The child's wax does not come out. Earwax in a child: how to determine why it is dangerous, how to clean the ears. Diagnosis of wax plug in children

In children, wax secretions are present in the hearing organs, which help protect the inner ear from the penetration of dirt and bacteria. Normally, elements of foreign formations settle on the released sulfur, and gradually it thickens and is removed from the organ. If such a well-coordinated mechanism is disrupted, serious disturbances develop and a sulfur plug is formed. It is possible to diagnose the pathology during the process of otoscopy, and removal is carried out by washing out using a syringe.

Reasons for the development of pathology

Experts identify several reasons that can cause plugs in a child’s ears:

1. The active work of the epidermal glands ends with increased production of wax in the ear. Excessive hygiene of the ear canal can provoke the appearance of a plug, when parents clean their child’s ears too often. This ends with the crusts not having time to be removed from the hearing organ, and plugs form.
2. Many parents use cotton swabs to clean their child’s ears, but this is not recommended. Such hygiene products not only do not help remove wax from the auditory organ, but compact it even more and push it further into the depths of the ear. The consequence of this is the accumulation of serous discharge in the child’s ear and the appearance of complaints of pain in the organ.
3. In some cases, the cause of the appearance of plugs may be the anatomical features of the structure of the ear canals. In fact, this is not considered any pathology, but the ears of such children need more attention.
4. One of the common causes of ear plugs is too dry air in the children's room. The development of such a pathology can be avoided by controlling the level of humidity in the room.

A newborn baby’s ears should be cleaned only in the first months of his life, when his body adapts to the world around him. Subsequently, ear hygiene should be carried out using ordinary cotton wool flagella, without penetrating deep into the ear canal.

The constant appearance of plugs in a child’s ear is a reason to show him to a specialist who will identify the cause of this pathological condition and tell him how to avoid it. A traffic jam cannot always be seen with the naked eye, and its presence can be suspected based on certain signs and behavior of the child.

Symptoms of pathology

Over a long period of time, a child with a plug in the ear may not cause the appearance of characteristic symptoms. Most often this happens in a situation where it fills the ear canal by less than 70%. The main cause of swelling of sulfur and complete obstruction of the external auditory canal with sulfur masses is the ingress of water into the hearing organ during bathing. In this case, the following characteristic signs may appear:

• ringing and noise in the ears;
• discomfort in the ear;
• autophony;
• itching of the external auditory canal.

A characteristic manifestation of wax in the ear is decreased hearing, although the child may not feel this for a long time. Parents can notice such a pathology by various changes in the child’s behavior, that is, he stops responding to calls, often asks again and gets scared when adults appear in the room. A clear symptom of a wax plug in a child’s ear can be the child’s constant restlessness and desire to touch or scratch the organ.

In a situation where the site of wax plug formation in the ear becomes the bone part, and it puts pressure on the eardrum, the following symptoms may appear:

• headache;
• dizziness;
• nausea;
• headache.

In rare cases, the accumulation of sulfur secretions in the organ of hearing causes cardiac dysfunction and paralysis of the facial nerve.

Removing a plug from the ear

If an excessive amount of sulfur is detected, parents are advised to show the child to a specialist and not self-medicate. It is important to remember that it is not allowed to insert sharp objects into the hearing organ and try to remove the plug using ear sticks. All this can further aggravate the child’s condition, push the plug into the depths of the ear canal and injure the delicate skin.

Removal of the plug is carried out in a medical institution using special liquids and solutions. You can remove the accumulation of serous discharge from the child’s hearing organ using a furatsilin solution, which is preheated to room temperature. Liquid that is too cold can irritate the tissues of the ear and eardrum, causing the baby to cry or scream. In addition, the patient may complain of severe discomfort and pain.

Before using the solution, the specialist carefully pulls back the earlobe and tries to align the external auditory canal as much as possible. All movements must be smooth and even, otherwise the child may be injured. After this, a small amount of furatsilin solution is injected into the hearing organ using a special syringe under strong pressure. Such manipulations should be carried out until the sulfur plug completely comes out.

In a situation where a child’s wax plug in the ear has become hard, it is first necessary to drip some kind of softening solution, for example, hydrogen peroxide. In some situations, doctors insert turundas into the ear canal, previously soaked in Levomekol ointment. This should be done for several days before the washing procedure. As prescribed by a specialist, cerumenolysis can be prescribed using agents such as A-cerumen or Remo-vax.

If the patient has a history of perforation of the eardrum, severe hearing loss and otitis externa, the plug from the ear is removed instrumentally. For this purpose, tweezers or a hook-probe are used, and in some cases aspiration with an electric suction is performed.

After removing the plug from the child’s ear, you need to make sure it is completely removed, dry the ear canal and close it for a while with a cotton swab.

Possible complications

Plugs in the ears cause a lot of discomfort to the patient and, in the absence of timely treatment, can cause serious hearing problems. The accumulation of increased amounts of sulfur in the hearing organ can cause the development of the following complications:

• Bedsores of the ear canal are accompanied by severe pain and require long-term treatment;
• Earwax is considered an ideal environment for the proliferation of bacteria, which is why inflammatory processes develop in the organ.

In addition, sulfur plugs can provoke hearing impairment and chronic rhinitis. In addition, you should avoid using cotton swabs and various sharp objects. If a child is prone to the appearance of wax plugs, he should be shown to a specialist at least once every six months. At the first signs of ear inflammation, you should consult a doctor, because timely treatment of the pathology allows you to avoid hearing problems.

Many parents note over time that, in their opinion, the child’s hearing has become worse. He sometimes asks two or three times, and does not respond if you call him in a low voice. Parents often mistake these signs for pampering or disobedience, but then it turns out that their children’s hearing problems are real. The cause of this may be wax plugs in the ears. How serious this problem is and how you can get rid of this problem at home or in a hospital setting - we will talk today.

Hearing problems.

The first signs of hearing problems may be a violation of the child’s response to the parents’ words, especially if they are standing behind him and the baby does not see them. There may also be mishearing, and constant repetition or clarification of parents’ questions, distortion of the meaning of words due to the fact that the child hears them poorly and guesses them according to consonance or meaning. In older children, signs of hearing problems may be congestion or a feeling of noise in the ears, there may be a feeling of itching in the ear canal, or unpleasant sensations in it, but neither the parents nor the child can understand the cause of these phenomena. This is usually determined by an ENT doctor during an appointment; you should not rely on your own intuition and life experience. The same doctor will further treat the child if there are problems.

The causes of hearing loss may be untreated otitis or sluggish flow and not recognized in time, tubo-otitis or its complications. Enlarged adenoids, foreign bodies entering the ear canal and the formation of wax plugs in it can also impair hearing. The latter will be the reason for our conversation today, and we will talk about otitis media and other hearing problems a little later.

