear infections, have been told to keep your ears dry, or had past surgery or injury to your ears, then consult a doctor before applying any of the treatment options below.

Ear drops

The simplest type of eardrop is ordinary olive oil. This can be the same olive oil you cook with; alternatively you can buy small bottles from your local chemist. This softens the wax, helping it to move out naturally.

Use a dropper to apply the oil more easily. Warm the oil up to NO MORE than body temperature and lie down on one side. Fill your ear with oil and stay in that position for 5-10 minutes. Do not put any cotton wool in your ear, as this will absorb the oil and stop it from working into the wax.

After 5-10 minutes, sit up, holding a tissue to your ear to catch the oil as it runs out of your ear. Then, if necessary, do the same thing in the other ear. Olive oil is unlikely to cause any irritation to your ear, but it takes a long time to have an effect on the wax.

You will need to repeat this treatment daily for up to two weeks.

Alternatively consult your local chemist for advice on other ear drops.

Eardrops (including olive oil) may at first make your ears more blocked up, as the wax softens and expands. However it needs to go through this phase so that it can come out of your ear.

Syringing

Most cases of wax can be solved by ear drops alone.

However, if there is a big build-up, the drops may not be enough and you may need to have your ears syringed. If this is the case, then see your local GP who will advise you if you need syringing.

This is usually done by a nurse and it involves flushing out the wax with a stream of water.

In young children and people with ear problems such as a perforated eardrum, your GP will not syringe the ears as this could damage the ears. Instead, they may refer you to a local ear specialist who will remove the wax with a different method.

What can I do when my ears itch?

Do not be tempted to scratch your ears or poke anything in them to stop the itching. If your ears itch then you can buy a product over the counter called Ear Calm Spray.

It is a mild vinegar solution and helps to restore the natural acidity of your ear canal. People often find that if they make lots of wax their ears itch. The Ear Calm Spray will help with this. If this doesn’t work then book an appointment to see your GP for a review.