Sulfur plug symptoms. Ear wax plug: causes, symptoms, removal. Seven main reasons for ear plugs

The appearance of wax plugs in the ear canal is not uncommon. The most common reason for its appearance is improper ear hygiene. Many people use cotton swabs to clean the ear canal, not realizing that the swabs only push earwax deeper and compact it, thereby contributing to the formation of wax plugs.

You need to remove wax only near the entrance to ear canal, you cannot insert turundas or cotton swabs into the ear canal itself, otherwise you can disrupt the natural self-cleaning mechanism of the ear canal. In addition, inserting sticks into the ear canal can irritate his skin and even.

Sometimes the cause of wax plugs is excessive sulfur production due to intense work. sebaceous glands. Sulfur plugs can often bother people who have anatomical features structure of the auricle, working or living in dusty conditions.

Symptoms

Wax plugs can long time do not disturb the person (until the plug completely closes the ear canal), so they go unnoticed. In most cases, the main and, perhaps, the only symptom is hearing loss, and very often this occurs after. As a result of contact with water, the earwax plug swells and clogs the ear canal.

The wax plug may be located on or near the eardrum. If irritation occurs nerve endings, then reflex symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, cough and nausea may occur. In such cases, you should immediately consult a doctor, since prolonged contact of a lump of earwax with the eardrum can cause the development of earwax.

Treatment

Earwax in the ear is always visible to the naked eye. But you shouldn’t try to remove it yourself, especially with a cotton swab, which will push the plug even deeper into the ear canal, or sharp objects, which .

In order to remove a plug from the ear canal, you should contact an otolaryngologist, although this simple procedure can be performed by a doctor of any specialty. Sulfur plugs can be of a soft consistency (paste-like, plasticine-like), or they can be dry and hard.

If the wax plug is of a soft consistency, then the doctor begins to wash it out immediately. To do this, use a syringe (without a needle) filled with warm water or saline solution. Under pressure, wax is washed out of the ear canal. This procedure is absolutely painless and safe, even small children can easily tolerate it.

Sometimes the doctor may resort to the so-called dry method of removing wax, which is used in cases where rinsing is contraindicated for the patient. Using a special ear probe under visual control, the doctor carefully removes accumulated wax from the ear canal. This procedure, unlike rinsing with a syringe, should only be performed by an otolaryngologist.

If the plug is dry and hard and cannot be washed out with water pressure, then for several days it will be necessary to instill 3-4 drops of a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide into the ear canal 3-4 times a day. This is necessary in order to soften the cork before washing. Usually, 3 days are enough to soften a lump of wax blocking the ear canal.

If the sulfur plug is very dense or is not sufficiently soaked after using a hydrogen peroxide solution, then you can use the drug A-cerumen to soften it. This product is designed specifically to soften ear plugs. In order to prepare the ear for rinsing in the doctor’s office, it is enough to drop half a bottle (1 ml) of the drug into the ear canal for a few minutes.

The only way to remove wax plugs at home is to dissolve it with A-cerumen or another cerumenolysis drug. However, complete dissolution ear plug occurs only in 25% of cases. In other cases, rinsing is still necessary to completely clean the ear. The drug must be used according to the instructions, taking into account the presence of contraindications. A-cerumen can be used in children from 2.5 years of age. For ear hygiene and softening of wax plugs in children, more younger age(from 2 months) after consultation with a pediatrician, it is possible to use the drug Remo-Vax.

Sulfur plug is an accumulation of wax and sebum in the external auditory canal, which are produced by the ear glands.

In addition, the sulfur plug contains particles of dead skin cells of the external auditory canal and dust.

The color of sulfur plug can vary from yellow to dark brown. Initially it has a soft consistency, then gradually becomes dense or even rocky.

Statistics

However, in reality there are more such patients, since the wax plug does not manifest itself for a long time. And to be more precise, almost every person faces this problem once in his life. In the Middle Ages, earwax was used in the making of early lip balms and the writing of illustrated manuscripts.

Interestingly, the composition of earwax differs depending on gender, so in women it is more acidic, and in men it is less so.

It has also been proven that earwax at different nations and races have differences in composition. For example, Asian people have less fat, which is why it has a dry consistency; African Americans have more fat, which is why it is softer. It is noteworthy that such a distinction has previously been used to track the routes of population migration from country to country.

In addition, there is a historical fact that proves the existence of a natural self-cleaning mechanism for earwax.

At the beginning of the last century, a case was described in China in which a man’s eardrum was pierced by a bamboo sliver. However, with any attempt to remove it, it opened like a harpoon, threatening to rupture the eardrum. Then it was decided to observe the sliver, for signs of inflammation eardrum did not have.

Imagine everyone's surprise when they noticed that the sliver gradually moved to the edge of the eardrum, without damaging it, and then along the wall of the external auditory canal outward.

Thus, after four months, the sliver completely came out of the external auditory canal, leaving no trace behind it.

Anatomy of the external ear

• auricle, consisting of elastic and elastic cartilage covered skin fold. In its lateral part there is an entrance to the external auditory canal, limited by two cartilaginous protrusions.
• External auditory canal, which begins outside at the auricle and ends inside at the eardrum.

