The appearance of a sulfur plug is a fairly common problem. For a long time, such an education does not make itself felt, so many patients seek help at later stages, complaining of hearing loss. In the absence of adequate treatment, unpleasant and even dangerous complications are possible. So what to do in such cases? How to remove an ear plug at home and is it worth it? What are the reasons for the formation of such education? What treatments does modern medicine offer?
Ear plug - what is it?
Ear plug is a formation that is formed inside the auditory canal from substances secreted by specific glands. This structure consists of fats (including cholesterol), proteins, hyaluronic acid (this substanceretains water), enzymes, dead epithelial cells of the auditory canal. The composition contains lysozyme and immunoglobulins - these substances provide protection against infections.
Main causes of ear congestion
Many people are interested in the question of how to remove an ear plug at home. But it is worth understanding that washing out does not always ensure recovery. Sometimes, if the cause is not corrected, traffic jams may form again.
- The most common cause is improper ear hygiene. For example, you can push the formed sulfur even deeper into the ear canal or injure soft tissues with a hard improvised object.
- A common culprit in sulfur buildup is inflammation (common in children). Otitis and other diseases change the acidity of the environment and increase the viscosity of the secretions.
- The formation of traffic jams can also be associated with genetically determined features. For example, in some patients, sulfur is released much more, and sometimes it has a denser consistency. Risk factors include structural features of the ear canal (in some people it may be more tortuous), the presence of a large number of hairs that prevent discharge of secretions.
- Frequent ingress of water into the ear canal. Swimmers and divers often face this problem. Moisture, getting inside the ear, causes swelling of the ear plug. Such situations are dangerous, because between the sulfur formation and the eardrummoisture accumulates, which creates ideal conditions for the rapid reproduction of pathogenic bacteria.
- The formation of traffic jams is also facilitated by a long stay in conditions of atmospheric pressure drops.
- Risk factors include age, because in old age the ear secretion becomes more viscous, hair growth in the ear canal is activated, but patients often have problems with hygiene.
- Dusty work can also cause plugging, as sulfur is a viscous substance that dust particles easily adhere to.
- Risk factors include an increase in blood cholesterol levels, since such a pathology increases the amount of sulfur released and activates hair growth in the ears.
- Some skin conditions, including dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema, can affect the skin on the outer ear and ear canal, making wax removal more difficult.
Varieties of sulfur plugs
Such formations can have a different structure, consistency and color:
- pasty plugs are soft and yellow in color;
- plasticine-like are characterized by a denser consistency and a dark, brownish color;
- hard ear growths contain little to no water (their color can be dark brown, sometimes even black);
- epidermal plugs are separated into a separate group, which consist of sulfur and particles of the epidermis and have a characteristic gray color.
The doctor decides how to get the earplug based on the informationabout its texture and composition. In this case, the features of the clinical picture and diagnostic data are extremely important.
Ear plug: symptoms in adults and children
Of course, many people are interested in the peculiarities of the clinical picture. So how does an ear plug show up? Symptoms in adults (as well as in children) do not appear immediately, because the sulfur formation grows gradually. As a rule, violations appear if the plug completely clogs the ear canal. Sometimes the symptoms are associated with water getting into the ear, because the sulfur deposits swell from moisture.
First of all, there is a significant decrease in hearing, sometimes up to its complete loss. Many patients complain of intermittent noise in the ear, a constant feeling of congestion. Sometimes a person begins to listen to the echo of his own voice when talking. There may be a sensation of a foreign body in the ear - young children often try to pull something out.
In the event that the cork presses on the eardrum, other violations appear. The list of symptoms includes frequent yawning, dizziness, migraines. Some patients complain of nausea that occurs while traveling in transport. The formation of an ear plug can cause a violation of the cardiovascular system. The list of signs can be replenished with coughing fits and impaired coordination. This is due to pressure on the nerve endings.
Diagnostic measures
If you find signs of an ear plug, you need to contactto an otolaryngologist. Confirming the presence of education is quite simple - a standard otoscopy will suffice. The doctor examines the ear with a special metal funnel and a light device. If there is a need to inspect the ear canal without removing the sulfuric plug, then a bellied probe is used.
Additional studies are only carried out if it is necessary to find out the cause of traffic jams.