So, all children and adults constantly form a special secretion inside the ear canal, which is called earwax. This is a secret necessary for life that protects our hearing organ from dust and dirt entering it, microbes into the cavity of the inner ear. Under normal conditions, dust particles stick to the surface of the ear secretion, which leads to its compaction, drying out and expulsion. This is a completely physiological process that does not require intervention or any action and is regulated by the body itself.

Why do wax plugs occur?

In order for wax plugs to begin to appear in a child’s ear, it is necessary to create a special kind of conditions. The ear of children and adults consists of an outer part and an inner part - this is the outer ear and the inner one. The outer ear contains bone and cartilage. The cartilaginous section occupies the outer part - where the auricle is and partially enters the auditory canal. Then it smoothly passes into the bone canal located in the depths of the ear, almost to its inner part. Earwax is a viscous yellowish secretion produced by the glands of the ear canal in the cartilaginous region of the outer ear. At the same time, the epithelial zone that covers the cartilaginous zone of the outer ear is quite easily moved.

As a result of talking or chewing, the walls in the area of ​​the outer ear are displaced relative to the cartilage, and this causes the drying crusts of earwax to move towards the area where the ear exits. Thus, the child’s ear is able to cleanse itself of germs, dust and wax, even without parental intervention. If, as a result of this process - cleansing the external auditory canal, malfunctions occur, problems can form - cerumen plugs form. This is a special accumulation of earwax, desquamated epidermal cells and particles of dust and microbes. In children, these plugs usually have a jelly-like appearance, but in adults they can dry out and become completely dense, which disrupts the normal perception of sound by the ear.

Why can wax plugs occur in the ears of children, why does there suddenly become so much wax that it clogs a fairly thick lumen and impairs hearing? The cause of the appearance of earwax plugs is the activation of secretion production by glands located in the epidermis of the skin of the ear. This phenomenon can occur when very thorough and very active cleaning of wax from the child’s ears. In such cases, the ear glands compensatoryly try to produce even more earwax so that they can compensate for the deficiency caused by ear cleaning. Thus, the more often we clean children’s ears, the more wax will accumulate in children’s ears. The ears think that since the wax is disappearing, more of it needs to be made.

At first, the accumulation of earwax in the form of a block will not completely close the ear canal, and the sound will be transmitted, but the plug itself will not be visible, it will not manifest itself in any way. But as it increases in size, it begins to block the area of ​​the ear canal completely, becomes denser and thickens, leading to a gradual decrease in hearing. That’s when obvious symptoms of hearing problems will begin to appear.

Manifestations of ear plugs in children.

Children with wax plugs in their ears may complain of hearing loss that occurs gradually. But kids who still have trouble communicating with their parents may not show signs of wax impaction. Decreased hearing can be caused by water falling into the ears while swimming. In such cases, the wax plugs swell, due to which they can increase in size and then can completely block the ear canal. The conduction of sound is impaired and symptoms of ear plugs occur.

In addition to the decrease in the child’s hearing, other symptoms may be observed - headaches, nausea with dizziness. These symptoms may be associated with disturbances in the functioning of the vestibular apparatus of the inner ear, which is closely related to sound conduction. However, such symptoms are rare. For the most part, children themselves do not notice that their hearing has decreased, but their parents begin to notice this. Children can repeat the same words several times, do not hear if they are calling him from another room, do not hear if someone walks behind his back and shudder from touches from the back, not hearing that they have approached him.

What to do in such cases?

If any of the listed symptoms appear, you should contact an ENT specialist. It is also worth contacting him if you think that your child’s hearing has become worse than it was before. Only a doctor, having carefully examined the child’s ears with a special device, can understand whether the plug is to blame for the hearing impairment, or whether otitis media or more serious pathologies, such as sensorineural hearing loss, are to blame. Inflammation in the ears can also lead to hearing loss and ear problems due to swelling. An accurate diagnosis of wax plugs is revealed immediately in the ENT office; he examines the outer ear and uses a special device with a backlight (reflector) to examine the ear canal, finds the plug and determines its location. It can be from yellow to brown and even almost black, and prolonged presence of a plug in the ear can even cause bedsores in the ear canal area.

How to remove wax plugs for children?

Only a doctor will remove them, you will only carry out all procedures under his strict guidance. Absolutely forbidden:
- try to remove the cork with cotton swabs,
- pouring and placing medications in the ear without a doctor’s permission,
- apply various folk therapies, picking with needles, knitting needles, tweezers.

This will not only not help, but will only worsen the situation with the wax plug, pushing it deeper into the cavity of the ear canal and making it even more difficult to remove.

The plugs are removed by washing the ear canal with special antiseptic solutions or saline. Any solution should be warm so as not to cause pain in the membrane area. Cold water can cause nausea and dizziness due to irritation of the vestibular system. Rinsing is carried out with a disposable syringe without a needle of 20 ml or more, positioning it parallel to the ear canal, and aligning the ear canal itself by pulling on the auricle. At the same time, the task of the parents is to hold the restrained child tightly; the procedure is not very pleasant.

The doctor pours the liquid into the ear and the aligned ear canal under pressure, then the wax plug is washed out with a stream of water two to four times, after the procedure, a control examination of the ear canal cavity is carried out, the hearing is checked and the ear canal is dried with a cotton wool inserted into the ear canal for 10 minutes. Sometimes the plugs are very dense and cannot be washed out. Then the doctor will recommend soaking them by instilling a hydrogen peroxide solution into the ear or applying an ointment. Initially, due to the swelling of the plug, hearing may deteriorate somewhat, but then with washing everything goes away. If the problem arose over the weekend or there is no way to get to the doctor, the A-cerumen solution can help; it is dropped into the ear, allowed to lie for about a minute, and then the baby is turned over to the other side, allowing the contents to flow out of the ear. The second ear is washed in the same way, but the solution must always be warm.

But it is best to carry out timely prevention of the formation of ear plugs without being overzealous and without cleaning the inside of the baby’s ears every day until they shine. It is enough to wipe with a cotton ball only the outer part of the ear - the shell itself, without going deep into the passage and without picking there with chopsticks.

Good afternoon, dear readers!

You've probably heard about such an unpleasant phenomenon as ear plugs. There are about 2 thousand glands in the ear, which produce up to 20 g of sulfur annually. This substance plays a very important role in our body: it protects the ear canal from dust, dirt, and infection.

But sometimes it happens that sulfur hardens and stagnates. You don't have to go to the hospital to get rid of a lump. Let's look at how to remove plugs from your ears at home.