In the skin of the membranous-cartilaginous section of each external auditory canal there is hair and three types of glands (about 2000 in total): sulfur (produce earwax), sebaceous (produce sebum), sweat (produce sweat). Moreover, within a month, the sulfur glands produce about 15-20 mg of earwax.

The skin of the bony part of the external auditory canal does not contain glands.

Composition and functions of earwax

In addition, earwax contains sulfonamides (suppress the growth of pathogenic microorganisms), lysozyme (an enzyme that destroys cell walls bacteria) and immunoglobulins (cells immune system). Thanks to these components and the acidic reaction (pH = 4-6), earwax protects the external auditory canal from bacteria and fungi.

That is, the formation of earwax - physiological process, which is necessary for protection and normal operation organ of hearing.

What is the self-cleaning mechanism of earwax?

In addition, the skin of the external auditory canal grows at a rate equal to the growth of nails. As it grows, it moves outward from the eardrum, pushing earwax toward the exit. That is, for example, wax attached to the eardrum will move outward on its own within 3-4 months.

Also in the skin of the external auditory canal there are cilia, which, making oscillatory movements, promote earwax from the inside out.

However, unfortunately, often when exposed to certain factors, the work of the sulfur and sebaceous glands, as well as the self-cleaning mechanism, is disrupted.

Reasons for the formation of sulfur plugs

Improper hygienic care of external ear canal

Excessively frequent and rough use of cotton swabs or cleaning the external auditory canal with improvised means (for example, pins or knitting needles) is the most common reason formation of sulfur plugs.

As a result, the skin of the external auditory canal is injured, and the production of secretion by the sulfur glands is enhanced. Next, the earwax is pushed deeper into the eardrum, where it becomes compacted. Therefore, the process of its self-cleaning is disrupted.

In addition, during intensive cleaning, the cilia of the skin of the external auditory canal are damaged. Therefore, they cease to perform their function: moving the formed sulfur outward.

It is noteworthy that often methods of improper hygienic care of the external auditory canal come from childhood. Because children, watching adults, adopt their methods of removing earwax.

Anatomical features

There is tortuosity or narrowness of the external auditory canal, therefore the process of self-cleaning of earwax is disrupted.

Moreover, the anatomical features of the structure can be either congenital or acquired (for example, appear after an injury).

Tendency to increased secretion of earwax

Occurs when there are disturbances in the metabolism of fats in the body, which lead to increased formation of cholesterol, which is part of earwax. As a result, it becomes more viscous, and therefore the process of self-cleaning from the external auditory canal is disrupted.

It is noteworthy that metabolic features are often inherited, and not only occur in certain diseases (for example, atherosclerosis).

Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the external auditory canal (for example, otitis externa)

They lead to increased secretion production by the sebaceous and sulfur glands, but it does not have time to be removed, so it accumulates.

In addition, the lumen of the external auditory canal decreases due to inflammatory swelling of the skin. As a result, a mechanical obstacle is created in the path of self-cleaning of earwax.

Also changing high-quality composition earwax: the amount of protective factors in it decreases (lysozyme, immunoglobulins and others). Therefore, the ear glands are affected secondarily pathogens, and the course is infectious inflammatory disease getting worse.

Use of hearing aids or regular use headphones

Leads to injury to the skin of the external auditory canal (for example, abrasions), so the production of earwax increases. Subsequently, it is pushed inside the external auditory canal and compacted.

In addition, conditions are created for joining secondary infection and the development of inflammatory diseases in the outer ear.

Excessive hair growth inside the external auditory canal

Leads to disruption of the process of self-cleaning from earwax. This cause most often occurs in elderly patients.

Skin diseases of the external auditory canal (for example, eczema or psoriasis)

A non-infectious inflammatory process develops, which leads to detachment of the upper layer of skin (epidermis) of the external auditory canal in the form of plates. Subsequently, they are enveloped in sulfur and become denser, clogging the lumen of the external auditory canal.

In addition, the production of secretions by the sebaceous and sulfur glands increases, which leads to further rapid education sulfur plug.

Working in a dusty environment (for example, in a mill or in mines)

Dust settles in the external auditory canal. As a result, the secretion production of the ear glands increases, and the functioning of the skin's cilia is disrupted.

Foreign body in the lumen of the external auditory canal

Leads to increased secretion production by the ear glands (a natural protective reaction of the body), which does not have time to be removed. In addition, a mechanical obstacle is created in the way of self-purification of sulfur.

Prolonged stay in a room with dry air (humidity up to 40%)

Leads to drying of the secretion of the external auditory canal, so a sulfur plug of solid consistency is formed.

Age

How older man, the higher the risk of wax plug formation. Because with age, the self-cleaning mechanisms of earwax weaken, and its production by the glands increases.

In addition, in older patients, the number of hairs in the external auditory canal tends to increase. Therefore, an additional obstacle is created in the way of self-purification of sulfur.

Symptoms of wax plug

Ear congestion and noise, hearing loss

Symptoms develop slowly due to the gradual accumulation of wax in the external auditory canal. Therefore, the patient usually does not pay any attention to the fact that he gradually becomes deaf and noise appears in the ears.

