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There are several ways to unclog your ears safely, depending on what is causing your discomfort. Here, experts explain options for relief.
"The way we recommend to clean your ears is just with a washcloth or a towel on your finger." "Clean the outer area of the ear and just use your towel to mop up any water or gunk that's accumulated.
Try ear drops: Patients clean their ears with cerumenolytic agents, which help loosen ear wax, says Villagas, who notes that there are many over-the-counter options available. Mandal suggests ...
A 2004 study found that the "use of a cotton-tip applicator to clean the ear seems to be the leading cause of otitis externa in children and should be avoided." [19] Instead, wiping wax away from the ear with a washcloth after a shower almost completely cleans the outer one-third of the ear canal, where earwax is made. [20]
Earwax helps protect the ear by trapping dust and other foreign particles that could filter through and damage the eardrum. [5] Normally, earwax moves toward the opening of the ear and falls out or is washed away, but sometimes excessive earwax can gather and become hard to remove. This is referred to as excessive earwax or impacted cerumen. [21]
For example, very curvy ear canals, narrow ear canals, or surgical ears are more prone to earwax buildup. When wax builds up, it causes muffled hearing, tinnitus, or aural fullness (plugged-up ...
A bamboo ear pick with a down puff A metal ear pick. Ear picks, also called ear scoops, or ear spoons, or earpicks, are a type of curette used to clean the ear canal of earwax (cerumen). They are preferred and are commonly used in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia because Asians tend to develop dry ear wax. [1] [2]
Use mineral oil in the ear to soften the wax for several minutes, then rinse the ears with warm water in the shower. Some ear canals need professional cleaning, as they are more prone to wax build-up.