Ever feel like your ears are plugged with ear wax and you immediately reach for a cotton swab to clean them out? Because cotton swabs can push ear wax further into the ear canal, this is only making the problem worse. When a swab is pushed into the ear it is pushing wax right along with it. Each time a cotton swab is used the wax is becoming more impacted. So how do you stop the cycle and remove extra ear wax?

The answer is ear irrigation.

What is ear irrigation?

Ear irrigation is the process of using water to gently rinse out compacted wax and debris. You should consider this method if you have any of the following symptoms:    

• The feeling of pressure or fullness in the ears
• Itching caused by too much wax
• Temporary hearing loss due to wax blockage

Tips for Success

Using a wax removal solution to help dissolve the wax first is helpful. When performing ear irrigation, you should always use room temperature water to prevent getting lightheaded or dizzy. The irrigation process may need to be performed a few times in order to remove the blockage completely.

If you are not able to remove the blockage after multiple attempts, call your doctor to check for other problems.