Dry and irritating cough, nausea and dizziness, moderate pain and echo own voice in the ear

Signs appear if the wax plug puts pressure on the eardrum, irritating its nerve endings.

With prolonged pressure from wax plugs, inflammation of the eardrum (myringitis) or the middle ear cavity (otitis media) sometimes develops.

As a result, mild ear pain appears (with otitis media, it intensifies during chewing or talking), body temperature may rise moderately, and ear infections appear from the external auditory canal. small discharge(most often purulent).

Paralysis facial nerve, heart rhythm disturbances, epileptic seizures

Occurs when severe cases, when the cerumen plug is located in the bone region and puts strong pressure on the eardrum, irritating its nerve endings.

All symptoms disappear after removing the wax plug.

On a note!

Most often, the first signs of wax impaction appear upon contact with water (for example, after diving in a pool or taking a shower). Because it swells and partially pushes inward closer to the eardrum, blocking the lumen of the external auditory canal.

How to remove wax plug

How to remove wax plug at home

However, sulfur plugs small size can be removed at home, using caution. Moreover, it is necessary to apply pharmaceutical products (ear drops), and not hygienic cotton swabs.

Why can't you use cotton ear swabs?

In addition, such deep cleaning may cause injury to the skin of the external auditory canal and/or eardrum (perforation - loss of integrity).

Drops for removing wax plugs - pharmaceutical products

Mechanism of action of ear drops

They help dissolve the wax plug in the ear canal, making it easy to remove. This technique is called cerumenolysis.

It is noteworthy that during cerumenolysis the plug itself does not swell, so unpleasant sensations in the ear, as a rule, do not occur.

The most commonly used agents for cerumenolysis

Mode of application

First, warm the drops to body temperature or 37°C. To do this, hold the bottle with the solution in your clenched palm for 5-10 minutes or heat it in a water bath.

Then lie on your side or tilt your head in the opposite direction to the sore ear. Next, drop the solution into the external auditory canal of the affected ear along the back or upper wall (not in the center!) to avoid the formation of an air lock.

After the time specified according to the instructions, turn over on the other side or lean over the sink/napkin to allow the solution to flow out. Then rinse the external auditory canal with warm water or 0.9% saline solution.

When should you not use ear drops?

• In case of a defect (violation of integrity) of the eardrum.
• If the patient has chronic otitis media or in the past he suffered purulent otitis media.
• A-Cerumen is contraindicated for use in children under 2.5 years of age.

Can peroxide be used to remove earwax?

The mechanism of action of hydrogen peroxide

Upon contact with tissues, peroxide breaks down into molecular oxygen and water. In this case, oxygen oxidizes tissues (in in this case- cerumen plug), forming foam that mechanically cleanses the external auditory canal.

Moreover, it should be remembered that hydrogen peroxide leads to swelling of the cerumen plug, so ear congestion and hearing loss intensifies. However, after cleaning the external auditory canal, the symptoms disappear.

Mode of application

First, heat the hydrogen peroxide in a water bath to 37°C.

Then lie on the side opposite the sore ear, or tilt your head to the healthy side. Next, using a pipette, drop at least 10-15 drops of hydrogen peroxide (about half a pipette) along the back or upper wall of the external auditory canal of the sore ear. In this case, unpleasant sensations appear in the ear and a hissing sound is heard.

After 5-10 minutes, turn over to the other side or lean over the sink/napkin so that the hydrogen peroxide with particles of wax plug flows out. Then remove the remaining hydrogen peroxide from the auricle using a swab, without penetrating into the external auditory canal.

Repeat the procedure 4-6 times a day for 3-5 days. Usually the symptoms of wax plug disappear and hearing is restored.

However, after self-removal of the wax plug, it is necessary to consult an ENT doctor who will visually examine the external auditory canal.

When should you not use hydrogen peroxide?

• If there is a defect in the eardrum.
• If the patient has suffered from purulent otitis media in the past or is currently suffering from chronic otitis media.

Hydrogen peroxide should be used with caution as it can burn the skin of the external auditory canal and/or eardrum. Therefore, if during the procedure there is a severe burning sensation and pain in the ear, stop it and be sure to consult an ENT doctor.

Do I need to rinse my ear to remove wax?

However, it is not recommended to remove wax plugs by rinsing yourself at home. Since there is a high probability of damage to the eardrum and/or skin of the external auditory canal.

How to rinse wax plug?

When the sulfur plug is dry, it is necessary to soften it first. For this purpose, half a pipette of 3% hydrogen peroxide is instilled into the external auditory canal of the diseased ear 5-6 times a day for 2-3 days. Or use cerumenolysis products according to the instructions.

To rinse the external auditory canal, use water or any solution of external antiseptic (for example, furatsilin), which are heated to 37°C.

There are instrumental (manual) and hardware methods for washing out wax plug:

• With help syringe Janet, the capacity of which is 100-200 ml.
  During the procedure, the doctor applies a stream of water under high blood pressure into the external auditory canal towards the eardrum. Due to this, particles of sulfur plug move away from the place of attachment. The water then flows into the tray through the outlet of the external auditory canal.