Causes of the problem

Agree, dear readers, before removing the plug, you need to know what it looks like in the ear. It is not difficult to notice: just look carefully into the ear canal. It is characterized by a yellow or brown color and fits tightly to the walls. The condition is usually accompanied by additional symptoms:

• hearing loss, feeling of congestion;
• noise in ears;
• resonance of one's own voice.

The reasons for the appearance of seals can be different:

• excess production of sulfur due to increased work of the glands;
• unconventional structure of the ear canal;
• as a consequence of otitis media;
• staying in a dusty room for a long time;
• damage to the ear canal or compaction of wax with ear sticks.

Whatever the cause of the problem, the plug must first be removed and then preventive measures must be taken.

Fixing the problem at home

Dear readers, I would like to point out right away that the process of removing earwax is quite unpleasant. If you do not know exactly how to do this, or are not sure of the favorable consequences, it is better to seek help from an ENT specialist. You can wash the cork at home under the following conditions:

• you really feel like you have a plug in your ears;
• you have not had otitis media or other ear infections;
• you do not have diabetes;
• the eardrum is not damaged.

I would like to offer you two options for washing ear plugs at home.

Cleaning ear plugs with hydrogen peroxide

I did this procedure at home, but I must tell you that the process is quite labor-intensive. I would recommend that you have this done by a specialist. But for those who are not afraid, here is a step-by-step method:

1. At the first stage, earwax needs to be softened. This is best done in the evening so that the cork softens a little overnight. This step is usually carried out with hydrogen peroxide, but you can also use saline solution heated to 37 degrees. Glycerin or vegetable oil are also suitable.
2. Take a few drops of the solution with a pipette and sit so that the sore ear is on top.
3. Pull the auricle with your hand: this is necessary to straighten the ear canal.
4. Pour the product from a pipette into the ear and cover with a cotton swab.
5. Leave the tampon on overnight.
6. In the morning, draw hydrogen peroxide into a 20 ml syringe.
7. Lie on your side and inject liquid from a syringe into your ear.
8. Lie down for a quarter of an hour in this position.
9. To clean the ear plug, you can lie in the bathtub and plunge your head into the water. Sera will come out on her own. Another way is to direct the shower stream into the ear canal until the shower touches the auricle.

Remember that the water for rinsing must be warm (no more than 37 degrees), otherwise you risk harming yourself.

Removing wax from the ear using a phytofunnel

This method of earwax removal is more humane. And I like it a lot more. To remove wax plugs from the ear, beekeeping products are used, and even by its name it has a healing effect.

They are very simple to use: open the package, there are two phytofunnels, one for each ear. Lie on your side with the ear from which you want to remove wax on top.

Insert the phyto-funnel, set the tip on fire and wait about 5 minutes until the base of the funnel burns down to a certain point. Then simmer and you can unwrap everything that is left of the herbal funnel and see the contents of your ear inside. You won't like it and you'll want to repeat it, I'm sure.

The procedure is very pleasant, no pain, fast and convenient. Suitable for children, but at least three years old, as they may be afraid of fire.

Ear plug drops

Follow the instructions, namely, bury it for three to four days and this problem will no longer bother you. It is very convenient that the drug can be used during pregnancy.

Ear plugs in a child: what to do?

The situation seems more dangerous if the wax is compacted in the child’s ears. In this case, if you do not know for sure how the sulfur is washed out, it is better not to do it yourself. The risk of injury is too great, and if there are hidden diseases of the ENT organs, the baby may lose hearing.

1. For 3-4 days, instill vegetable oil, hydrogen peroxide or boric acid into the baby's ear canal.
2. When the plug softens, fill the syringe with water and inject a stream of water.
3. The wax should come out on its own: do not try to remove it with tweezers or other metal objects.
4. If the plug does not come out, consult an otolaryngologist.

Dear readers, I strongly advise against performing any experiments on children. If you do not have sufficient washing experience, it is better to go to the hospital. The procedure will not take much time, but you will be absolutely calm about the health of your baby.

How to prevent problems?

Prevention will help prevent traffic jams:

• Do not use cotton swabs to clean your ears. They compact the sulfur and only speed up the process of plug formation. Self-cleaning is provided by nature. During chewing, wax comes out of the ear canal.
• Monitor diseases of the ENT organs to avoid complications.
• Make sure there is sufficient humidity in the room. In dry air, sulfur quickly thickens.

Take good care of your ear health. Timely prevention will save you from rinsing and going to hospitals.

If the article was useful to you, recommend reading it to your friends. But I want to remind you that it was written for informational purposes, and not as a guide to action.

Goodbye, my dear friends! I will be glad to see you again in the discussions!

chesnachki.ru

How to remove wax plug from the ear at home in adults and children

Each person needs to take care of his body - feed, water, dress for the weather, treat if necessary, perform hygiene procedures. Often we have to solve such a problem as ear plugs. Someone tries to remove wax plugs from the ear using cotton swabs, but doctors regularly say that you cannot clean your ears this way, it can lead to dire consequences. But how to clean your ears then? We will talk about this in today’s article, read on and find out how to remove ear plugs at home in adults and children quickly and effectively.

Causes of wax plugs in the ears

Earwax often causes a lot of inconvenience, but the body itself produces this substance, therefore, it needs it for something. Sulfur is secreted into the ear canals for protection, this is its main function.

Sulfur protects the eardrum and ear canal. It promotes the removal of desquamated epithelial cells, traps dust and various microbes. Having a bactericidal effect, sulfur can cause the death of pathogenic microorganisms. The secretions of the ear canal serve not only to protect against foreign matter, but also to moisturize the skin of the canal. Consequently, excessively dry sulfur or its absence can have a detrimental effect on the health of the hearing organ. This is what allows ENT doctors to talk about moderate ear hygiene.

When too much earwax is produced, a plug may form in the canal. This can also be facilitated by improper cleaning technique of the ear canal using cotton swabs or matches.

It should be remembered that earwax is not a waste product of the body; it has a complex natural composition. Thus, it contains such complex substances as proteins, fats, enzymes, keratin, immunoglobulin, etc. The composition of sulfur has gender and national characteristics. For example, in females it has greater acidity. Asians, due to the high content of the protein component, have drier sulfur; on the contrary, Africans have a higher fat content, which makes the substance softer. Under normal conditions, sulfur is easily and independently removed from the ear canal, which is facilitated by movements in the maxillary joint, for example, when chewing and talking. But there may also be difficulties in this process.

