ear wax Tag

When Your Ears Feel Plugged, But It’s Not Wax: What Now?

Do you ever experience the sensation of your ears feeling plugged as if they're full or blocked, but after checking, you find that it's not due to wax buildup? If so, you're not alone. Many individuals encounter this discomfort, and it can be frustrating trying to figure out what's causing it and how to alleviate it. In this blog post, we'll explore some potential reasons why your ears might feel plugged when it's not due to wax buildup, along with some strategies to help relieve the discomfort. Understanding the Sensation: The feeling of plugged ears can vary from person to person. Some may describe it as a fullness or pressure in the ears, while others may experience it as a sensation of being underwater or having muffled hearing. Regardless of how you perceive it, the sensation can be bothersome and affect your daily activities. 1. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: One possible reason for that plugged feeling in your ears is dysfunction of the Eustachian tubes. These tubes connect your middle ear to the back of your nose and throat and are responsible for regulating air pressure and draining fluids from the middle ear. When they become blocked or don't function properly, you may experience symptoms such as ear fullness, popping sensations, or even temporary hearing loss. https://coastalearnoseandthroat.com/blog/do-you-have-etd/ Solution: To alleviate symptoms related to Eustachian tube dysfunction, try techniques like swallowing, yawning, or chewing gum to help equalize pressure in your ears. You can also try the Valsalva maneuver by gently blowing air...

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3 Home Wax Removal Solutions

There is something about the summer heat that causes people to produce more ear wax. If you struggle with excessive wax build-up, here are 3 at home wax removal solutions to try.  1. Oil or Wax Drops Oil is great in a pinch. Any natural oil that soaks into the skin (olive, coconut, mineral, etc.) can help soften stubborn wax and make it easier to come out. Additionally, specific wax drops you get at the pharmacy will have oil and other ingredients to soften and eat away at the wax. A few brands are Audiologists Choice and Murine Ear. Drops are a great low-cost option for regular maintenance of wax.  2. Wax Removal Tools I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen advertisements for new-fangled wax removal tools pop up everywhere. The closest tool found used by hearing aid professionals is the EarWay Pro. This specific tool has been tested and found to be safe for use in the ear; can’t say the same about the ones on Amazon. Note, that while these might work for certain types of wax, it won’t work for everyone. Ultimately, use extreme caution when trying something like this in your ears.  3. Water Yes, water. The main method of wax removal in a professional setting is water irrigation. But at home, a bulb syringe with warm water can be a gentle way to remove loose wax from the ear.  Whatever you do, avoid Q-tips. They were not designed to go in your ears, no matter...

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ear candles

Ear Candling

Ear Candling and Wax Ear Candling, I'm sure we've all heard about it or have done it at some point in time [definitely more popular in the early 2000s]. Candling has been advertised as a natural home remedy to remove ear wax similar to ear drops and Q-tips. But does it actually work? Is it safe? What are Ear Candles? Ear candles are just that, candles. These hollow candles have been advertised as 'cure-alls' for things like wax blockages and earaches. I definitely remember my mom using these on me as a child for earaches after swimming. As the candle burns down it's supposed to draw the wax out of your ear. At the end, you can cut them open and there is usually some pretty gross-looking stuff inside that was supposedly pulled from the ear. The question remains, is the candle actually pulling wax out of the ear? The Reality of Ear Candling As an effective way to remove wax, according to research ear candling isn't up to par with clinical approaches such as water irrigation. Although the warmth of the candle can provide some temporary relief from pain; like putting heat on a sore muscle. The concern with ear candling is 3 fold: 1. it doesn't really remove wax 2. the chance that wax or other material will fall into the ear and 3. the heat can dry out the ear canal. Although it may look like wax is being removed from the ear, the laws of physics cause...

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The Dreaded Q Word: Q-Tips

The Q Word In the hearing field, there is one word all practitioners and staff dread hearing. It’s not some big fancy medical term to describe someone’s hearing loss or anything to do with paperwork… it’s a common household item. By now you may have guessed it; yep the dreaded Q word is Q-tips!   Q-tips tend to be the most common thing (including other unmentionables, in case we give you ideas!) people put in their ears to clean out the wax or just get that itch that’s too far for your finger. It seems pretty normal, right?   But to hearing professionals, this makes us cringe a little bit.   Did your grandma or mom ever tell you “never stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.” There is some truth to this. The ear is a very delicate organ in the body and wax is an important part of that system.   Sure too much wax can be a little gross but stay with me on this one.   Wax is created by special cells in the outer ear. The wax keeps the ear canal healthy, the skin soft, and protects the middle ear from dirt and debris. Some people produce more wax than others.   Don’t we need to clean our ears? Yes and No. The very outer part of the ear, called the pinna, can be cleaned regularly with a washcloth or while you shower, but the ear canal is mostly self-cleaning. Enough water gets in...

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