Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Remove wax from your ear with olive oil
• Method 2 of 2: Additional steps
• Tips
• Warnings

It can be a bit gross to talk about at times, but wax is actually very normal for the health of your ears. Everyone needs ear wax to keep their ears healthy and functioning properly. But too much wax can lead to blockage, earaches and even infections. Fortunately, you can easily get rid of it with an ingredient from the kitchen: olive oil!

To step

Method 1 of 2: Remove wax from your ear with olive oil

1. Do not use olive oil if you have any other ear condition. While olive oil is almost always safe to use if you are otherwise healthy, certain injuries or conditions can make your ear too sensitive to it. If you have any of the following problems, talk to your doctor before taking any action:
   • Perforated eardrum
   • Regularly recurring ear infections
   • Hearing loss
   • Mastoiditis
   • A condition that requires you to keep your ears dry
2. Heat the olive oil. Olive oil softens the wax, making it easier to get out. Before you put the oil in your ears, it should be around body temperature - 37ºC. This is the temperature of your inner ear, and the oil feels more comfortable when the temperature is roughly the same. Heat two to three tablespoons of olive oil.
   • Be careful not to overheat the oil, as this can damage your eardrum.
   • While olive oil is widely used, it isn't the only option. You can also use hydrogen peroxide, glycerine, baby oil, or mineral oil.
3. Add some essential oil if you like. A blockage can also harbor bacteria in your ear, which can lead to an ear infection. Some people therefore choose to add essential oil with antibacterial properties to kill the bacteria trapped in the ear by the blockage. But the olive oil alone is effective enough to clear the blockage. Always test a few drops of the oil on your skin before putting it in your ear to see if it doesn't irritate. Add about four drops of the essential oil to the heated olive oil. Examples of essential oils you can use are:
   • Garlic Oil
   • Eucalyptus Oil
   • Lavender oil, which is also safe to use with children
   • Oregano oil
   • St. John's wort oil
4. Put some of the mixture in a pipette. When you have mixed the essential oil into the olive oil, put some of the mixture in a pipette. Then you have the right amount of the solution and you can easily pour the olive oil into your ear.
5. Put two drops of the solution in your ear. Instead of filling your entire ear with the oil, just put a few drops in it, which can then soak into the wax. Tilt your head so that you can hold the oil in for five to ten minutes.
   • You can also hold a tissue to your ear to catch any oil that might spill out when you raise your head up.
6. Repeat this process two to three times a day. The olive oil probably won't work all at once. Repeat the procedure two to three times a day for about three to five days. That should be long enough for the wax to dissolve and clear the blockage.
7. Consider spraying your ear. While the olive oil may have softened the wax, sometimes it takes a little more to get it out. You can spray out the affected ear if necessary. Using a pipette with a rubber ball (like the one you can use to clear a baby's nose from snot), tilt your head and gently squirt warm water into the ear canal.
   • Be very careful, as you can damage the eardrum if you squirt the water into your ear with too much pressure.
   • You can pull your ear up and back slightly to straighten the ear canal for best results.
   • Your doctor can also spray your ear. He / she has a safe method with a device that has the correct water pressure so that your ear does not get damaged.
8. Go to the doctor. If the process of softening your earwax and spraying it out doesn't help, see your doctor. He / she has several methods available to safely clear the blockage. Your doctor can also examine your ear and make the correct diagnosis. Maybe the wax blockage isn't actually the problem. Other causes that can block your ear are:
   • Sinusitis - sinus inflammation
   • Meniere's disease - an inner ear disease with hearing and balance problems
   • Cholesteatoma - a cyst in the middle ear
   • Acoustic neuroma - a tumor in the acoustic nerve
   • Fungal infection
   • Inflammation of the middle ear
   • Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD)

Method 2 of 2: Additional steps

1. Equalize the pressure in your ears. Most of the time, the feeling of pressure on your ears is not the result of a blockage, but a brief disturbance in the eustachian tube in your middle ear. You can open this tube to equalize the pressure with several easy steps such as:
   • Yawn
   • Chew
   • To swallow
   • Blow through your nose while keeping your nostrils closed
   • Common causes for the Eustachian tube to malfunction include colds, flu, elevation change, and exposure to air pollution such as cigarette smoke.
2. Stay well hydrated. With a cavity blockage that causes pressure on the ears, you can relieve the pressure simply by staying well hydrated. Liquids thin the mucus causing the pressure. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
3. Sleep with your head up. By putting more pillows under your head so that you are a bit higher, your cavities can get rid of the moisture more easily. This will reduce the pressure on your ears.
4. Put a warm compress on your ear. Warm a towel and put it on your ear for a few minutes. You can also place a cup over the part of the towel that is on your ear, then you will retain the heat better.
5. Take a hot shower. If the pressure was created by clogging the cavities, you can also take a hot, steamy shower. That thins the mucus so it can flow out of your cavities better, so that the pressure decreases.
6. Take an over-the-counter medicine. A variety of over-the-counter remedies are available to relieve pressure on the ears, depending on the specific cause. Examples of commonly used remedies are:
   • Antihistamines - If the pressure on your ears is caused by allergy congestion, you can take antihistamines to relieve symptoms.
   • Decongestants - If the pressure is from a blockage from a cold or flu, a decongestant can help reduce the symptoms causing the pressure.
   • Earwax Control Drops - These products work like olive oil by softening the wax to clear the blockage that causes the pressure.
7. Go to the doctor. If the pressure is causing a lot of pain, and none of these options provide relief, see your doctor. Your doctor can make the correct diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan for your specific case.

Tips

• If your wax isn't getting better, see your doctor. It has a special device for sucking out earwax, which resembles a small vacuum cleaner.
• Do not leave too much wax. If your ear canal closes completely, your eardrum can rupture due to the pressure difference.

Warnings

• Make sure to heat the olive oil. Test a few drops on your wrist to see if it is not too hot or cold.
• Do not use this method if you have a ruptured or perforated eardrum.
• Do not use cotton buds to remove wax. Doing so will only push it further into your ear, and you can damage your eardrum.