Ear wax has a few important jobs:

• Wax protects and moisturizes the skin of ear canal. This prevents itchy, dry ears.
• Wax contains chemicals that fight off infections.
• Wax also traps dust and old skin cells and carry it out of the ear canal. Making it a ‘self cleaning’ organ.

• Using  hearing aids, earplugs and cotton buds pushes wax into the ear canal.
• Lots of hair in the ear canal can cause accumulation of wax in the ear canal.
• Patients with skin conditions like eczema.

Once there’s a small ball of wax, it continues to accumulate until it completely blocks the ear canal.

• Blocked ear
• Water can get trapped in the ear
• Decreased hearing
• Pain in the ear
• Ringing in the ears
• Dizziness

There are oils that can be dropped into the ear to help dissolve the wax. If that does not work, the ENT surgeon will carefully remove the wax from your ear with special techniques and equipment under direct vision. Do not try to do this at home!

Cotton buds are NOT ‘EAR’ buds! They are not meant to clean your ears. You can use them for your make up or to clean the outer part of the ear/pinna. But PLEASE do not put them in your ears!