Cerumen also called ear wax is a very natural phenomenon, which plays an important role in protecting the ear canal. In some cases, earwax can accumulate in the duct and cause its obstruction. This problem can have several consequences including decreased hearing. Find out in this article how to get rid of wax corks and clean your ears in a healthy way.
To protect itself, the ear, or more precisely the external auditory canal, produces cerumen. This greasy substance, yellowish in color and waxy in appearance, consists of secretion of ceruminous and sebaceous glands and also contains residues of dust and dead skin.
Earwax is essential to hearing health because it plays a protective role in the ear canal. It effectively removes dust, insects and bacteria that can enter it and helps to clean and lubricate it. Only, you can not resist the urge to remove it because of its viscous and disgusting appearance!
When the earwax is produced in excess or is not properly evacuated, it may cause a cork.
What is a wax plug?
The cerumen plug is nothing but an accumulation of earwax in the ear canal. This substance which protects the auditory canal is normally evacuated towards the entrance of the canal following the movements made by the jaw during chewing. Only, due to different causes, the earwax can accumulate in the ear canal and form a plug. This can have several consequences, it affects in particular hearing and can cause pain and itching, disturbances of balance, dizziness and causes a clogged ear feeling.
Ear wax plugs can be caused by the use of hearing aids or ear plugs, which stimulate wax secretion, by an overproduction of earwax, by bathing, because the water causes the wax to swell, Or by the very regular use of cotton swabs. The latter promote the production of earwax and tend to push it towards the inside of the ear canal.
How to get rid of wax?
Forget the cotton swabs that can worsen your case, and opt for this natural trick that will help you soften ear wax plugs and eliminate them. To prepare this remedy, you will need only vinegar and alcohol at 70 °.
How to proceed ?
Mix the white vinegar and 70 ° alcohol in equal quantities. Then, soak a cotton ball of the mixture you have prepared and lean your head to the side. Squeeze the cotton ball with your fingers and pour a few drops of the solution into your ear and stay in this position for one minute so that it passes the stopper and penetrates your ear canal. You may feel warm in your ear, it is the effect of alcohol. After this time, tilt your head to the other side so that the mixture flows. You can do the same operation on the other side.
Why is this recipe effective?
The mixture of white vinegar and alcohol makes it possible to clean the ear, thanks to the properties of these two ingredients. White vinegar is a powerful antibacterial that helps fight infections. Put into the ear, it will allow to clean it, to prevent the accumulation of the cerumen, but will also act on the bacteria that can cause the earaches, thanks to the acetic acid that it contains.
The 70 ° alcohol also has antibacterial and antiseptic qualities that will serve to clean the ear canal.
Attention, though effective, this trick is not to be used with abuse. Alcohol can have adverse effects. It is also not recommended to use this remedy in case of perforation of the tympanum, persistent earache or earwax corks.
If you do not notice any improvement after trying this tip, please consult a doctor.
How to prevent wax corks?
To avoid accumulation of wax in your ears, follow these tips:
Avoid cleaning your ears every day so as not to remove all of the earwax
Use tissues to clean your ears once or twice a week, making sure to stay at the edges of the ear canal
Avoid using cotton swabs very regularly because they push the wax towards the bottom and can damage the eardrum in the long run.