Ear Cleaning Specialist

What is ear cleaning?

Ear cleaning is a procedure for removing dirt and debris from your ears. Going over the folds and creases of your outer ear with a cloth or cotton wool and drying them carefully is typically as much cleaning as your ears need on the outside.

However, the main aspect of ear cleaning is the removal of ear wax from your ear canal. There are glands in your ear that produce ear wax or cerumen. This sticky substance cleans and lubricates your ear canal, helps prevent infections, and protects your ears from water and foreign objects.

In the normal course of things, earwax moves along your ear canal collecting dirt and debris. As you chew, the motion of your jaw helps shift the wax along until it gets to the opening of your ear canal, where it dries up and falls out. This happens naturally without any need for you to poke about in your ear – in fact, doing so often causes more harm than good.

Why would I need to undergo ear cleaning?

You might benefit from an expert ear cleaning session at Desert Cities Allergy & Otolaryngology if ear wax builds up in the ear canal and causes a blockage.

This impacted ear wax may result from cerumen overproduction, but most often, it happens if you use something like a cotton swab to clean your ears. Poking anything in the ear canal can easily push the wax further back, which leads to an impaction. 

As the earwax plug gets larger, you might experience symptoms such as:

• Earache
• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus (ringing or noises in your ear)
• Itchiness in your ear
• Cough
• Dizziness
• An ear infection

Instead of trying to remove an accumulation of earwax yourself, it's far safer and more effective to visit Desert Cities Allergy & Otolaryngology for professional ear cleaning.

What happens during earwax removal?

If you only have a mild wax buildup, you may just need ear drops to soften the wax and assist with the breaking down process. Severely impacted earwax requires the use of specialized instruments and techniques.

The team may put water in your ear canal to gently soften and remove the wax, use a small tool to scoop the wax out, or apply gentle suction.

After undergoing ear cleaning, you should follow your provider's advice on preventing earwax impactions in the future. The Desert Cities Allergy & Otolaryngology team can also prescribe ear drops that you regularly use to prevent an earwax buildup.

To find out how to perform ear cleaning or get help with an urgent case of earwax impaction, call Desert Cities Allergy & Otolaryngology today or book an appointment online.