Ear Congestion & How To Remove Earwax Buildup

To treat your ear congestion, we first need to identify what causes the congestion or hearing loss. Ear congestion usually occurs when the Eustachian tube, which is a small canal between the nose and the middle ear, becomes clogged or obstructed, resulting in it not functioning as it should. The Eustachian tube helps to equalize the pressure in our middle ears. When it becomes obstructed, you feel pressure and fullness in the ear. Some might also experience ear pain and muffled hearing. But ear congestion or hearing loss can also be caused by an excessive build-up of ear wax and also due to allergies.

Read on to learn more about what causes ear blockage, congestion and how to find relief.

When you are not cleaning your ears regularly, the ear wax accumulates and build up over time and may result in hearing difficulties, some stabbing pain in the ear, and some even experience dizziness and headache. So the best way to prevent excessive earwax blockage is to clean your ears and extract earwax safely. Here are some useful tips on how to remove your ear wax and clean your ears:

• Use A Warm Cloth – This is a traditional home method to clean your ears and to remove earwax. Using a warm cloth will heat the blockage to soften the ear wax and remove it naturally. To do this, simply iron on a folded cloth. After the folded cloth is warmed up, place it on your affected ear. Then rinse your ear with a showerhead using warm water. Alternatively, you may also do the same using a warm damp cloth.

• Use Olive Oil – Another method you can try at home is to remove earwax using olive oil. If you do not have olive oil, almond oil or mineral oil will do the trick too. Warm up the oil and insert a few drops into your ear canal at least twice a day. Keep your head tilted towards the side until the earwax is removed. The olive oil will help to soften the earwax and allow it to drain painlessly. To prevent excessive buildup, you can try this method once a week or fortnightly.

• Use Saline Solution – Besides olive or almond oil, you can use saline water to remove ear wax. You can make the saline solution at home. Add a teaspoon of salt to half a cup of lukewarm water, and mix. Once the salt dissolves fully, soak cotton into the solution. Then use the damp cotton to clean your ear, while tilting your head to let the solution remain in the ear for some time. After some time, tilt the head towards the opposite direction to drain off the solution. Repeat the process on both ears.

• Use Ear Drops – To treat ear wax blockage, you can also purchase earwax removal ear drops. They are usually water or oil-based solutions for softening the earwax. They are usually made of carbamide peroxide that is akin to hydrogen peroxide. Follow the instructions on the ear drop packaging. If you are in doubt, consult the pharmacists.

• Consult an Ear Specialist – A safe way to clean your ear and remove stubborn earwax will be to consult your local ear doctor. An ear specialist will conduct a thorough examination on your ear, determine how severe your earwax buildup condition, then recommend you the safest method to remove the earwax and clear up blockages. They possess the special tools to get the earwax out safely. The ear specialist will also answer any queries you have related to health concerns regarding the build-ups. To know more about ear wax extraction, visit Earwax Removal Singapore.

If your hearing loss is caused by allergies, then read this article published by The Healthcare Guys, Types of allergy tests to correct hearing loss to learn about the factors that can lead to hearing loss in the case of allergies.