Ear wax is naturally produced by the skin of the ear canal. It helps to prevent infection in the outer ear and lubricates the skin. Normally, as wax is produced, it can move outwards as the jaw opens and closes, and it is shed out of the ear with some dead skin.
However, sometimes the wax can build up and block the ear. When this happens, the hearing can become muffled, you might feel off balance, and the ear might come uncomfortable or even painful. It doesn’t help when some people use cotton buds to try to remove the wax. Cotton buds can scratch the delicate lining of the ear canal, and can cause an infection, or push the wax further in - impacting it.
Wax can be dissolved by ear drops: the best type are sodium bicarbonate. You can administer 3 drops 3 times a day for 2 weeks in the affected ear. The drops can cause irritation or infection in some people. If they start to irritate your ears, stop the drops. They are better than olive oil which just sits on the surface of the wax, rather than dissolving it. In some people, the wax collapses inwards blocking the ear canal.
In the community, nurses sometimes syringe the wax out of the ears using water. Whilst it can be effective, this can sometimes trigger off an ear infection or damage the ear drum as it is done blindly.
There are some people who try hopi ear candles. If the hot wax drips down, it has been known to burn the entire ear drum, so it would be better to avoid this technique.
When the ears are completely blocked, I use various techniques to remove the wax, in the hospital. I use a microscope to directly visualise the wax. I use sterile instruments to remove the wax. I use a hook or grabbing forceps to pull harder wax out. I use microsuction (a small vacuum) to suck up soft wax into a tube and into a bin. Most people like the feeling of having their ears cleaned, but ears are delicate, so if I am hurting you, you must tell me to stop. The microsuction can be loud, so expect this and don’t make any sudden movements. The body continues to make wax. Some patients need to come to see me once a year and some need to come every 3-6 months to have the wax removed.