The main reasons contributing to the formation of plugs in the ear canals:

1. Individual anatomical features that contribute to excessive wax production and/or narrow ear canals;
2. Incorrect implementation of hygiene measures. By frequently cleaning the ears and removing existing wax that the body needs for protection, the body is forced to produce more and more of it. Incorrect use of ear sticks helps to compact and push the wax plug deeper into the ear canal, thereby aggravating the problem.
3. Ear diseases, such as inflammatory processes in the middle or outer parts, skin problems in the ear area can contribute to increased formation of earwax.
4. Occupational factors can also affect the ear canal's ability to clear wax. The working conditions in some professions, for example miners or in the food industry, are accompanied by changes in air quality, i.e. contain dust or high humidity and temperature.
5. Foreign objects in the ear canals irritate them and contribute to increased wax formation. This category includes hearing aids and headphones.

Symptoms

The peculiarity of ear plugs is that often only an ENT doctor can recognize this problem. The presence of wax in the ear canal, even in excess amounts, is rarely noticed by a person himself, because The decrease in hearing acuity in this case occurs slowly and gradually.

However, hearing loss is the most common complaint with ear plugs. Hearing is lost suddenly, for example, when the substance swells from water ingested during bathing. There may be a sensation of noise in the head and ears. When the plug fits tightly to the eardrum, headaches, nausea and even coughing may occur, which is associated with constant irritation of the nerve receptors of the eardrum. Despite its protective properties, earwax can be exposed to germs if it is compacted and does not have normal air circulation. In this case, an inflammatory disease of the hearing organ develops.

How to remove ear plugs at home

If the problem of ear plugs arises, there are methods to independently resolve this issue:

You can make your own ear candle at home. To do this you will need beeswax or paraffin, a thick knitting needle and a piece of cotton or linen fabric. Using natural beeswax to clean the ear is preferable. It contains natural ingredients, burns longer, and also has a pleasant smell. First you need to prepare a fabric base; to do this, cut a strip of the selected material about half a meter long and 3 cm wide. Wax or paraffin should be melted in a metal bowl or in a water bath. Saturate the fabric blank with the liquid, and then carefully, avoiding gaps, wind the fabric onto the base (knitting needle or wooden stick). After the wax hardens, which can happen at room temperature, but will happen faster in the refrigerator, the needle is carefully removed and the candle is ready for use.

Prevention

Earwax is an essential substance to protect your ears and keep them healthy. Therefore, proper hygiene of this area will help to avoid problems such as removing ear plugs at home:

1. If there are individual anatomical features and excessive wax production, proper hygiene of the hearing organ is necessary using special cotton swabs for treating the ears, with the exception of matches, pins, etc. for these procedures. When cleaning the ear canals, do not insert the instrument deeply; procedures should be carried out no more than 2 times a week. Sometimes you can carry out preventive procedures on how to remove ear plugs at home, described in this article above. The best way to prevent wax stagnation is to use hydrogen peroxide to cleanse the ear canals once a week.
2. In the presence of various ear diseases, both inflammatory in nature and skin problems (dermatitis, eczema), their timely treatment is necessary under the supervision of an appropriate specialist.
3. Some production conditions contribute to changes in the properties of sulfur or lead to the presence of foreign inclusions (dust) in it. To avoid exposure to this factor, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment and require adequate ventilation and air conditioning in the workplace.
4. If you need to use a hearing aid, you must carefully monitor the hygiene of the hearing organ, and also remember to regularly clean the device, based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. If possible, give your ears a rest, for example, at night. The use of earbud headphones can also lead to problems in the ear; these devices also require periodic cleaning or replacement.

Taking care of your health and body is an integral responsibility of any person. However, you need to know how to do it correctly. Inept procedures can cause harm to yourself, which was discussed using the example of ear plugs. Fortunately, most problems can be solved on your own, or even better by contacting the appropriate specialist.

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Wax plug in the ear of an adult and a child: causes, symptoms, treatment methods. How to remove wax plug from the ear at home?

Earwax is a mixture of secretions from the sebaceous and sulfur glands combined with desquamated epithelium.

Without the presence of earwax, it is impossible to imagine the organ of hearing functioning.

The composition of sulfur includes: antibacterial components, fats, proteins, fatty acids, mineral salts, cholesterol, etc.

Types of wax plug in the ear

Earwax cleanses, moisturizes and protects the hearing organ from negative factors. In the absence of pathology, sulfur is easily removed on its own. This happens when talking, chewing as a result of a natural process - jaw movement.

But under certain conditions, which are discussed below, the secretion accumulates, forming hardened masses. They are usually called sulfur plugs. It can be soft and dry.

Soft, in turn, is divided into plasticine-like and pasty. The first has a variety of shades of brown and is characterized by high density.

Pasty, in appearance, is similar to honey. It is characterized by a yellow tint (from light to dark).

Dry wax plug in the ear has a dark (brown or black) color and a dense consistency.

Wax plug in the ear - causes

Improper ear care, which involves the use of cotton swabs so beloved by many, can be called, although not the only, but quite common cause of pathology. In addition, the problem provokes:

Excessive cleanliness, when a person is so keen on cleaning his ears that, trying to completely clear them of wax, only contributes to even more of its production.

An unusual structure of the ear canal, which can be considered an anatomical feature.

Pushing earwax into the depths of the ear with cotton swabs, hairpins, matches, etc.

Diving, water flowing into the ear.

Working in a room where the air temperature or humidity is too high, where the atmospheric pressure is higher or lower than normal.

Work involving a lot of dust.

Advanced age.

Hair in the ear canal.

Irritating effect on the external auditory canal of hearing aids and headphones.

A wax plug in the ears can exist for quite a long time without making itself known. This happens until it completely closes the lumen of the auditory canal. As a rule, the situation is aggravated by water getting into the ear, which provokes swelling of wax.

The presence of wax in the ear is clearly indicated by hearing loss, noise, ringing in the ears, a feeling of fullness, and sometimes pain. In severe cases, symptoms are added, which, by the way, can clearly indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. This includes headaches, dizziness, periodic nausea, cough, and heart rhythm disturbances known to many.

Then there should be no question of getting rid of wax plugs at home on your own.

Wax plug in the ear - diagnostic methods

For an experienced otolaryngologist, identifying wax plugs in the ear will not be difficult. The doctor is able to diagnose the disease using otoscopy.

First, the doctor examines the ear using a special ear specula and determines the type of plug by the color of the secretion. Pathology in an advanced stage is easily detected during a routine examination.

In addition, the doctor takes into account the patient’s complaints, information about previous diseases, and studies ear hygiene.

Wax plug in the ear - treatment methods

Treatment of cerumen plug involves its removal, which is carried out in a medical institution by physical or mechanical means, as well as by dissolution. Often the methods are combined.

Mechanical removal is washing out the soft consistency of wax plug with warm water (saline) and a Janet syringe. Under the force of water, wax is easily removed from the ear canal along with the liquid.

