Pain in the ear may indicate the presence of cerumen. Sulfur plug is the accumulation of sulfur secretions caused by overactive activity of the sulfur glands. Ear wax consists of the secretion of the sebaceous glands (sebum), dead skin cells of the ear and, in fact, the secretion of the sulfur glands located in the external auditory canal.
The protective function performed by earwax is to prevent damage to the ear canal as a result of foreign bodies entering it, drying out or softening of the tissue due to exposure to water (maceration), bacteria and fungus, which are the cause of otitis media. However, wax plug in the ear leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of the protective mechanisms of earwax and, in addition, causes a lot of inconvenience to the person.
Swax plug in the ear: causes
Causes of cerumen in the ear can be both independent and accompanying various diseases, for example:
- increased secretion of sulfuric glands, which can be caused by dermatitis, chronic otitis media, eczema, high cholesterol, improper ear hygiene;
- anatomical deficiencies in the structure of the ear canal (too narrow or tortuous canal);
- inflammation that leads to narrowing of the ear canal;
- the presence of a foreign body in the ear, which leads to obstruction of the specified part of the ear;
- excessive hair growth on the outside of the ear canal;
- use of headphones and/or hearing aids;
- unfavorable working conditions (excessive dustiness of the air);
- prolonged presence of moisture in the ear canal (e.g. swimmers).
Silphur plug: symptoms that indicate a problem
It is worth noting that in the initial stages of sulfur plug formation, a person often does not feel anything unusual – no pain, no discomfort, no hearing problems are observed. However, when the critical size of the cerumen is reached, the symptoms may appear suddenly, especially after water enters the ear, which leads to an increase in the size of the cerumen in the ear and obstruction of the ear canal. This process is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- a feeling of fullness in the ear;
- noise in ear;
- hearing impairment;
- hearing the echo of your own voice in your ear;
- nausea;
- dizziness;
- headaches;
- cough;
- pain in the ear (in case of prolonged compression of the tympanic membrane, which can lead to inflammation of the middle ear membrane and its cavity (myringitis and otitis media, respectively).
If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should contact your ENT, who will determine the degree of impact of the wax plug in the ear on other parts of it.
How to remove ear wax at home and at the doctor
First of all, it should be noted: how to remove the wax plug in the ear in the safest way, the doctor directly knows best.
IMPORTANT: Never try to remove wax plug in the ear with tools that can damage the eardrum and cause infection that will lead to the development of otitis media or otomycosis.
1. Removal of cerumen in the ear by rinsing. This method is used only if the eardrum is not damaged. This is due to the risk of fluid entering the middle ear, which is fraught with an inflammatory reaction. To remove the sulfur plug by washing, use a Janet syringe and sterile saline or furacelin in an amount of 150 ml (temperature 37 ° C).
If the wax plug in the ear is too hard for direct rinsing, it must first be softened, for which the patient is recommended to instill a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (at a temperature of 37 ° C) into the ear – 3 times a day, for several days.
2. Removal of wax plug in the ear with special tools. Such a removal of the sulfur plug in the ear is carried out by a doctor. Tools used in this case: a hook, tongs or a spoon designed to remove the cerumen.
Earwax plug in the ear: preventive measures
The rules for preventing the formation of cerumen in the ear are extremely simple: it is enough to know that when cleaning the ears, it is forbidden to insert ear sticks into the ear canal. Wax removal is carried out exclusively on the surface of the auricle and near the ear canal.
Another important condition for preventing the appearance of sulfuric plug in the ear is the mandatory, effective and, importantly, timely treatment of diseases that are triggers of increased activity of the sulfuric glands.
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