How to remove stubborn ear wax with natural remedies

Ear wax is a fatty substance produced in your ear canal. The wax, medically known as cerumen, cleans your ears, protects them from infection and lubricates the ear canal to stop it from becoming too dry.

Normally, ear wax will dry up and fall out of your ear over time. However, some people produce more than necessary, and the excess can accumulate in the ear canal and cause buildup or blockage. This is known as impacted ear wax.

Impacted ear wax is especially common among the elderly because wax tends to become harder and less mobile, so it is less likely to work its way out. Hearing aids or earplugs can also prevent extrusion and cause blockage.

Impacted ear wax may cause the following:

• A feeling of fullness in the ear

• Earache

• Difficulty hearing or hearing loss

• Ringing in the ear, known as tinnitus

• A feeling of itchiness in the ear

• Discharge from the ear

• Odor coming from the ear

• Dizziness

Natural remedies to effectively remove ear wax at home

Ear drops are liquid solutions, known scientifically as cerumenolytic agents, help thin, soften, break up, or dissolve ear wax, so it can leave the ear.

Drops are available over the counter. Typically, up to five drops are used at a time, one to two times daily, for three to seven days.

One study suggests that using them for five days is more likely to completely clear the excessive wax than no treatment at all.

There are other ways you can remove ear wax at home with natural substances, though they will likely take longer to work than ear drops.

Oils, such as baby oil, mineral oil, coconut oil, olive oil, or glycerin, a natural compound derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, can be used to soften and remove ear wax. Alternatively, you may also be able to remove ear wax with a baking soda solution.

However, it is important to note that these natural softening agents can sometimes have adverse effects, because they may only loosen the outer layer of the wax, which can then lodge deeper into the ear canal.

If your impacted ear wax symptoms do not improve after using these methods for a week or two, check in with your healthcare provider.

In addition, you should not attempt home remedies like ear candling, which drip hot wax into your ear.

Also, do not pick it out: trying to manually remove the wax yourself with your finger or other objects can make the blockage worse.

In fact, some blockages can occur when you try to clean your ears with cotton swabs and accidentally push the wax deeper. While Q-Tips are commonly used, they should be avoided.