In some cases, the plug is removed using an electric suction device. As a rule, this method is also used when the consistency of the sulfur plug is soft.

Among other things, sulfur accumulation can be removed using a dry method. To do this, an ear probe is used, and dissolution involves the introduction of special dissolving substances into the ear.

However, this method will not help if the consistency is too thick or if there is too much secretion.

Wax plug in an adult's ear - how to remove it at home

1. It is recommended to begin the process of getting rid of the disease with a banal softening of the sulfur plug. Hydrogen peroxide is a remedy that, without a doubt, is in every home. It has a deodorizing and bactericidal effect. Peroxide is extremely useful. The foam released during its use cleanses the skin, removes microorganisms, particles of dead tissue, and pus. In this case, a 3% solution should be used.

Or use regular vegetable oil warm. Carry out the procedure using a pipette.

Take your ear by the lobe and pull it down a little. Add no more than 5-6 drops of solution.

Instead of a pipette, you can use a regular syringe without a needle, but you should not insert it into the ear too deeply. The hydrogen peroxide will fizz a little and then come out with small bits of sulfur.

When carrying out the procedure, wait until the solution has completely drained out, then blot your ear with a cotton swab.

Be careful! If the cleansing process causes you discomfort, itching, pain, then you should stop the procedure and seek help from a doctor.

2. The use of ready-made or self-made candles from beeswax, propolis, essential oils, and medicinal herbs effectively helps get rid of sulfur plugs.

First, prepare everything you need for the cleansing procedure: 2 candles, cotton swabs, a couple of napkins, matches, cotton wool, baby cream.

Massage the sore ear thoroughly using cream. Then lie on your side (on the side of the healthy ear or the one that is not being treated), cover your head with a napkin in which you have previously made a hole for the ear.

Carefully place the bottom edge of the medicinal candle directly into your ear, and set the top on fire. Wait until the candle burns a little, then take out the cinder and extinguish it in water.

Attention! The procedure should not be carried out independently. Ask someone you trust for help. After the manipulations, plug your ear with cotton wool and lie down, keeping warm for 10 minutes.

What are the benefits of ear candles? They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and calming effects. Gently warming the ear only enhances the effect of medicinal suppositories.

Under the influence of these factors, a warming process occurs with a slight massage effect, the pressure on the eardrum decreases, the plug softens and is removed under the influence of reverse traction. The procedure must be performed on both ears, even if there is a plug on only one side.

There are some rules for this:

First, heat the ear where there is no problem or where it is less severe.

Cleansing is best done before bed.

After the procedure, you cannot go outside for 10-12 hours.

Immediately on the day of treatment, it is forbidden to wet your hair.

Be careful when handling fire. Do not allow the fire to fall below a certain limit. Remove the cinder not with your hands, but with tweezers.

As has already been said, do not perform the procedure yourself.

Use the suppositories daily until you get positive results. However, if the first few attempts are unsuccessful, then seek help from a specialist.

Who should not use ear candles? First of all, people suffering from allergies to bee products, as well as injuries to the ear canal, purulent otitis, and tumors in the head area.

3. You can remove wax plug in the ear using a soda solution. Under the influence of soda and water, solid masses soften and crumble.

Mix a teaspoon of baking soda in 50 ml of warm water and instill the solution a few drops into each ear throughout the day. Carry out the procedure 3-4 times a day.

4. Another simple option for getting rid of wax in the ear at home: first soften the wax mass by dripping warm sunflower oil into the sore ear before going to bed. Cover your ear with cotton wool.

In the morning, take out the cotton wool and drip hydrogen peroxide into your ear, lying on the opposite side. Wait 10 minutes.

Then, in the bathroom, using a shower hose with the jet diffuser unscrewed, carefully, gradually increasing the pressure, rinse your ear with warm water. The procedure is painless and highly effective.

4. Or use this method: drop hydrogen peroxide into the sore ear, lie there for a few minutes, ear up. Don't be afraid if you feel hissing and tickling. This is fine. This is how peroxide works.

Then fill a syringe with a pre-prepared solution: 2 teaspoons of soda per glass of warm water and pour the mixture into the ear under high pressure.

Under the pressure of water, the softened plug is simply washed out, freeing the ear and bringing noticeable relief. Instead of a syringe, you can use a rubber syringe.

6. Try to remove wax plug in this way: wrap your finger with a damp cloth and treat the surface of the outer ear. Use dry heat to soften the sulfur mass. A bag of hot salt and a heating pad with moderately hot water will do. Over a period of time, the sulfur softens and is easier to remove.

This method has contraindications. Use it if you are sure that you have a sulfur plug and not a masked inflammatory process.

Wax plug in a child's ear - features of removal at home

The causes and symptoms of wax plugs are similar in adults and children. What to do with a child’s ear problem if it is not possible to see a doctor?

1. Do not try to free your baby’s ear from wax accumulations using sharp objects, so as not to create an even bigger problem. Also, do not use cotton swabs. With their help, you will only push the sulfur further.

2. Heat the vegetable oil (in a water bath) and drop it into the child’s ear every day, a couple of drops (5 days). If there is no positive result within the allotted period of time, contact a specialist.

3. In the same way, but without heating, use a hydrogen peroxide solution.

4. Mix a quarter of a teaspoon of baking soda, a tablespoon of water and a teaspoon of glycerin. The water should be warm. Apply this solution to the ears of adult children 4 times a day, 8 drops.

5. It is good at removing wax plugs from the ear. Remo-Vax is a hygienic ear care product that promotes the rapid dissolution of wax.

The drug is approved for use in children from birth. However, it cannot be used for pain, damage to the eardrum, or discharge from the ear canal.

The product is used exclusively topically, after holding the bottle (to warm) in the palm of your hand for literally a couple of minutes.

The method of application is as follows: place the child on the opposite side of the ear being treated. Slightly pull the ear lobe down and back (carefully!) and drip about 20 drops of the drug along the back wall.

Wait a few minutes (5-10), then allow the solution to drain naturally. This is achieved by turning the child's head over to the other side.

There is no need to do anything additional: neither clean, nor rinse, nor plug your ears with cotton.

The drug has been clinically tested and its safety and anti-allergenic properties have been confirmed.

Advice! Many mothers who have experience in treating wax plugs in a child’s ear suggest that for babies this procedure is best performed during breastfeeding. This way you can easily ensure that the child lies quietly for the time necessary for the cleansing process.

In addition, A-Cerumen is quite effective. It is used for children from 2.5 years old. To prevent the accumulation of earwax, it is enough to use it 2 times a week, and to wash out earwax - 2 times a day (morning and evening) for 3-4 days.

