Ear-Care

The ear is normally a self-cleaning mechanism. Wax acts in a protective manner, catching particles that may land in the ear. Fine hairs inside the ear canal constantly move wax and sloughed skin out of the canal. Wax and skin can build up inside the ear canal. If the canal is not clean, the eardrum can become completely blocked, greatly reducing hearing and eventually cause permanent damage.

1. If you have itching inside your ear canal, use an eye dropper to place a few drops of baby oil in your canal once or twice a week to lubricate.

2. Visit your physician or hearing specialist regularly if you frequently have fluid in your middle ear. Fluid normally drains from the ear via the eustachian tube. If the eustachian tube becomes blocked, fluid can: cause damage to the small bones in the middle ear, cause extreme pain, and possibly rupture the eardrum.

3. If pus flows from any part of your ear, you probably have some kind of infection and should see a physician immediately. You can lose your hearing if you allow the condition to continue.

4. Common symptoms associated with hearing impairment are ringing sounds in the ears, a feeling of pressure in the ears, and dizziness. Call your doctor your hearing health care professional to test your hearing if you experience these symptoms, particularly if you've recently began taking a new medication or experienced some kind of head trauma.

5. Common childhood diseases such as mumps, measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough, or any high fever can leave permanent hearing impairment. Always have your child's hearing tested if he/she has had any of these conditions in addition to regular ear care.

6. Women who are exposed to measles, mumps, or any other viral diseases during their pregnancies have a very high risk of giving birth to a baby with serious hearing impairment. Have your baby's hearing tested if you have been exposed to these conditions during your pregnancy, or even if you suspect hearing impairment.

7. Note: Your doctor or hearing specialist should remove your excess wax. Do not try and remove ear wax with cotton swabs, hair pins, or other hard objects. You can damage your ear canal or eardrum.