Earwax is useful!

The glands in the external meatus secrete fluids, which mix with dead skin and dust to form earwax.Cerumen is the name found in most textbooks for wax.

Earwax (cerumen) forms a protective coating of the skin in the ear canal. Small amounts are made all the time. Flakes or crusts of earwax break off and fall out of the ear from time to time.

The ear pushes this secretion out of the ear canal (self-cleaning). However this system has become inefficient, particularly when we get older.

When this happens the ear canal may become blocked and thus will need help to remove the earwax.

My Ear Wax Removal Store

Function & Properties Of Wax

1, Acts as a lubricant, skin needs to be kept soft to provide a pliable protective surface.

2.Acidic-thought to provide a deterrent to visiting insects.

3.Reduces chances of infection by providing bacterial growth.

4. Colour variable- light brown when new, black when old and impacted.

5.Hygroscopic- absorbs water, this can leads to temporary blockage after swimming or bathing.

6. Water resistant- not easily washed away However if the cerumen has become compacted and difficult to remove, the recommended advice to someone would be to visit your doctor/surgery, as suitable qualified person must do earwax removal.

Although we tend to think of earwax as ‘gunk’ it is in fact a natural substance produced by the body to protect the ear canal. Earwax contains important chemicals that support the skin inside the ear canal and collects dirt to help keep the ear canal clean.

Get more info on Ear-OK to relieve pain, itching and discomfort of the ears and to treat bacterial, viral and fungal ear infections

Vacuuming

Vacuuming of the ear may be done by professionals or by home-vacuum kits. However,some home "ear vacs" were ineffective at removing earwax, especially when compared to a Jobson-Horne probe.

Home Ear Vacuum Kit

Survey of ear wax removal

A postal survey of British general practitioners found that only 19% always performed cerumen removal themselves; many delegated the task to practice nurses, some of whom had received no instruction. It is problematic as the removal of cerumen is not without risk. Irrigation can be performed at home with proper equipment as long as the person is careful not to irrigate too hard. All other methods should only be carried out by individuals who have been sufficiently trained in the procedure.

Alternative medicine

Advocates say that the dark residue that shows after the procedure is extracted earwax, proving the efficacy of the procedure. Studies have shown that in fact the same residue is left whether or not the candle (which is made of cotton fabric and beeswax and leaves a residue after burning) is inserted into an ear.

Learn more about ear candling

Syringing used to be the most common form of removal,(if the wax is solid, eardrops would have been prescribed to soften it prior to syringing).Using cotton buds to clean your ears may actually be pushing the wax into the ear, against the natural direction or migration.

How to syringe your ears at home

Earwax problems in children

The ear canal is an especially sensitive organ in young children and babies. During the first years of life, the ears are in charge of collecting the sounds around us, processing them, and sending sound signals to the brain for interpretation. Although we may be tempted to clean our children’s ears - the ‘gunk’ in the ear is in fact a natural substance produced by the body to protect the ear canal. Earwax contains important chemicals that support the skin inside the ear canal and collects dirt to help keep the ear canal clean.

Check your child's ear

More information on how to remove earwax safely!

Miracell-for Irritated, Itching Ears-**2 oz.**