The bottle with A-Cerumen is pre-warmed in the palm of your hand, then a certain amount of the product is poured into the child’s ear and left for about a minute. After which the head is turned over, allowing the solution with sulfur flakes to flow out.

Drops make the ear cleansing process convenient, safe and effective. Using this tool does not require any additional measures. The drops will relieve the baby from unpleasant consequences, remove and prevent the formation of new wax plugs.

The procedure for removing wax plugs in the ear should be carried out on a child if you are sure that the plug has formed recently and is not located too deep.

Also, ear cleansing using the methods described above is recommended for adult children who can sit quietly.

Why is it necessary to remove wax plugs from a child? First of all, in order to avoid hearing impairment, inflammatory processes, chronic rhinitis, and bedsores of the ear canal in the future. All these complications are much more difficult to cure than getting rid of wax.

If you are not sure of the diagnosis or are afraid to deal with the problem yourself, do not delay visiting a specialist.

After removal of wax plug in the ear, in some cases there is a possibility of its reappearance. Therefore, you should know about simple preventive measures:

1. If you are prone to pathology, visit your doctor regularly (at least 2 times a year).

2. Use cotton swabs to clean your ears, but do not insert them deeply. It is especially important to clean your ears after swimming.

3. Is wax plug a constant problem for you? In this case, do not use vacuum headphones, and also do not listen to loud music.

4. Protect your ears from the cold.

5. Women who are prone to wax formation should not wear heavy earrings.

6. If you go swimming, use special earplugs.

And a little more about cotton swabs. Do not use them to clean children's ears. You can clean your ear with a damp cloth. They wipe the auricle with it, after which they blot the moisture with a dry cloth.

Remember! In 70% of cases, a ruptured eardrum in children occurs due to the fault of parents who are unreasonable in their approach to the issue of baby hygiene.

Before using any instillation agent, it is advisable to clarify the diagnosis. Symptoms of wax plugs in the ear are similar to signs of serious inflammatory processes. Therefore, if you dare to carry out the ear cleansing procedure at home, consult a specialist first.

Compliance with the described preventive measures and an adequate approach to the treatment of existing pathology will preserve the health of the hearing organ for you and your children.

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How to safely remove wax from your ear at home. Effective methods for removing wax plugs at home

The ear is an organ of hearing that secretes waste products, which are not always easy to reach due to the fact that the auditory canal is tortuous and narrow.

Normally, the ear should get rid of wax on its own, but situations arise when this substance begins to accumulate in the ear canal, and over time the lumen is completely blocked.

The person experiences severe discomfort.

Wax plug in the ear: causes

As a rule, the occurrence of sulfur plugs occurs due to improper hygiene. For example, when you clean your ear yourself with a cotton swab, your actions, on the contrary, push the wax further, provoking the creation of a plug. But there are other reasons:

1. When diving under water, a kind of pressure is generated, which affects the occurrence of a traffic jam.

2. Excessive cleanliness. The more often you remove wax from the ear canal, the faster it will accumulate again.

3. When water gets into the ear, the wax begins to swell, thereby causing the ear canal to close.

4. You are working in an area where there is a lot of dust.

5. Staying in a room with dry air for a long time.

6. Blood cholesterol levels are greatly elevated. Oddly enough, this also affects the formation of a traffic jam.

7. Anatomical features of the auditory canal - it is excessively tortuous.

8. Structure of the auricle.

9. Be sure to find out if any of your relatives have had problems with traffic jams.

10. Intensive work of the sebaceous glands, which are responsible for the development of sulfur. In this case, the auricle cannot clean itself, as a result, a cerumen plug is created.

Quite often, a person does not even suspect that wax has accumulated in his ear, but this is only if the ear canal is not completely closed.

There will be noise in the ears, and the head will periodically feel dizzy. The appearance of a reflex cough is possible.

You can even detect the presence of a plug visually; pull back your ear and look inside. If the cavity is clean, then there is no cause for concern, but when lumps are visible, you need to contact an ENT specialist as soon as possible.

How to remove wax plug from the ear at home: means and devices

There are a lot of products on the pharmaceutical market that are used to remove wax plugs. Under their influence, the sulfur plug dissolves, while doctors simply soften it. Among the majority of medicines, two drugs have proven themselves well - Remo-Vax and A-Cerumen.

Remo-Vax - produced on the basis of allantoin. It dissolves the plug well and also helps keep the ear canal clean. It is recommended for people with increased sulfur production. If you use the product at least 4 times a month, you can completely clean the ear canal and also prevent the formation of a plug. The main advantage of this product is that it does not contain antibiotics, which means it can be used at any age.

Drops A-Cerumen (Nycomed) - removes wax well. After the drug gets inside, it will dissolve the plug, preventing it from swelling. The main advantage of the drug is the pre-calculated dosage. One bottle is designed to be dropped into the ear canal. The drops are completely safe; they do not cause irritation to the mucous membrane. They can be used by children starting from 2.5 years old.

The only contraindication is otitis media, as well as increased sensitivity.

You can also use special candles to remove the plug; they are sold at any pharmacy. Their main feature is that they are made on the basis of propolis.

How to remove wax plug from the ear at home: step-by-step instructions

Before looking for ways to remove a traffic jam at home, you need to carefully study all the available methods, as well as the sequence of their implementation. Many of them can be used at home. If you cannot perform any actions yourself, you can ask a family member to help.

Getting rid of wax plugs by rinsing

This procedure is quite simple. For ease of use, it is recommended to use a syringe without a needle, or a small bulb.

Instructions:

1. Stand in front of a sink or bathtub and lower your head with your affected ear over it.

2. Prepare a container of water in advance and fill it with a syringe. Use gentle pressure to release the air. Start pouring water along the walls of the ear canal.

3. It is necessary to rinse the ear in this way until the symptoms of the presence of wax plug disappear. If, due to its hardness, you cannot remove it, then first take steps to soften it, and then rinse your ear again.

Folk remedies

1. Take one small onion and grate it. Place the pulp in cheesecloth, squeeze out the juice well, then dilute it in warm water in a 1:1 ratio. After this, take the resulting product into a pipette and drop a few drops into the ear; you are allowed to do this no more than three times a day.

3. Pour sunflower oil into a spoon and melt it over the fire. Place a few drops into the sore ear for two or three days.

Hydrogen peroxide against wax plug

In order to prevent burns, you need to use 3% hydrogen peroxide. There is absolutely nothing complicated in carrying out this procedure, just follow the instructions below:

Take a few drops of hydroperite into a pipette. Lie on your side with your healthy side down. Drop the resulting solution into your ear and place a cotton swab in it. It is better if you do these steps in the evening, before going to bed. The course of treatment is about one week.

Rinse your ear.