  However, Janet's syringe is capable of creating pressure up to 10 atmospheres. Whereas the eardrum can only withstand 2 atmospheres. Therefore, the success of the procedure largely depends on the professionalism of the doctor.

• An electronic irrigator is used(Propluse 4th generation) - new technique who found wide application.
  The effectiveness of the procedure is based on the pulsed nature of the jet supply, as well as the ability to regulate its pressure. This ensures complete, painless and secure deletion sulfur plug.

• Violation of the integrity of the eardrum (perforation) - the result of injury or past infection.
• The presence of acute or chronic otitis media.
• Previous history of purulent otitis media.

How do doctors remove wax plug?

Washing out wax plugs using a Janet-type syringe

Carrying out the procedure:

The patient is in a sitting position, and on the side of the sore ear, on the shoulder, there is a tray to collect water, which is held by an assistant.

The doctor pulls the pinna up and back, straightening the external auditory canal. Then it directs a stream of water along the upper wall of the ear canal in jerks to avoid increasing pressure on the eardrum. A stream of water flows back from the ear into the tray.

After washing Auricle dried with cotton wool wrapped around the probe. Then, turunda soaked in an antiseptic solution (for example, boric alcohol) is placed in the external auditory canal for 15-20 minutes.

Washing out wax plugs using an irrigator (Propluse)

Carrying out the procedure:

The patient is in a sitting position. A waterproof cape is attached to his neck.

Then the doctor inserts the nozzle into the lumen of the external auditory canal and uses a foot pedal to supply water. At the same time, he directs the stream slightly upward and backward so that it runs along the upper wall of the external auditory canal.

After particles of cerumen plug appear at the exit of the external auditory canal, rinsing stops. Next, using a disposable spatula, particles of sulfur plug are removed, which allows you to reduce the duration of the procedure. Then the doctor wipes the auricle with a napkin.

At the end of the procedure, the otolaryngologist removes remaining water from the lumen ear canal using cotton wool wrapped around the toothed end of a spatula to remove the wax plug.

Vacuum aspiration (vacuum removal) of wax plug

When is it used?

• Used in patients with a defective eardrum
• After rinsing the outer ear to remove residual water

The patient is in a sitting position. An aspiration tube is inserted into the external auditory canal. Then the aspirator is turned on, on which the negative pressure is pre-set by the doctor. After completing the manipulation, the doctor examines the external auditory canal to make sure complete removal sulfur plug.

Minuses

Loud sound during procedure, but modern models it is significantly lower.

In addition, sometimes disorders develop in the vestibular apparatus (located in inner ear), which is responsible for the consistency of human movements in space. The disorder is manifested by nausea and vomiting, severe dizziness.

However, carrying out the procedure using optical instruments (microscope) reduces the likelihood of side effects to a minimum.

Curettage - instrumental removal of wax plug

In what cases is curettage used?

• If the patient has perforation (violation of the integrity) of the eardrum or persistent hearing loss.


• The patient previously suffered from purulent otitis media or currently suffers from chronic otitis media.


• When it was not possible to remove the sulfur plug by washing, or it consists of layers of dead cells of the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), tightly glued together.

The patient is in a sitting position. The doctor pulls the pinna upward and backward to straighten the external auditory canal. Then, using special tools (hooks, tweezers, small spoons) and under the control of optics (microscope), the sulfur plug is removed.

After completion of the procedure, a turunda moistened with an antiseptic is usually placed in the external auditory canal for 15-20 minutes ( antibacterial agent) For local application.

What devices exist for removing wax plugs?

Equipment for removing wax plugs

Prevention of wax plugs

What do we have to do?

What should you avoid?

• You should not use hygiene products cotton swabs, penetrating deep into the external auditory canal. Since the sulfur is pushed closer to the eardrum and compacted. In addition, there is a risk of eardrum injury if you are accidentally distracted by another event during the procedure. Young children especially suffer from this, because during cleaning they fidget or break out of their mother’s hands.
• Do not use matches, knitting needles, pins or other sharp objects to remove wax. Since there is a high risk of injury to the eardrum and skin of the external auditory canal.


• Avoid sharp changes ambient air temperature. For example, in the heat - moving from the street to a room where the air conditioner is running.
• Do not use earplugs wax candles to remove wax plugs on your own and without consulting an ENT doctor, since you can harm yourself. For example, cause a burn to the eardrum or the skin of the external auditory canal, and if there is inflammation in the outer ear, aggravate the course of the disease.

It reaches the plug and affects the sulfur masses. The hydrogen peroxide will fizz and flow out with pieces of dissolved sulfur. Wait until all the solution has flowed out - to do this, tilt your head in the same direction. Wipe your ear cotton swab, removing residual moisture. Repeat the softening procedure twice a day for 7 days - this is usually the amount of time it takes to completely clear the passage and restore hearing. After the procedure, warm your ear with an incandescent lamp - this will dry the ear faster.
If discomfort, pain or pressure occurs during the procedure, then all manipulations should be stopped and consult a doctor.

