Ear wax blockage is a condition in which the natural wax found in our ears deposit in large quantities and block the ear canal. This leads to hearing loss and a host of other symptoms. It also increases the risk of infection and complications arising from the same. Treatment for the condition is quite simple and it heals fairly soon. In this article, we will learn more.
Our ears naturally produce a substance called cerumen (pronounced ‘seh-roo-men’) that looks and feels like wax; however, it is not wax. So, what exactly is this substance and why is it required?
There are two types of glands in the ear canal that together help create earwax.
Cerumen largely contains sebum which consists of dead skin-cells, hair, keratin, alcohol esters, cholesterol, wax esters, long-chain fatty acids (both saturated and unsaturated), and squalene.
Ear wax is of 2 types:
Healthy earwax comes in a wide range of colours such as light-yellow, bright-yellow, light brown, dark brown and orange. However, if you notice that the wax coming out of your ears is any of the below colours, you must rush to a doctor.
Cerumen is an important substance in the body and performs several functions.
Every time we chew, yawn, talk, or work actively, some of the ear wax comes out naturally. This is nature’s mechanism to ensure wax doesn’t accumulate or build-up in the ears. However, in-spite of this, in some people, or sometimes, wax starts accumulating in the ear. It becomes hard and starts blocking the ear canal. The condition is called ‘cerumen impaction’, simply called ‘ear wax blockage’. There is hearing loss as a result, and most often, people use small objects to pry the wax out. While some of the wax may come out this way, the rest gets pushed deep inside, which worsens the problem. It can also lead to other complications.
Ear wax is a fairly common problem. At least 10% of children and 5% of adults develop this condition at least once. Also, the best part of the condition is it rarely develops in both ears at the same time. This way, the person does not suffer from total hearing loss.
The blocked ear-wax if not removed on time can cause infections. These manifest as:
When ear wax is not carefully or correctly removed, it can cause various complications:
The ENT specialist will use a special instrument called otoscope to look into the ear. The instrument has a light, and also offers a magnified view of the inside of the ear.
Home-care
At this juncture, its important to mention a treatment option that used to be popular in the past, and may still be around. This is the ear candle. It uses a special candle that is lit so that the heat generated will create suction or vacuum inside the ear and pull the wax out. However, the FDA has not approved the same because in trials it was found that neither was vacuum created nor the wax removed. Further the person suffered from burns in the ear and face, punctured ear-drum, bleeding, injuries from dripping beeswax that is used in the candle, and fire hazards. So, if you hear suggestions to try this method, reject them outright.
Also, one should not use cotton-swabs, pins, pens, pencils and stiff kerchiefs (that are rolled into a cone and the sharp end used to pull the wax out), as these can damage the ear-canal and ear-drum.
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