Wash the cork with a shower. Remove the watering can from the hose, turn on warm water and point it directly at your ear. Many people claim that after this the plug will come out immediately.

Phytocandles

Phytosuppositories can be purchased at any pharmacy or you can make them yourself at home. To do this you will need propolis, essential oil, beeswax and medicinal herbs. Thanks to the effect of such suppositories, the hardened ear plug dissolves, inflammation and pain are relieved. A positive effect can be achieved by heating the ear canal, as well as creating a vacuum that occurs when a candle burns.

Prepare in advance baby cream, cotton swabs and swabs, warm water, a special cloth or napkins, matches and the candles themselves. After this, follow the instructions:

Using baby cream, massage the outer ear canal;

With your healthy side, you need to lie on your side, cover your head with a napkin with a hole for the ear;

Insert the edge of the candle with the narrow side into the ear and set fire to its second part;

Wait until a little more than half of the candle burns out, then take it out and dip it in the prepared water so that it goes out;

Remove the remaining wax from the candle from the ear with a cotton swab;

Contraindications:

Do not use candles under any circumstances if you have problems with the external auditory canal;

Pus has formed in the ear;

The outer ear is injured;

Allergies may occur to bee products;

The eardrum is damaged.

Self-blowing of the nose

If, after you have tried to soften the plug or performed the rinsing procedure, the wax plug still does not disappear, you can try self-blowing your nose. To do this, you need to take a strong breath and pinch the wings of your nose with your fingers. After this, exhale as much as possible, the sulfur should come out. But keep in mind that this procedure should be carried out with extreme caution; if you suddenly feel severe pain, consult a doctor as soon as possible.

In fact, getting rid of wax at home is quite simple, but think about whether you will cause even more harm. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to contact a specialist so that he can rid the ear of the plug with a special means.

How to remove wax plug from the ear at home without harming yourself

As noted above, wax plugs almost always occur due to improper ear hygiene, which is why, in order not to harm yourself, you need to know the basic preventive measures:

Remove earwax only from the auricle.

The ear canal can only be cleaned from the outside.

Once you suspect the presence of wax plugs, you should definitely visit a specialist.

Never use sharp objects to clean the ear.

Avoid hypothermia.

The doctor should look at your ear canal and determine whether there is excess wax or not. If the suspected diagnosis is confirmed, a specialist will carry out professional cleaning.

Often, sulfur plugs form due to an inflammatory process, which is why it is necessary to carry out treatment in a timely manner. One of the preventative measures is the treatment of eczema and dermatitis. Get your blood tested once every few months to monitor your cholesterol levels.

It is necessary to remove wax plug immediately after it is discovered. Otherwise, the consequences can be serious.

If you remove earwax at home, be extremely careful not to damage the eardrum. Once the problem is resolved, follow preventive measures to prevent the blockage from forming again.

Here you can see how to clean a baby’s ears for hygienic purposes, from 0 to 3 years old, using cotton wool pads:

Let me make a reservation right away, we will talk about removing ear plugs at home.

Older children, from about 3 years old, can clean their ears with ear drops. Remo-Wax(or A-cerumen, and others like them).
First, you need to warm up the oil in your hands (or place the bottle of oil in a glass of warm water for a few minutes). Place the child on his side in the fetal position. The parent drops up to 10 drops into the child’s ear (See instructions). Now, the child should lie in this position for 20 minutes. (at this time you can entertain the child with cartoons). Afterwards, the child turns over to the other side and lies there for another 2 minutes, during which time the dissolved wax flows out of the ear.

Now you need to rinse your ears with warm boiled water to remove any remaining dissolved wax.
This can be done using a 20 cc syringe or bulb:

To do this, you need to draw water into a syringe (or bulb) and direct a stream of water under pressure into your ear. The child’s head should be vertical and slightly lowered forward. Thus, rinse until clean water.
Repeat similarly with the second ear.

Adults can wash their ears under the running shower...
To do this, you need to remove the shower head from the shower hose. Turn on the water and adjust the flow of the warm stream. Direct the stream under pressure into the ear. The head should be vertical and slightly lowered forward.
Repeat similarly with the second ear. .

This procedure must be done in a course, 3 days in a row.
Further, in order to prevent the appearance of wax plugs, such ear cleaning can be carried out in a course once every 6 months. (or once every 12 months, depending on how quickly the ears become clogged with plugs, which you can find out in consultation with an ENT doctor or you yourself notice that the child has begun to react poorly to your words and surrounding sounds).

Video
Here's a way to clean your ears using hydrogen peroxide. It clearly shows how to rinse your ears with water:

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Ear plugs periodically occur in representatives of both sexes and different age groups. The production of earwax itself is natural. But blockage of the ear canal by it can be the result of even a simple accident and contributing factors. The symptoms of wax plugs in children and adults are almost the same, but children more often experience complications from its prolonged presence in the ear. Sulfur plug is not a disease, since its appearance is usually not a malfunction of any physiological mechanism and does not entail negative consequences if removed on time. However, in some cases it can serve as a symptom of other ear pathologies or abnormalities in its structure. Her frequent relapses indicate this scenario. Therefore, a wax plug in a child’s ear that occurs more than once a year should be a reason for a thorough examination.

According to ICD-10 (international classification of diseases), this phenomenon is assigned code H61.2. Earwax most often occurs in only one ear, although the first may soon be followed by the second. But simultaneous blockage of both ear canals is a unique phenomenon, 100% indicating their pathology.

What is earwax and what is it for?

Earwax is one of the body's defense mechanisms against pathogens. Its color corresponds to the name and varies from mustard to coffee (more typical for already frozen masses). It is viscous, has an acidic reaction, and copes well with its main functions:

• moisturizing - the inner surface of the auricle and ear canal;
• binding - pathogens, foreign objects, organisms that have penetrated there from outside, for example, small particles and insects carried with dust and substances, including water;
• excretion - everything that ended up inside its sticky layer.

At the same time, it is, of course, unable to protect against all possible threats. So, no sulfur can save us from inflammation and infection; the child has the habit of:

• picking your ear with dirty fingers;
• scratch it with a toothpick and other objects with pointed edges;
• stick other foreign objects into your ears.

In addition, earwax has its own texture and behavior at different times. Thus, it is evenly distributed over the surface of the ear canal during chewing, speech and other jaw movements. Accordingly, if they are not there (muteness, the first years of life), it can accumulate in its individual parts. And childhood and old age are often accompanied by its alkalization, which reduces its antiseptic properties and viscosity.

Causes and symptoms of wax plug in children

Earwax usually leaves the ear canal on its own with each jaw movement. And it is removed from the surface of the auricle using normal hygiene procedures. But sometimes objective circumstances or even our own actions can interfere with its normal outflow.

