What Is Earwax and Its Causes
What causes the buildup of excessive ear wax in a person’s ear? Should this be a cause for worry? Here are some facts about ear wax and why it may sometimes build up more than you feel is normal:
- Ear wax is a common enough substance that people have in their ears and is actually an important part of the ear since this stops dust particles and other foreign objects from entering the inner ear.
- When ear wax is removed from your ears, this triggers the production of more ear wax. This is because ear wax is a protective substance that the ear produces to help keep foreign objects out.Removal of ear wax can trigger the production of more earwax than is necessary.
- The blockage of ears or problems with hearing loss due to ear wax is not caused by the wax itself but by the actions of the person who is trying to clean the ear wax out of his ears. When a person pushes the ear wax further into the ears with the use of a cotton swab, this can actually cause a blockage of the ear and can cause possible hearing problems.
Causes of Excessive Earwax
The buildup of earwax in a person’s ear can indicate a few problems. Here are some possible reasons:
- When a person does not clean their ears the right way, this can trigger the production of excessive earwax. The proper way of cleaning one’s ears is to clean out the area near the opening of the ear and not all the way inside. Doing this may only push the wax deeper into the ear causing a blockage and hearing problems.
- People with hearing aids are prone to having an excessive buildup of earwax due to the fact that their hearing aid can block the opening of the ear canal and can stop the natural cleaning process of the ears. Since ears clean themselves out regularly, a hearing aid that blocks the opening of the ear will prevent this from happening and may promote the accumulation of earwax in the ear canal.
Earwax Removal, Home Remedies To Remove Earwax
If you find that you have excess ear wax in your ear canal, here are some tips on how to safely remove this buildup:
- Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear while leaning your head to the side. After a few minutes, flush out the hydrogen peroxide with a dropper full of warm water and tilt your head to the other side to drain it.
- Warm oil can also be used to flush out excess ear wax. Just warm up some clean olive oil and drop a few drops of this in your ear. Lean to the other side after twenty seconds to drain out the oil and the melted ear wax with it.