Having problematic ear wax can be extremely uncomfortable, not to mention annoying for you and others. Excessive ear wax is common in younger children where the wax is often soft, and also in older people where the wax is often harder and more difficult to remove.
There are many different methods to remove ear wax but you should never try to manually remove the wax yourself. Putting items such as cotton wool buds inside the ear will impact the wax further down the ear canal and can damage the ear drum. You can buy several over the counter remedies that claim to disperse ear wax but often do little more then just soften the wax – in the same way that putting a few drops of olive oil in the ear would do.
The best way to get rid of ear wax for good is to visit your doctor who will either use ear irrigation to remove the wax or will refer you to an audiology specialist who will use an ultrasonic device to dislodge the wax and remove it from the ear. Both these methods are uncomfortable but they offer the best results.
If you are looking for an alternative treatment you could try ear candling. This method uses a hollow candle that is inserted into the ear and then lit. The negative pressure created is supposed to draw the wax out of the ear. You should always consult a trained alternative health practitioner before opting from ear candling.