Are you trying to beat all that excessive earwax that blocks up your ears and makes you request people to repeat what they are saying? Do not worry, just read the story to know all about this condition.
Earwax is a waxy substance, which is produced by the ear glands. It helps the skin from getting dry, infected, or cracked. It can be hard or soft, the soft substance is more prominent in children.
It is useful for the skin inside the ear, however, excessive earwax can cause several problem. It may be caused due to anything. In this story, you will encounter the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this condition.
Causes
Basically, the yellowish to dark brownish discharge from the ears is a normal body mechanism to protect the ears from certain problems that may rear their heads in the absence of earwax production.
If your body is producing excessive earwax, then there are chances that you are suffering from an infection that has afflicted your outer middle ear. In such a case, building up an earwax membrane is the body's way of limiting further entry of any microorganism, which could aggravate the situation.
It is useful for the skin inside the ear, however, excessive earwax can cause several problem. It may be caused due to anything. In this post, you will encounter the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this condition.
If you are a victim of ear trichosis, which basically means that you have an overwhelming growth of hair in your ears, then the body often secretes excess earwax to keep the hair growth from irritating the ear.
With most of us jamming headphones into our ears 24x7, we have given the body just one more reason to produce this substance. It is said that using the headphones for even an hour, continually, escalates the chances of bacteria flourishing in your ear by at least 3 times. Naturally, the body tries to counter this by the secretion of more wax than usual.
The wax of certain people is thicker, harder, and more viscous that other people. So, even a small build up seems like a lot. This happens as the hard substance is closely packed and wedged together, and thus blocks up the ear faster. Mostly with age, it dries up. This is rampant among old people.
People with constricted auditory canals feel that a massive amount has built up in their ears even when a very normal amount has been secreted.
Certain drugs enhance all bodily secretions, be it saliva, sweat, sebum, or wax. So, if your problem cropped up after you started off with a particular medicine, then probably that is the cause.
Benign protrusions in the external regions of the ear can also lead to this.
Your genes may also lead to the production of excess wax. If your ancestors had it, chances are you will go through it as well!
So, basically, this product is the body's cleaning solution, which not only flushes out internal impurities but also protects against undesired contaminants and lubricates our ears. But in extreme cases, we do see some rather painful symptoms.
Symptoms
Your ears start to pain from the inordinate pressure that you feel has built up within. It is more of an internal pain and not an auricular one. You even start to feel suffocated due to this pent-up pressure, which you seek immediate release from.
There is a constant ringing or booming noise within your ears. This condition is widely called tinnitus.
You have the constant urge to poke your finger into your ear and shake vehemently to relieve yourself from the incessant itchy sensation inside your ears.
Some people even feel giddy or subside into bouts of coughing when their ears secrete excessive earwax.
Reduced hearing powers is of course the most common symptom.
Treatment
Now you have to find out why you are a victim of this condition in the first place. If it is induced by a particular drug, then change the drug. If you have an infection, then get it treated by seeking proper medicinal help. But other than that, you will have to indulge in a proper treatment.
The best way is squirting some lukewarm water into the auditory canal with the help of a syringe-like plunger with an angled nozzle. This rinses off the wax layer and is called the irrigation method.
In a similar manner, a few droplets of mineral oil, which are slightly warm can also be employed in the same way.
One must allow the oil to thaw the wax wall for like 5 seconds and then flow out. But remember that the oil mustn't be steaming hot and one must slant his ear downwards to facilitate the exit of the oil.
Another way is the employment of a curet, which is a surgical instrument molded like a scoop to remove the substance.
Sometimes, in our attempts to clear this product out, we end up embedding it even deeper. Sometimes, vehement plunges with the swabs have even ruptured the eardrums in many cases.
In such cases, further uses of cotton swabs must immediately be ceased, and then, an ENT specialist must be approached. He will either use a curet to remove residual earwax or cerumen, which he shall view through a special microscope or suck the wax out.
In case of children, parents can use hydrogen peroxide. Just purchase 3% hydrogen peroxide, drip it into the ear of the kid with a dropper, and then let it stay for some seconds. Lastly, use rubbing alcohol to flush the ear and dry out the auditory canal.
It is always better to seek the guidance of a doctor before you try out any of these treatments, especially in case of a child. That way, you may have to spend a little money, but at least, your body organs will be in safe hands and far from possible damage.
Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.