New Guidelines For Dealing With Earwax Can Save Money

Cambridge, MA (AHN) - Earwax might be annoying, but experts say it's actually useful and warn it should be left alone unless the ear canal is so blocked that it causes earaches, infections or other problems.

In small amounts, earwax acts as a natural cleanser inside the ear canal as it moves out of the ear. In addition, tests have shown that earwax actually has helpful antibacterial and antifungal properties.

All of that is why experts from the American Academy of Otolaryngology have issued new guidelines advising people to leave the stuff alone it alone unless it's causing problems.

And if there is a blockage, guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology say people can either head to a doctor for help removing the earwax or do it themselves.

In an article printed in the November Harvard Health Letter, otolaryngologists say:

• Don't try to remove the wax with a cotton swab, which tends to push the earwax back into the ear;
• Instead, soak a cotton ball and drip a few drops of plain water, a simple saline solution, or hydrogen peroxide into the ear with your head tilted so the opening of the ear is pointing up;
• Keep it in that position for a minute to allow gravity to pull the fluid down through the wax;
• Then tilt the head the other way and let the fluid and wax drain out;
• You can also use a bulb syringe to swish out the ear; and
• You can also buy over-the-counter eardrops that break up earwax.

The article notes that the main difference between a clinician removing an earwax blockage or an individual doing it is "more expertise, a better view, and better tools," Harvard Health Letter staff said in a statement.

Doing it yourself also saves money in this economic downturn because the individual isn't paying for an office visit to a doctor.