How to Treat Earwax Blockage
Earwax blockage is caused by earwax that builds up and blocks the external ear canal. Some people never experience earwax buildup, while others deal with it on an almost monthly basis.
The most common signs or symptoms of an earwax blockage, also known as cerumen impaction, are ear pain, decreased hearing, ringing in the ear, and for some, a feeling like you're wearing an earplug.
Most situations of earwax blockage don't cause extreme discomfort, but any pain may often be relieved through the use of acetaminophen.
Learning how to treat an earwax blockage will keep the ears healthy and help prevent hearing loss.
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Instructions
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1
Buy a box of earwax softening ear drops at your local drugstore. Read the instructions before attempting to use the product. They are generally very easy to follow, but read them through once before you begin the treatment process, because it will be difficult to stop mid-way through to read instructions.
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2
Lie down or tilt your head, with the blocked ear pointed upward, toward the ceiling. If you can have someone help you, have him or her gently pull the ear up and back to help expose the ear canal. If you're doing this by yourself, hold the ear drops in your dominant hand and manipulate your ear by yourself. If you want to, you can try to do this while looking in your medicine cabinet mirror, but doing so often confuses some individuals.
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3
Slowly squeeze the correct number of drops that the instructions call for into the ear canal. You can easily feel each drop as it lands in your ear. Try to keep your head tilted for about 15 or 20 minutes to allow the ear drops to work without running out of the ear. Some individuals also use a piece of cotton to help keep the eardrops in the ear canal.
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4
Sit up slowly, and lean the affected ear downward. Remove the cotton ball, if used. Fill a plastic bowl with warm (not hot) water and taking the rubber bulb syringe, fill it with the warm water.
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Gently squeeze the warm water into the ear canal. Do this repeatedly until your ear feels like it's unplugged. Repeat the process if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
Never stick anything into your ear to try and retrieve a wad of earwax. You may push the earwax deeper into the ear canal and may even damage your eardrum.
If the earwax blockage doesn't seem improved, schedule a visit with your doctor so he or she may use special tools to remove the earwax.
