Beeswax? It’s all yours, but we can get rid of it!

What causes earwax buildup?

For the lucky ones among us who will never suffer ear troubles, we’ll never fully understand the incessant frustration of itchy, excessive earwax or infection. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t ever happen, often as the result of earwax. Ear infections are normally caused by bacteria or foreign objects becoming stuck in the ear. Excessive earwax can typically be blamed. In general earwax can affect some more than others. You may develop a build-up from aggravating the ear or perhaps developing another health condition. Some causes of earwax buildup include:



• Narrow or damaged ear canals
• Lots of hair within the ear
• Skin conditions like psoriasis in or around the ear
• Inflammation
• Use of cotton swabs or cleaning tools
• Poking your ear with your finger
• And (famously) swimming!

These are some of the most common causes of ear wax build-up, but this is NOT an exhaustive list. Even those who previously may never have suffered excessive earwax are still vulnerable to these causes. Many factors can cause a build-up but if you become worried about this, book a consultation with our pharmacy team to address it. Outside of this, it’s important to remember earwax is a natural way to protect our ears. Thus, you can never fully remove it. However, keeping the area around your ears clean and free from obstructions will help lower the amount of earwax that’s produced.

Symptoms from buildup?

Built-up earwax is not always obvious, unlike the conditions covered by our Pharmacy First service. Earwax is not always “in our face”. Nevertheless, it can exhibit obvious symptoms. Tinnitus, for example, is a condition that creates a ringing sound in the ears that can sometimes be caused by a build-up of earwax near the eardrum. Changes in hearing can be another sign of build-up. Gradual changes in hearing might not be as obvious but could be due to earwax so be vigilant. Some people may notice discharge from one or both ears and in cases when there is no infection this could actually be due to or result from earwax.

General symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Earache
• Feeling of fullness in the ear
• Itchiness around the ear
• Vertigo

These can all be signs of earwax build-up. However, these generally present in a group. Symptoms typically recover on their own as time passes unless there is a more serious issue such as an obstruction or infection. Both of which will need to be addressed before symptoms resolve.

What are the risks?

It might not seem like a big deal, but our ears are delicate. A buildup of earwax can cause real problems left untreated. One common risk is ear infection, which can be incredibly uncomfortable and ultimately damage our hearing. (Of course, in some cases ear infection clears up on its own) By and large, it’s much safer to have them investigated and, if appropriate, treated to prevent longer-term damage to your ear. Left untreated and an infection can cause permanent damage to your ear, in turn leading to long-standing cases of tinnitus. Tinnitus is not comfortable (to say the least) and can be distressing.  Untreated earwax can cause further build-up leading to impaction, which causes side effects to worsen and exacerbates hearing loss. Although risks are generally low, serious issues might result if symptoms are not investigated and treated. Bottom line? Its best to get your ears checked by a health-professional and take any appropriate remedial action. 

What are the treatment options?

Micro-suction is our preferred choice of treatment for dealing with excessive earwax.

Why? Well simply put this is the most effective, modern way to treat earwax. It can safely remove the excess wax with the minimum level of discomfort. Other providers may rely upon ear irrigation which is a somewhat out-dated way to remove wax. This method poses more of an infection risk due to the use of water (which is a common risk for our ears). Practitioners can minimise the risk of infection by using saline water or purified water. This reduces but cannot eliminate the risk of infection. Thus, we at Pierremont Pharmacy prefer micro-suction which causes less discomfort as well as less risk of infection.  All of that said, even our preferred method of micro-suction is not entirely risk free. It can cause trauma to the ear canal, but this is very rare and usually caused by inexperienced practitioners, or sudden movements by a patient during the procedure.



Beyond this, patients should experience no symptoms or complications from micro-suction. If you do not have severe ear wax but still wish to clean them at home, we suggest you use a home remedy such as 2-3 drops of olive oil, four times a day for 3-5 days in the affected ear. Olive oil can help soften the earwax helping it drain from your ears.

N.B. Almond oil can be used instead of olive oil but only if you are not allergic to almonds!

Do not ever use cotton swabs to clean your ears! Although these do get used, they are more dangerous to use than any potential benefit they might provide. Worst case scenario, cotton swabs can perforate your eardrum causing permanent hearing damage. Avoid at all costs!

Similarly, despite what some people believe, ear candles and ear vacuums do not have any scientific evidence that they work so we don’t recommend using them.

So, if home remedies do not work and you are looking for an effective way to treat excessive earwax book an appointment with our earwax removal clinician who will be able to help with your next steps towards clearing hearing:

Conclusion

“Book an appointment!” is our suggestion to anyone considering our treatment. Earwax can cause a host of uncomfortable issues which can simply disappear once treated. Symptoms like earache and vertigo can be very troublesome, but our treatment can swiftly solve them. Risks from ear wax are mainly caused by inaction… if you broke a leg you would go to A&E, similarly, you should book an appointment with a pharmacy if you have ear trouble. (This approach can be applied to any health issue). When it comes to our health, we cannot just bury our heads in the sand, and hope the problem will go away. Micro-suction is a safe and effective, treatment, that can be as quick as 30 minutes or less. Truly there is nothing to lose!

Any concerns you might have about the procedure should be eased due to minimal risks our treatment presents. Problems resulting from micro-suction are rare and they are further reduced because our practitioner is highly qualified and experienced. Risk is minimised. Compared with the alternative of ear irrigation, micro-suction is safer and less invasive. Irrigation can pose the same risks as micro suction (yes it can also damage the ear canal) in addition to a higher risk of infection. Micro-suction is the way forward. We’ve invested in the most modern equipment because we always aim to provide the very best service. 

Reference:

• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/earwax-build-up/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56782/