Carry out the removal procedure yourself.
Prepare your ear for wax - instill weak soda solution into the ear canal for three days. Soften the wax plug - drip a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, straightening the ear canal. Wash the plug with a syringe - slightly pull your ear up and back, pour room temperature water under pressure into the ear canal. Apply boric alcohol to your ear.

Video on the topic

Related article

Sources:

• how to remove a plug in your ear

Relatively recently, it became known that earwax is not dirt, but a mixture of desquamated skin cells and the secretion of glands located in the inner ear. Therefore, sulfur should not be removed too often. If a wax plug has formed in the ears, which causes discomfort, it is removed with one of following methods.

Instructions

Video on the topic

note

You can remove a plug from your ear yourself only if your eardrum is not damaged, or you did not have otitis media or other inflammatory diseases before its formation, and if you do not have diabetes. If such cases occur, remove wax plug only in a medical facility.

Helpful advice

Earwax cleanses our ear canal, moisturizes it, resists inflammation and ear diseases. Earwax is removed from the ears on its own when chewing food, coughing, or talking. Remains of wax that appears at the exit of the ear canal should be carefully removed with an ear stick.

In the ear can form various reasons. This is not a lack of sufficient hygiene as is commonly believed. They may appear due to a violation metabolic processes, inflammation or increased secretion of glands. The first sensations that indicate the presence of a sulfur plug are congestion ear, a feeling that there is something in the ear. Dizziness and sleep disturbances may occur ear.

Instructions

If you feel fullness in your ear, constant feeling foreign object, dizziness, sleep disorder ear You should immediately consult an otolaryngologist.

In some cases traffic jam It is not possible to remove it immediately. The doctor prescribes medications that need to be instilled into the ear over a certain period of time to soften the plug and then remove it by rinsing or pumping out.

Cannot be used pharmaceuticals, which appeared on the market for dissolving ear infections. They can be used only after examination by a specialist and his recommendations. Sometimes the feeling of stuffiness and the presence of a foreign object cause completely different diseases than the ear plug, which require immediate treatment.

Sources:

• how to remove a plug from your ear yourself

Earwax is the result of excessive accumulation of earwax, the original purpose of which is to protect the eardrum from germs. Recommend removing sulfur traffic jam Only people with healthy ears can do it on their own.

Instructions

If you have a sudden deterioration in your hearing, or you hear tinnitus, you can assume that wax has blocked your ear canal. As a result of a simple manipulation, the doctor will easily remove it, and your hearing will be restored instantly. To do this, he will need to take a special scraper that looks like a ring and use it. Pull out the sulfur traffic jam You can also use the method of rinsing the ear cavity. Next, on the recommendation of a doctor, you will need to monitor the condition of your ear canals by cleaning your ears at home or in a clinic.

It is not always possible to use the services of a doctor. When the sulfur has accumulated and become viscous and thick, since the desquamated parts of the epidermis get into it, there is nothing left to do but try it yourself. When a person bathes, a couple of drops are enough, the wax plug will swell and block the ear canal. Since cork has a dense consistency, it is necessary. Take a solution of hydrogen peroxide, vegetable oil or glycerin. Try to lie down to make it easier to instill the solution into your ear. Pull your ear back and pipette a few drops of the solution into your ear. Drip the oil while heated.

Plug your ear with cotton wool, hold it for a while, and, removing the cotton wool from the auricle, let excess liquid pour out. Do the procedure in front of a mirror so that hydrogen peroxide does not get into your eyes.

Sometimes it takes several days for the sulfur to soften traffic jam, and you need to bury the ear drops up to three times a day. As a result of softening, the cork can itself. If this does not happen, you should take warm solution chamomile or soda and rinse the ear canal. To rinse your ears, use a syringe without a needle, a rubber syringe, or a teapot.

To avoid infection by removing any remaining water, place a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol into your ear.

Video on the topic

The causes of wax plugs in the ears may be the anatomical features of the ear canal (too tortuous or narrow), increased secretion of the sebaceous glands, or increased viscosity of the wax itself. Earwax blocks the ear canal, causing hearing loss.

You will need

• - hydrogen peroxide;
• - calcined vegetable oil;
• - baking soda, chamomile infusion;
• - onion.

Instructions

Try softening the sulfur. Place a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear and wait a while - small drops traffic jams can go out. For the same purposes, you can use calcined vegetable oil, pre-cooled - 5-6 drops are enough. Apply the oil overnight and cover the entrance to the ear canal with cotton wool. Prepare a warm solution in the morning baking soda or chamomile infusion, draw the liquid into a small syringe and gently insert it into the ear canal. If necessary, repeat the procedure again.

“Throw away” the sulfur plug. The method requires some skill, so enlist the help of loved ones. First you need a funnel made of linen fabric - for this you need to dip it in melted beeswax and immediately roll it into a paper bag. Narrow part insert the funnels into the ear canal, and set the opposite part on fire, while it should be tilted towards the structure. Warm air should pull out the sulfur plug due to the vacuum created in the cavity. Extinguish the pipe when half of the funnel burns out.