Earwax washout
How to clean your ears from sulfur plugs? Your doctor will tell you about this. In most cases, patients are advised to "wash out" sulfur deposits. The procedure does not take too long, it is painless, but still not very pleasant.
The patient sits on a chair, turning with the affected ear to the doctor. The patient's shoulder is covered with a protective film, after which a special tray is placed on it. For washing, a warm sterile solution is used. The procedure is carried out using a large syringe without a needle. Inserting the tip of the syringe, the doctor gently injects the solution along the upper wall of the ear canal - the sulfur comes out along with the flushing medicine.
Ear drops and their features
In some cases, it is not possible to wash the formation out of the ear - first you need to soften the sulfur deposits. In such cases, special drops from sulfur plugs are used.
- Remo-Vax, which is available in the form of a solution, is considered quite effective. It containsallantoin, which helps to thin and wash out the wax from the ear canal. By the way, the drug is widely used to prevent the formation of plugs in the ears.
- Another good medicine is A-Cerumen drops. This drug actively dissolves sulfur accumulations, while maintaining the volume of the ear plug, preventing it from swelling and increasing.
- Clean-Irs drops containing olive oil are used to wash and soften sulfur formations.
- Peroxide is widely used. The solution helps to get rid of ear plugs, but only if the sulfur formation is small and the patient does not suffer from dermatitis and other skin diseases.
You cannot use such drugs on your own. Softening ear plugs is a serious procedure and only a doctor can find the right medicine.
Dry cork removal
Washing out of the cork is not possible in all cases. For example, with perforated otitis media, the use of drops and solutions is contraindicated, because the liquid through the damaged eardrum can enter other parts of the auditory analyzer, which is fraught with dangerous consequences, up to complete deafness. In such a situation, the doctor can gently remove the sulfur formation using a special probe.
Earwax plugs in the ears: how to remove it yourself?
It is not always possible to immediately see a doctor. What to do if you have wax plugs in your ears? How to remove such accumulations on your own? First of all, it's worth saying that it's not always worth trying.do something at home. Such a procedure is possible only if there is no fever and pain in the ear and we are talking about an adult.
A few days before the procedure, it is worth starting to soften the cork using a hydrogen peroxide solution or special drops. To wash your ear, you will need a Janet syringe (you can use a regular 20 ml syringe). Boiled water can be used, but it is better to purchase sterile saline or furacilin solution at the pharmacy.
The auricle needs to be pulled up and back - this way you can straighten the ear canal. A jet of liquid should be directed to the upper wall of the ear canal. Be careful that the flow is not too strong. Remember that the procedure should not be accompanied by pain, if discomfort still appears, then you need to stop immediately. It will not be possible to achieve the effect at one time, but after several approaches it is quite possible to wash the cork.
If such manipulations did not bring results, then it is better to consult a doctor.
Possible Complications
In most cases, the problem responds well to treatment. But if you are interested in the question of how to remove an ear plug at home, then you should understand that improper washing is fraught with dangerous consequences. Inept manipulation can lead to damage to the integrity of the ear canal or perforation of the eardrum. Other complications include deafness and inflammation. Due to reflexeffects may develop tachycardia and other cardiac arrhythmias up to complete cardiac arrest.
Complications are possible even after proper removal of the sulfur plug. For example, some patients develop chronic otitis of the external auditory canal, stenosis of the external canal, inflammatory processes in other parts of the auditory analyzer. Some people complain of pain, itching and burning, which often radiate to the head, neck and shoulders.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the reflex effects, in which there is a violation of the functioning of distant organ systems. Their list includes chronic migraines, constipation, abdominal pain, heartburn, arrhythmias. According to statistics, such complications are rarely recorded. Nevertheless, if any deterioration occurs, it is worth contacting a specialist.
Effective preventive measures
Sometimes it is much easier to prevent the development of an ailment than later to be interested in the question of how to remove an ear plug at home. Proper hygiene is considered the best prevention. The ear cartilage can be washed daily with warm water, after which the external opening of the ear canal is gently blotted with a cotton swab. But it is recommended to clean the ears more thoroughly no more than 1-2 times a week. To this end, experts recommend using special cotton buds with a limiter, moving them not up and down, but in a circle.
Workers in dusty industries are advised to protect their ears. If you are at risk(if you are in conditions of high humidity, work among dust, often have to talk on the phone and use headphones), then periodically you need to use A-Cerumen ear drops for prevention.