Thus, the reasons for the appearance of wax plugs in adults are most often associated with insufficient hygiene of the ears and the use of equipment that impedes its circulation. In particular:

• headphones;
• tight headdresses (they press the ears to the head);
• heavy frames for glasses and other similar accessories.

Excessive hair growth in the auricle (often found in men over 60 years of age) can also contribute to this. And the reasons for the occurrence of sulfur plugs in children are the following main factors.

• Insufficient jaw mobility. Especially during the period of lactation and the beginning of complementary feeding, when they don’t even need to chew anything.
• Cleaning their ears with a cotton swab. Like a piston, it pushes the masses located closer to the exit of the ear canal deeper in the direction of the eardrum, which leads to its compaction in areas that it does not reach.

In addition, cerumen impaction in a child or adult can occur due to:

• heredity– in particular, structural features of the ear canal that make it a little more curved or narrow than usual;
• otitis media - septic (infection with bacteria, fungus, mites or even helminths) or aseptic (foreign object, constant irritant, allergy);
• secretion disorders– in this case, sulfur itself.

Due to a number of age-related, physiological characteristics and even environmental factors, sulfur secretion can sometimes increase, and viscosity can sometimes increase or decrease.

Manifestations of pathological accumulation in the ear canal

The main subjective signs of the appearance of wax in a child’s ear are:

• hearing loss – up to complete deafness in an ear clogged with wax;
• tinnitus – most often manifested by an “echo”, ringing or autophony (when the patient feels resonance from the sounds of his own voice in the blocked ear);
• dizziness - especially noticeable when inhaling and when sharply turning the head towards the affected ear;
• headache - especially in the form of vegetative-vascular dystonia (that is, observed only in the half of the head on which the blocked ear is located).

If removal of the wax plug is delayed for some reason, it hardens and can create an area of ​​increased pressure between it and the eardrum. As a result, the following are added to the primary symptoms:

• nausea - due to increasing pressure in the blocked channel;
• cough is purely reflexive and has nothing to do with inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
• temperature - more associated with progressive irritation of the wax plug and inflammation of the tissues of the middle ear than with other factors.

Temperature occurs as one of the most recent and infrequently observed signs of wax impaction, but it is more common in children than in adults.

Diagnosing wax plugs in already speaking children and adults is not difficult. However, it is almost impossible to suspect its presence in representatives of all ages who are unable, for one reason or another, to talk orally or in writing about the symptoms that bother them.

Objective (visible) signs of cerumen plug become noticeable only months later, when the irritation provoked by it leads to swelling of the auricle or purulent melting of the tissues around it. In such cases, the cerumen plug comes out on its own, some time after the pus begins to separate from the ear canal. Due to the impossibility of guessing its presence without complaints, parents should periodically examine the child’s ears.

Therapy and prevention

Clinical recommendations for the treatment of wax plugs suggest only their elimination. The simplest treatment for cerumen impaction in children is to wash it out with a directed stream of water or remove it with a special probe - a curette. Both are possible if inflammation and swelling are absent or mildly expressed - that is, the patency of the ear canal is preserved and only the plug needs to be removed. The water flushing method has another small drawback in the form of temporary disorientation and dizziness in the child, resulting from the pressure of the water on the eardrum. Therefore, sometimes it is wiser to use drops from sulfur plugs for children, allowing them to dissolve and then be painlessly removed.

But it will most likely not be possible to wash out the wax plug for a child with pronounced otitis media, suppuration, or ulceration. Yes, this should not be done because of the risk of damaging the middle and inner ear

Medical approach

Most often, medical measures are limited to washing the ear canal with warm water and using a special syringe. However, this procedure can be carried out at home using an ordinary syringe without a needle. The only difference will be that the medical instrument (called a Janet syringe) is more convenient, and the practicing otolaryngologist has much more experience than the parents.

But if washing is impossible or contraindicated, you should definitely not experiment with the independent selection of cerumenolytics (in Latin, sulfur plug is called cerumene, and “lysis” means dissolution). Only a doctor should be trusted to prescribe them, and for several reasons.

• Limited effect. Most preparations for dissolving wax plugs (based on vegetable oils or water) actually only soften them. That is, they do not eliminate the need for their subsequent physical removal and do not always help with truly dense (say, containing an admixture of flour, asbestos, cement dust), old stones. That’s why doctors’ reviews of self-treatment with them are usually so bad: nothing surprising, since their use, even by a specialist, often does not give the desired result.
• Dangerous operating principle. Some cerumenolytics involve softening the cerumen plug by heating the tissues of the ear canal. It is achieved by adding essential oils to the preparation. They are unsafe because the use of such substances on the tissues of the ear canal often leads to burns.
• Presence of contraindications. For example, true (that is, truly destroying the plug) “solvents” of ceruments are directly contraindicated if there are defects in the outer membranes of the ear canal. But this is in the most general form. And the details are known only to people who well understand the principle of action of the components of a particular drug.

Alternative techniques

Considering the gentleness of hospital treatment, we can say that the question of how to remove wax plugs for a child using folk remedies is not so pressing. The effect of them is unlikely to be faster or safer, and the risk of doing something incorrectly increases significantly.

However, the need to cleanse a child’s ears of wax plugs on their own may arise among parents of nervous children who cannot tolerate medical manipulation. The need to work in close proximity to the eardrum (if it ruptures, hearing can disappear completely and forever) of such a child really creates difficulties. Then it is wisest for parents to buy a regular disposable syringe with a volume of more than 5 ml, a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide and a pipette. If you're lucky, they won't need the pipette and peroxide at all - just a syringe. But since it is impossible to determine the consistency of wax plug without special skill, you will have to act experimentally.

• Simple situation. To begin, fill the syringe with the needle removed with warm water, place a flat dish under the ear lobe of the child sitting on a chair (so that the water does not spill on the floor) and press the plunger forcefully, directing the stream of water into the ear canal.
• A difficult case. If three syringes did not help to wash out the wax plug, further attempts are still useless. In this case, traditional medicine advises changing tactics, moving to instilling a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide into the sore ear every day, up to six times a day, for a week. On the eighth day of such softening therapy, you should try to remove the sulfur plug again using warm water and a syringe.
• Possible consequences. If there is inflammation in the ear canal, for the next two to three days you can place a cotton swab soaked in chamomile decoction in the baby’s sore ear.

Preventing wax plugs in a child is not a problem. To prevent wax plugs from forming in a child’s ear, simply wash the ears regularly, thoroughly blotting them with a waffle (non-lint) towel after washing. It is also necessary to protect your ears from inflammation in the ear canal - and not only because of the threat of wax plugs. For this purpose, it is better to wean the child from touching his lips, ears and eyes with dirty fingers.

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