Causes of Cerumen Blockage
A blockage of cerumen is usually caused by an overproduction of cerumen or insufficient cleaning. Surprisingly, the most common cause of a blockage is incorrect at-home cerumen removal. Often, instead of cleaning out the cerumen it is just pushed deeper inside the ear. Earphone and ear plug usage can also cause cerumen buildup, as the earphones can prevent cerumen from naturally coming out of the ear canal.
Symptoms of Cerumen Blockage
Earaches, a feeling of fullness in the ear, hearing loss and ringing in the ear (tinnitus) are all common signs of cerumen blockage. If the cerumen is not removed an infection can develop. This would include severe pain in the ear that does not subside and a fever. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should talk to your ENT doctor, as these may also be signs of a more serious condition.
How Does an Audiologist Treat a Cerumen Block?
In order to diagnose a buildup of cerumen, your doctor will need to look in your ear with a special magnifying instrument called an otoscope. Once diagnosed, your doctor can remove the cerumen buildup a few ways: with a small curved instrument called a curet, through suction or by flushing out the cerumen using a water pick or warm water. If this continues to be a problem, cerumen‑removal medications may be recommended.
How to Remove Stubborn Cerumen at Home
As long as your ear is healthy and does not have a tube or a hole in it, at-home treatments can be helpful to manage cerumen buildup. An eyedropper can be used to apply a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide into the ear canal; this is done to soften the cerumen.
Once soft, after an hour or a few days, the cerumen is ready to be removed. A rubber-bulb syringe can be used to gently squirt warm water into the ear canal. Once the water has drained out of the ear, the ear should be dried with a towel. This procedure can be repeated several times until the cerumen has been removed.
Call Coastal Sound Audiology for more information or to schedule an appointment.