Dissolve the sulfur plug. Regular onions have good solvent properties. Grate a small onion, squeeze out the juice, strain it through gauze, folded in half, and bury it in your ear. Perform the procedure every 2 hours for two days - the onion will dissolve the plug and it will flow freely from the ear canal.

Go through the washout procedure traffic jams. Contact an otolaryngologist - a specialist will wash away all sulfur deposits with a powerful jet of water from a special syringe, then dry the ear canal. If suppuration has begun or there is a perforation of the eardrum, the plug will be removed with a special probe with a hook.

Hearing loss, congestion, constant noise and ringing in the ears are signs of wax plug formation. Additionally, headaches and dizziness may occur. Correct and timely removal of the formation will bring significant relief and return normal hearing.

What is wax plug in the ear

Wax is designed to protect the inside of the ear from excess dust, dirt, and small objects. But its excess leads to the formation of traffic jams. There may be traffic jams different colors and consistency.

Types of wax plug in the ear:

• pasty – soft, easy to remove, light yellow sulfur;
• plasticine-like – viscous, brown formation;
• stony - dry, hard accumulations of sulfur, brown or black in color;
• epidermal - a dense plug with pieces of epidermis and pus.

Important! Ear plugs are a recurrent disease. In addition to treatment, it is necessary to eliminate the underlying cause of the disease.

Causes

With normal functioning of the glands, the ears clean themselves during conversation and eating. But sometimes the self-cleaning process becomes difficult.

The main reason - increased viscosity earwax, genetic predisposition and structural features of the auditory canal. In such cases, the ears need more careful care.

Most people use cotton swabs to clean their ears. But this pushes the sulfur deeper, causing a traffic jam. Sticks with limiters also cannot guarantee 100% results. Any foreign objects irritate the auricle, causing microtraumas. Therefore, hygienic cotton pads can only be used to clean the outside of the ear.

1. Traffic jams also occur against the background of the inflammatory process. When using matches, hairpins, or pins to clean the ears, the tissue is injured and inflammation begins.
2. Accelerated activity of the sebaceous glands leads to the formation large quantity sulfur, the auricle is not able to clean itself. Often increased secretion occurs against the background of high cholesterol levels.
3. With constant use of headphones, hearing aids, and increased hair growth inside the ear, the likelihood of ear plugs increases several times.
4. Ear formations can occur against a background of unfavorable external factors– increased air dust, insufficient humidity.

Important! Ear plugs occur frequently in older people.

Symptoms of an ear plug in the ear

Sulfur formation may for a long time do not show any special signs. The formation can take up to 6 months to form without causing any particular inconvenience to the person. You can determine the problem visually by pulling your ear down a little. If lumps are visible deep in the passage, you should visit a doctor.

Can earwax cause ear pain? The disease usually resolves painlessly. But if the hard formation moves closer to the eardrum, grinding and throbbing pain may occur.

Other complaints from patients with stuffy ears include:

• hearing impairment;
• humming and ringing in the sore ear;
• the patient hears his own voice;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache pain, dizziness;
• cough.

Ear plugs in children

In children, traffic jams occur quite often due to the short ear canal.

The child may complain of frequent ringing and noise in the ears, and the quality of hearing deteriorates. If you notice signs of a blocked ear, it is better to contact an ENT specialist.

How to remove wax plug in a child

To treat a child, you can use special pharmaceutical drugs(remo-vax).

Hydrogen peroxide is used to pre-soften hard sulfur formations, or removing minor blockages. To avoid burns, you can only use 3% peroxide. The liquid, 3–4 drops, is instilled into sore ear up to 4 times a day. Foam and pieces of sulfur that appear outside must be removed immediately.

During treatment with peroxide, temporary hearing loss may occur as the plug absorbs the liquid and increases in size. To avoid ear plugs in your child, you need to regularly rinse your ears with warm water and remove excess wax with your fingers.

Important! You should not try to remove a cork, especially a hard one, on your own. It is forbidden to try to get it out with tweezers or other objects.

How do doctors remove a plug?

A doctor must remove the plug, since formations of different consistencies require different treatments. With improper therapy, you can push the plug further, or injure the eardrum.

Ear rinsing

The procedure is not recommended to be performed at home, since there is a high probability of injuring the eardrum. Rinsing is carried out using a special syringe on which a small rubber tube is attached. For manipulation, water, furatsilin solution or saline solution are used.

During the procedure, the patient sits upright, the liquid should flow freely out. After rinsing, the doctor wraps cotton wool around the probe and thoroughly dries the auricle.

To prevent inflammation, turunda with an antiseptic (boric alcohol) is placed in the ear for a quarter of an hour.

Important! An irrigator can be used to wash out the plug.

If the eardrum is defective, rinsing is prohibited. For treatment, a vacuum aspirator is used, which cleans the ear using negative pressure. During the procedure, the patient may experience discomfort from the loud sound of the device, and disorders may occur. vestibular apparatus.

If the patient has chronic otitis, or has a history of purulent otitis, removal of the plug is possible only with the help of special instruments. The procedure is carried out using local anesthesia, under constant control microscope

Important! For any ear treatment, the liquid must be at body temperature. IN otherwise irritation of the vestibular apparatus will occur, which will lead to nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

How to fix the problem at home

Can wax plug come out on its own? IN in rare cases The solid formation gets wet during a long shower, and the plug comes out on its own. But most often it is necessary correct treatment to fix the problem.

