Cerumen (Earwax)
Cerumen, or “earwax,” is a naturally occurring substance that forms
in the ear when glandular secretions mix with exfoliated skin. Its pur-
pose is to clean, protect, and lubricate your external auditory canal.
Normally, cerumen is eliminated or expelled naturally. If not, it can
accumulate and obstruct the ear canal. Considered extremely com-
mon, cerumen blockages are easily addressed, but left unchecked can
lead to a host of symptoms: hearing loss, tinnitus, fullness, itching,
otalgia, discharge, odor, and cough. In addition, cerumen impaction
can hinder diagnostic assessment of ear health and hearing.
To minimize occurrences and achieve the best outcome, please refer
to these notes and recommendations:
Is it necessary to treat your What symptoms could be How often should I remove
ears to prevent accumulation? caused by excessive earwax? wax from my ears?
Preventive measures are recommended Common complaints include itching, There is no standard procedure for pre-
for certain groups of people, yet not hearing problems, or a sense of fullness venting earwax buildup, and for most
everyone needs it. Among these who in the ear canal. Other problems that people, nothing needs to be done un-
may be helped are the elderly, people might occur include discharge, odor, less excess wax develops. Ask your
with hearing aids, and those with a his- cough, or ear pain. health care provider if there is anything
tory of excessive earwax. special that you should do to prevent or
Does it hurt to remove earwax? reduce accumulation of earwax. There
What will happen if I leave my The procedures used to remove earwax are several procedures with different
ears alone and do not clean should not cause any pain. If you are periods for the treatment.
them? putting a type of liquid into the ear, it
Do cotton-tipped swabs re-
may feel funny but should not hurt.
Most people do not need a regular move wax from the ear?
schedule for prevention of earwax accu- If earwax is removed, will my
mulation. Some may find it necessary to Cotton-tipped are not recommended
hearing get better? for wax removal. Swabs can remove
have a cleaning procedure performed
occasionally. Earwax is formed naturally The type of treatment used to prevent some material, but they often simply
by your body and helps protect your ear the buildup of wax in your ear should not push the wax deeper into the ear and
canal skin and kill germs. A doctor may usually affect your hearing. If your ear may worsen an impaction or traumatize
find an excess of earwax at a regularly canal is completely or almost completely the ear canal.
scheduled general checkup and perform blocked by excess earwax, then remov-
a cleaning procedure. ing the wax will allow your hearing to
return to pre-impaction levels.
(continued on back)
www.ENTFLORIDA.com
Cerumen (Earwax)
DO
Understand cerumen is normal. Earwax NOT causing symptoms or blocking the ear canal should be left alone.
Understand symptoms of cerumen impaction (wax blocking the ear): decreased hearing, fullness, tinnitus, and dis-
tortion/changes to hearing aid function.
Seek medical evaluation if you have symptoms of hearing loss, ear fullness, and ear pain.
Ask your provider about ways that you can treat your cerumen impaction at home. You may have certain medical or
ear conditions that may make some options unsafe.
Seek medical attention with ear pain, drainage, or bleeding. These are not symptoms of cerumen impaction and
need further evaluation.
DON’T
Overclean your ears. Excessive cleaning may irritate the ear canal, cause infection, and even increase the chances of
cerumen impaction.
Put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear. Your mother was right! Cotton swabs, hair pins, car keys, tooth-
picks . . . these can all injure your ear and may cause a laceration in the ear canal, a perforation in the eardrum, and/
or dislocation of the hearing bones, leading to hearing loss, dizziness, ringing, and other symptoms.
Use ear candles. There is no evidence that they remove impacted cerumen, and candling can cause serious damage
to the ear canal and eardrum.
Irrigate or try cerumen-removing/softening drops if you have had ear surgery or a perforated eardrum, unless spe-
cifically cleared to do so by your otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat surgeon).
Forget to clean your hearing aids as the manufacturer and your hearing health professional recommend.
Clearwater Countryside Dunedin
1330 South Fort Harrison 3190 McMullen Booth Road 646 Virginia Street, 3rd Floor
Clearwater, FL 33756 Clearwater, FL 33761 Dunedin, FL 34698
Facial Aesthetics Center Largo Port Richey
1320 South Fort Harrison 8787 Bryan Dairy Road, Suite 170 11031 US 19, Suite 104
Clearwater, FL 33756 Largo, FL 33777 Port Richey, FL 34668
Spring Hill St. Petersburg (4th) St. Petersburg (MLK)
120 Medical Blvd, Suite 105 6540 4th Street North, Suite C 501 Dr. MLK Jr. Street South
Spring Hill, FL 34609 St. Petersburg, FL 33702 St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Tampa Trinity
10810 Sheldon Road 11304 State Road 54
Tampa, FL 33626 Trinity, FL 34655
www.ENTFLORIDA.com For Appointments Call: 727-791-1368
