For the most part, ear wax does not need to be removed manually, so when it does, a pharmacy treatment such as microsuction is often the best choice.
Ear wax is a very important substance that protects the ears from infection, much in the same way snot and mucus help to capture dirt, bacteria and other microbes. However, for various reasons, it can build up and cause temporary hearing loss, earache or dizziness.
Most people go to a pharmacy to find a treatment for blockages caused by earwax, and there are a lot of options, some of which are far better and more successful than others.
Here are some of the best and some of the worst methods on the market so you know where to turn.
Best: Microsuctioning
One of the safest and most effective ways to clean your ear, microsuction is a tiny vacuum cleaner which sucks up and dislodges wax.
It is not the only treatment pharmacists offer, but it is typically quicker, less uncomfortable, and more accurate thanks to the use of a camera on the suction wand, and it involves no moisture.
This means that it can be used by people who should not have water in their ears, such as people with a ruptured eardrum, ear infection, something stuck in their ear canal or a history of surgery on their ear.
Worst: Cotton Buds
The golden rule when it comes to ears is never to stick anything thinner than your ear into one, and this is certainly the case when it comes to cotton buds.
Typically used for precise disinfection, applying makeup, cleaning and, in the medical world, acquiring swabs for diagnostic purposes, some people have in the past used them to remove ear wax, but this is an extremely bad idea.
There are two main issues; the first is that a cotton bud is far more likely to push wax deeper into the ear canal, which can cause a blockage or make one even worse.
As the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clearly explains, a cotton bud can also damage the ear itself by perforating the ear canal or eardrum, risking infection and hearing loss.
Similarly, do not use other small objects or stick your fingers in your ears, for much of the same reasons.
Best: Irrigation
Whilst microsuction is by far the best treatment for ear wax, the next best option is irrigation, which uses an electronic device to shoot small amounts of water at a low pressure into the ear to soften and dislodge the wax.
It is sometimes known as syringing due to the old method of performing this treatment, but modern irrigation is far more effective, safe and consistent than the use of a syringe.
Whilst it cannot be used by everyone because it inherently relies on water and moisture, irrigation is still a very helpful option if microsuction is not available.
Worst: Candling
Ear candling is one of the worst ways to clean your ears, and whilst cotton buds are more widespread and thus cause more harm as a whole, ear candling is arguably much more dangerous.
The “candle”, a hollow tapered tube made of fabric soaked in paraffin or beeswax, is placed in the ear and then lit from the top, with the idea being that this process produces a suction effect that pulls wax and other debris from the ear.
In practice it does nothing but provide a placebo effect, and can potentially seriously injure you if it burns part of your face or your ear. The cone can sometimes perforate the eardrum as well if inserted too deeply into the ear canal.
Much like cotton buds, it looks like it is far more effective than it is, but the dangers are far too great to consider.
Best: Ear Drops
Outside of microsuctioning, pharmacists can also suggest and offer ear drops, which soften or dissolve wax and allow the ear to get rid of it naturally. Put the drops in the ear whilst lying on one side, wait five minutes and use up to four times a day for up to five days.
Whilst they should not be used if you have a perforated eardrum for the same reasons as irrigation, they can work as a home remedy if taken under the advice of a pharmacist.
In some cases, a pharmacist will advise a short course of ear drops before another treatment, as it will soften the wax and make it easier for microsuctioning or irrigation to dislodge the blockage.