First aid for a traffic jam is to: thermal effects for sulfur. To do this, you need to put your ear on a hot heating pad and lie there for a quarter of an hour. Then you need to rinse your ear to completely remove wax.

1. You can use warmed olive oil as drops, sunflower oil, glycerin. Apply 2-3 drops and clean your ears after 5 minutes.
2. Softens plugs well onion juice, mixed with vodka in a ratio of 4:1. The product must be used twice a day, 2 drops.

How to remove it yourself

Important! Only 15% of the population knows all the rules proper care behind the ears.

Prevention

Prevention of plugs involves proper cleaning of the auricle.

Frequent ear cleaning often causes ear plugs. . The procedure should be carried out no more than once every 10–15 days. Wax should be removed only from the outside; sticks should not be inserted deeply.

For prevention, you can use the Karna Dhauti method of yoga once a week. Suitable for the procedure cool water– she will excite nerve receptors, will relieve fatigue and add vigor.

1. Tilt your head, your ear should look down.
2. Wet your little finger in water and rotate it several times in the ear canal.
3. Do the exercise with your index finger.

When swimming in the pool, you must protect your ears from getting cold water using a cap or cotton swabs.

1. Before going to the sea, you need to thoroughly rinse your ears, especially when increased secretion sulfur.
2. Avoid sudden changes in temperature – cold air leads to an increase in ear secretion.
3. Humidity in the room should be between 45-60%. If the air is too dry, hard formations can form in the ears.
4. When constantly using a hearing aid, headset, or headphones, it is necessary to periodically instill drops that dissolve the accumulation of sulfur.

Excessive accumulation of sulfur causes many discomfort. By following hygiene standards and rules it is easy to avoid of this disease. Ears should be cleaned correctly and promptly.

A plug in the ears is nothing more than compacted earwax, which, in turn, is necessary for normal functioning. auditory organ. Sulfur naturally produced by special glands and is needed for protection from dust, harmful microorganisms and small insects, which can fly or crawl into the ear canal. Excess sulfur normally comes out along with the impurities it has absorbed. But there are situations in which the wax gets compacted and, instead of coming out, gets pushed deeper into the ear, reaching the eardrum.

The mechanism for removing wax is simple - a person, chewing food and making chewing movements with his jaws, stimulates the movement of wax outward, to the outer ear, from where we remove it at the time of daily hygiene procedures. But there are people who are overly keen on cleaning their ears. Trying to get as deep as possible into the ear canals with a cotton swab, we think that we are thoroughly cleaning our ears, but in fact we are only aggravating the situation by pushing the wax deeper into the ear and compacting it. And so, time after time, we, sometimes not wishing harm to ourselves, commit it with our own hands. Also at risk are those who do not part with headphones, hard of hearing people who use hearing aid and people with very narrow ear canals.

You can understand that a plug has formed in your ear if your hearing has noticeably decreased or extraneous noise has appeared in your ears. In rare cases, ear plugs can cause headaches, nausea, and vomiting.

Only a specialist can determine whether there is a plug in your ear. He will examine your ears using special equipment and give recommendations for treatment and removal of the plug. If, for some reason, you cannot resort to medical care, advice and traditional medicine will come to the rescue.

Folk remedies for removing traffic jams

• Rinse ears with water. Fill a small syringe with boiled warm water. Bend over a basin or sink with the ear you will be rinsing. Pour water into your ear under slight pressure. Water getting into auditory canal, will do its job, softening the cork and bringing it out. For the same purposes, you can use a large-volume syringe, but it must not have a needle. After the rinsing procedure, place a cotton or gauze swab into your ear.

• Rinse with peroxide. If the cork is too hard, you can soften it with hydrogen peroxide. Fill a syringe with three percent peroxide and pour a little into your ear. After five minutes, massage the base of the ear and rinse with water as described in the previous recipe. The plug should come out with the water.
• Milk-oil washing. Heat a small amount of milk until hot and unbearable. Drop two drops hemp oil and use a pipette to drop it into your ears. Do this procedure morning and evening and the wax plug will come out very soon.
• Almond wash. Warm almond oil and place ten drops in the ear where the plug has formed. Cover the ear canal with cotton wool and leave until the morning. Do this procedure every evening until your ear is completely clean.

• Camphor oil and garlic. Evening procedure. Crush the peeled garlic clove, add three drops to the mixture camphor oil. Spread it on a small piece of bandage, roll it into a tampon and insert it into your ear. As soon as you feel a burning sensation, remove the tampon.
• Oil drops. If you don’t want complicated preparations, just warm up a few drops of any high-quality vegetable oil every evening and, using a pipette, inject one or two drops of oil into your ear. Rinse your ears in the morning and the results will not be long in coming.
• Ash juice. Pick fresh, juicy ash leaves, grind them and squeeze out the juice. Place two drops into the ear where the plug has formed, before going to bed and in the morning after waking up.

