The ears are an important body instrument, because we use them to receive sound signals from our environment. It is of course important to keep the ear canal clean in order to hear optimally. However, it sometimes happens that there is debris in the ears, which means that we can hear less well or not at all in a specific ear. What kind of junk can you get in your ear and how do you get it out?

Clutter in the ear, clogged ears

• Complaints
• Earwax: what does it do?
• Spraying out the ear canal for clogged ears
• Water in the ear
• An object in the ear canal

Complaints

From one moment to the next it can happen that there is a piece in the ear of natural origin or man-made, blocking the ear canal. This means that an ear:

• can no longer receive sound signals from outside;
• has tinnitus;
• itching due to excess earwax or a bacterial infection;
• having a dull feeling in the ear;
• may cause dizziness because the organ of balance is affected.

What causes ear canal blockages and what can be done about them?

Earwax: what does it do?

The ear is a natural entrance to the body, where sound is captured and channeled into the ear through the auricles. Signals are transmitted to the cochlea via the eardrum. Signals are sent from there to the brain for further interpretation. Earwax provides a number of functions:

• it ensures that the eardrum remains flexible, so that sound can be transmitted properly;
• it further protects the ear canal against damage, moisture, bacteria and viruses from outside.

In other words, earwax is a multifunctional oil that provides a lot of protection to the ear. It consists of keratin, sebum and collagen, among other things, and can have a gray to brown color. However, it may happen that the production of earwax is excessively high and, in combination with dirt, the ear entrance becomes clogged. This can sometimes occur because people clean the ears too much with cotton swabs or because the climate is too warm, which stimulates earwax production.

Spraying out the ear canal for clogged ears

If the ear is clogged by earwax and debris, a visit to the doctor is advisable. The doctor can easily remove the blockage with an ear syringe. To this end, you may initially drip lukewarm water into the ear canal for a few days before allowing the plug to be flushed out. This reduces the hardness of the blockage, and massage of the ear also helps. During the treatment, the doctor injects a small amount of water into the ear, after which the pressure causes the blockage to leave the ear in pieces. This way, the blockage can be removed, after which you can hear well again.

Water in the ear

Are you taking a shower or have you just gotten out of the bath? There is water in your ear, causing you to hear less well. Very annoying! You hang with the ear cup down all the time to ensure that the water drains out. But it just doesn’t work. You may have a small ear canal, which makes it easy for water to get stuck. Take a piece of paper towel and roll it up into a point. Make sure the rolled paper is strong enough to enter the ear canal. Gently insert it into your ear. The kitchen paper has a highly absorbent effect, allowing the water in the ear to be absorbed quickly and easily. This way you can be away from the water in a few seconds, so you can hear clearly again.

An object in the ear canal

Many women have earrings, small ornaments and jewelry, etc. hanging in and on the auricle or earlobe. It often happens that people forget to take something off and go to sleep with it on. It is possible that the jewelry is so small and fragile that the lock comes loose during sleep and ends up in the ear canal. Earwax usually causes the jewelry particle to stick in the ear canal. Yet this is a serious situation because if the particle gets further into the ear, the eardrum can be damaged or ruptured. In the worst case, the jewelry can also end up further into the head with all its consequences. If you have lost part of your jewelry and you have pain in your ear, there is a chance that it got into your ear canal while you slept. Do not try to remove it from the ear yourself, but have it removed skillfully by your GP or ear specialist. This way you prevent unwanted further damage to the ear.If your ear canal is closed or something has gotten in that doesn’t belong there, don’t try to remove it yourself. Always seek help from your GP or ear specialist to prevent the condition from becoming a more serious condition.

read more

• Tinnitus and pain: blocked Eustachian tube
• Runny ear with blood in children: middle ear infection
• A loud all-consuming echo in the head