Blockage of the outer ear canal as the result of a build up of ear wax is one of the most prevalent causes of temporary hearing loss. Those who have encountered this, and suffered a reduced ability to hear, clearly want to know how to clean their ears to avoid it. Even so, you need to clean them correctly and safely, or else you may cause permanent damage to your ears.
To stress safety when cleaning your ears, we will start with what not to do. Don’t use cotton swabs or any other foreign objects that you insert into your ears, which can cause the ear wax to compact further. One more thing you shouldn’t do is attempt to use any device that shoots pressurized water directly into your ears; to do this risks damaging your ear drums. Finally, if you believe you might have either a ruptured eardrum or an ear infection, don’t attempt to clean your ears yourself. Have a specialist do it instead. Symptoms indicating a possible ear infection or punctured ear drum include vomiting or diarrhea, ear pain, fever and fluid draining from the ears.
For gentle and effective home ear cleaning, get a bulb or syringe of some kind (available at any pharmacy) and a safe rinse solution. Such rinse solutions (labeled carbamide peroxide) can be bought at pharmacies; you can also create your own solution by combining equal amounts of 3-4%, glycerin and mineral oil.
To apply the solution, carefully squeeze the solution into the ear with the syringe or bulb. It generally works best to lay on your side with a towel available to catch drips. Avoid touching the ear with the syringe or bulb if you can. Allow the carbamide peroxide solution to remain in your ear for a few minutes and then repeat the process for the other side.
Once the wax has been softened and loosened by the solution, rinse each ear once again with lukewarm water, and then dry your outer ears carefully with a soft towel. If the blockage continues, repeat this procedure for cleaning your ears twice daily for two or three days. If the problem continues any longer, consult your a hearing specialist or audiologist.