• Vodka and onions. Take four spoons of onion juice and one vodka. Mix and drop two drops into your ears twice a day.
• Onions and cumin. Prepare baked onion and cumin drops. To do this, cut a medium-sized onion in half, scoop out some of the pulp from the middle, sprinkle in cumin seeds, fold the halves, wrap in foil and bake in the oven. Cool, use the resulting juice as drops, dripping two drops twice a day into the ear.

• Onion juice. Fast way– squeeze the juice from the onion and immediately drop four drops into the ear canal. The procedure should be carried out in the morning and evening.
• Soda. Warm fifty ml clean water, stir in it a spoonful of soda and three drops of glycerin. Use to soften plugs four times daily by placing five drops into the ear canal.

“Blowing out” the ears

Very effective method removing the plug from the ear, but the technique of using it should be worked out. First make it very deep breath. Purse your lips tightly and close your nostrils with your fingers. And immediately begin to exhale, trying to push the air out of your lungs. The nose and mouth are closed, the air does not find a way out and therefore it the only way – Eustachian tube and further to the outer ear. Under air pressure, the wax plug should pop out of the ear.

DIY ear candles

Candles, of course, can be bought at the pharmacy, but you can make them yourself. To begin, prepare everything you need: linen fabric, a piece beeswax or wax candles and essential oils Eucalyptus oil, can be replaced with fir.

Melt the wax in a water bath. While it is heating, cut a 5x50 cm ribbon from the fabric. Add a few drops to the melted wax essential oil, stir and dip the fabric into the wax. Wait until it is completely soaked and, after removing it, immediately wrap it around a pre-prepared candle mold. The form should be as thick as a pencil; by the way, you can use it as a form. After wrapping the pencil in even layers, wait until the wax hardens and remove the finished candle from it. You will have a tube soaked in wax in your hands. Next you will need an assistant.

Lie on your side with your affected ear facing up. Remove your hair, cover the skin around your ear and face with thick paper, insert the candle you prepared into the ear canal and light it. Lie until two thirds are burned.

How does it work? When burning, soft heat enters the ear canal and a vacuum is formed in the ear. Under its influence, the plug is literally pushed out of the ear. Along with this, the use of a suppository increases blood circulation in the ear area, helps relieve nasal congestion and has a calming effect.

• You have achieved removal of ear plugs. Now we need to make sure that this unpleasant situation does not happen again. What to do? We'll give you some practical advice.
• Pay attention to ear hygiene. Don't poke around in your ears with cotton swabs. Remember - this main enemy! They can only be used for cleaning outer ear. Don't make the situation worse by pushing the wax deeper. This, of course, does not mean that you cannot clean your ears! It is possible and necessary, but taking all precautions. You can also wash your ear with your finger, carefully inserting a lightly soaped little finger into the ear and washing away the plaque during the morning washing procedure.
• Few people know about this, but it is a fact! If, in the summer heat, you enter an office or residential building where the air conditioner is running from a hot street, then the production of sulfur is activated significantly and its excess can affect the formation of a traffic jam.
• When swimming in ponds in the summer, put a rubber cap on your head to protect your ears from water getting into them. If you don’t have a cap, insert cotton swabs into the ear canals, they will at least save the situation a little.

• If you are going on vacation to the sea or to another place where you are supposed to relax by the water, and you know that you have increased sulfur formation, conduct a preliminary complete cleansing ears. We described the methods above.
• Pay attention to the air humidity in the rooms where you live and work. Its nominal level is within fifty to sixty percent.
• If you are busy in harmful conditions work or work involves dust, be sure to use earplugs to protect your ears from dust, dirt and other harmful substances.
• If you know about the structural features of your ear that do not allow the natural removal of wax, rinse your ears every month to avoid the accumulation of wax.
• This may seem strange, but increased content cholesterol in the blood affects the formation of ear plugs. Therefore, keep an eye on your cholesterol levels and do not eat fatty foods too often.
• AND tasty advice. If your ears are at risk of plugging, eat a quarter of a lemon daily, along with the zest. May with a small amount Sahara.

Trusted Facts About Earwax

• Earwax wasn't always just a secretion. It was used... on the farm. When sewing, the ends of the threads were lubricated with it to prevent them from fraying. Later, the threads began to be impregnated with wax. A book of advice for American housewives, published in 1832, states that if you apply earwax to a stitching puncture wound, the pain will instantly go away.
• In the Middle Ages, pigments obtained from sulfur were used for book illustrations.
• It turns out that those with liquid and solid earwax have different genes. In those who have liquid sulfur, axillary sweat is Strong smell. For those with hard sulfur unpleasant odor not noted. The latter include residents eastern Asia. Among the first category, the majority are Europeans.
• In Japan, since 2006, the license for carrying out the procedure for cleaning ears from wax and plugs has been canceled. For this reason, thousands of salons have opened throughout the country providing this service. Moreover, the main clients here are men. It turns out that this procedure is very pleasant and calming. According to statistics, more than half of patients simply fall asleep during cleaning.

• Giraffes and okapis are lucky... They have a tongue so long that they can use it to clean their ears.

Video - Ear plugs treatment at home

Video - How to properly clean your ears