Homeopathy for impacted ear wax
I can’t hear you!
Did you know that earbuds can increase ear wax build-up? I didn’t.
I often use in-ear headphones to make calls and listen to podcasts or audiobooks when I’m doing chores, walking the dog, settling down for the night… And I never really paid attention to the sticky amber residue collecting on my earbuds—other than to wipe it off and think “gross!”
And the reason I didn’t have to pay attention to my ear wax is that ears have an amazing self-cleaning design. Cerumen (the technical term for earwax) is healthy and beneficial to us; it’s a protective mechanism. Wax traps dust, bacteria, and other debris that could irritate or infect our ears. Wax rarely causes a problem because our ears have a built-in removal system to prevent blockages. When we chew, talk, swallow—move our jaw—we’re breaking up the wax in our ear and helping the wax move from the inner part of the ear canal to the entrance of the canal where it dries, flakes, and falls out.
However, we can block our ears’ natural ability to drain by using earbuds frequently and for long periods of time. We also need to keep our earbuds clean because the dirt and bacteria that collect on them can get trapped in our earwax and contribute to clogging up the ear canal.
Worse than wearing earbuds frequently, I also love to use cotton swabs. I know, I know! I’ve heard all the warnings. Never insert an object like a cotton swab into your ear. But swabs fit in an ear canal so perfectly and cleaning my ears just feels good.
So last week, when I got out of the shower, I inserted the tip of a cotton swab into my right ear, twisted it around, and immediately felt a plug slip into place. I was like “oh, sh**.” That thing that the warnings warned me about just happened.
I knew it was true right away because now my right ear felt full, almost like a cotton ball was stuffed in there. As the morning wore on, I was finding it hard to think with the right side of my ear stopped up and I was having trouble hearing.
I asked my husband to break out the otoscope and look in my ear. We’re not doctors, but we like to have a few tools around the house to help us decide how to proceed with acute household complaints. I told my husband what happened, he looked in my ear, and compared what he saw against the otoscope chart, and was like “yup, it’s earwax.”
What are the symptoms of impacted ear wax?
Hearing loss
Ringing in the ears
Earache
Full sensation
Itchiness in the ear
Cough
Dizziness
Odor from the ear canal
Now honestly, having a case of impacted earwax wasn’t a total surprise. I’m one of those lucky people whose genes ensure that I create a lot of ear wax, and I’m not the first in my family to go through this. A few years before my father died, he was having pain and trouble hearing in one ear. He was a logger by trade and constantly working in a cloud of dirt and sawdust. He saw several doctors for his blocked ear and was prescribed two rounds of antibiotics before one of the doctors finally figured out the problem was hardened ear wax. That doctor simply softened the wax and removed it mechanically with a small curved tool called a curet. I often think about this story because my father had two unnecessary rounds of antibiotics, the second round stronger than the first, when his health was already in decline. I’ve always wondered why those doctors didn’t start with the simplest, least harmful option. Wanting to avoid unnecessary interventions is another reason to get comfortable using an otoscope at home and looking in the ears of your family members. Wax can easily be seen with an otoscope, even by a layperson.
After doing a bit of online research, I decided that softening the earwax with a few drops of almond oil and irrigating the ear with water was the best route for me. I could have also used mullein oil, olive oil, or glycerin. I know this is a homeopathy post, but sometimes a manual removal or manipulation is the quickest, surest path to resolution. (However, if you’ve had ear surgery or have ear tubes or a hole in your eardrum, don’t put oil or anything in your ear. See your healthcare practitioner about wax removal.)
Sidebar: Years ago, I would’ve wanted to buy an over-the-counter product for my stopped-up ear. I was of the opinion that brand-name medicine made from a harsh chemical was sure to work better than any home remedy. Side effects were simply proof that the drug was working and the price that had to be paid for effectiveness. Now my mindset is the exact opposite. My first option is always to go for the most gentle method possible, one that supports the body, which is often a homeopathic remedy or common household item or herb that has worked for centuries (and in my experience usually works better than a branded OTC drug).
For my impacted earwax, I went with the manual removal method, which included softening the wax with oil and having my husband use a rubber-bulb syringe to flush my ear with water. We high-fived as small bits of hardened wax were rinsed out. I also took Silica 30x to help the body with moving the softening wax out of the ear. Silica is known for helping the body eject foreign objects. With the oil, irrigation, and remedy combo, we successfully unblocked my ear in less than a day.
While you’re waiting for the oil to soften the wax enough to flush it out, which could take a day or two, you may want to take a remedy for the bothersome symptoms that can happen when your ear wax isn’t coating your ear like it normally would.
Here are some remedies to consider
Conium. Has a plugged sensation in the ears due to excessive ear wax. The wax may be red in color. The ear can have an obstructed, stopped sensation as if cotton were stuffed in it. There can be stitching pain, noises in the ears, and dizziness. This remedy in general has an affinity for breaking down hard, stony indurations, and hardened ear wax is no exception.
Causticum. Can help rebalance ear wax production if you tend toward excessive amounts and relieve itching, dull pain, and roaring noises.
Pulsatilla. When the ear feels stopped up by wool, the wax is dark black, and the hearing is impaired but there are noises in the ear like humming, roaring, or ringing.
Lachesis. Relieves irritation, itching, and dryness from hardened ear wax. The wax might be dark or black in color.
Silica. If the ear feels stopped, hearing is impaired, and there’s an offensive smell. There can also be noises in the ear like ringing and roaring. Symptoms may feel better while swallowing.
Lycopodium. Impaired hearing with noises in the ear, including gurgling, itching in the ear canal, and fullness.
If you’re traveling or don’t have a suitable oil at home, you can even buy homeopathic ear drops like Ear Wax Relief by the Swiss company Similisan that contains glycerin to soften the wax and remedies to help with the discomfort.
Take it from me. Don’t use cotton swabs, go easy on the earbuds, clean your earbuds often, and get an otoscope to check your family’s ears for wax.
