Itchiness and too Much Ear Wax: What to Do?

The itchiness can quickly push us over the edge. You’ll be surprised to learn that certain patients have confessed to using a paper clip, tweezers, a coffee stirrer, and even a bobby pin to ease the itchiness!

Be warned: your pinky finger is the smallest thing you should ever put in your ear. Nothing else! Contrary to what you may think, using cotton swabs (Q-Tips) can also be dangerous. You should avoid at all costs scratching the outer auditory canal with an object, as it could cause irritation or infection, or push the wax in deeper, causing wax buildup (blockage). Also, when putting a sharp object in the ear canal, you could slip and damage the fragile structures of your ear, like the eardrum.

To ease the itchiness, hearing aid wearers can use cream and should clean their hearing aids carefully. It is important to clean the earmolds, domes, and shell daily to remove wax and debris buildup. To thoroughly clean the in-ear part, use VapoLobe or ServiLobe. For people suffering from skin disorders such as eczema or psoriasis, there are prescription creams and ointments to relieve itchiness in the ear canal.

The external ear has two sections: the bony part (near the eardrum) and the fibrocartilaginous part (near the outer ear). In this section, the inside of the outer ear canal is covered by skin and very fine hair. It also contains sebaceous and ceruminous glands, which secrete two fluids that, when mixed, form cerumen or “ear wax”. Cerumen protects the ear against foreign bodies, insects, dust, and minute debris. In general, when the ear canal is free of obstructions, cerumen is evacuated naturally by the ear.

We can’t say it enough: The most effective and safe way to clean the ears is to use a damp washcloth or a wet wipe, being careful not to insert it too deep in the ear canal.

Also, hearing aid wearers should have regular ear exams to detect and eliminate any wax buildup.