Ear Care: Do-It-Yourself Wax Removal

Ear Care: Do-It-Yourself Wax Removal
Advice from experts about what to do -- and not to do -- when your ear is blocked with wax. Transcript of radio broadcast:
17 June 2008

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Some people's ears produce wax like busy little bees. This can be a problem even though earwax appears to serve an important purpose.
Experts say it protects and cleans the ear. It traps dirt and other matter and keep insects out. Doctors think it might also help protect against infections. And the waxy oil keeps ears from getting too dry.

So earwax is good. It even has a medical name: cerumen. There are two kinds. Most people of European or African ancestry have the "wet" kind: thick and sticky. East Asians commonly have "dry" earwax.

But you can have too much of a good thing.

The glands in the ear canal that produce the wax make too much in some people. Earwax is normally expelled; it falls out of the ear or gets washed away. But extra wax can harden and form a blockage that interferes with sound waves and reduces hearing.

People can also cause a blockage when they try to clean out their ears, but only push the wax deeper inside. Earwax removal is sometimes necessary but you have to use a safe method or you could do a lot of damage.

Experts at the United States National Institutes of Health suggest some ways to treat excessive earwax yourself. The experts at N.I.H. say the wax can be softened with mineral oil, glycerin or ear drops. They say hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may also help.

Another way to remove wax is known as irrigation. With the head upright, take hold of the outer part of the ear. Gently pull upward to straighten the ear canal. Use a syringe device to gently direct water against the wall of the ear canal. Then turn the head to the side to let the water out.

The experts at N.I.H. say you may have to repeat this process a few times. Use water that is body temperature. If the water is cooler or warmer, it could make you feel dizzy. Never try irrigation if the eardrum is broken. It could lead to infection and other problems.

After the earwax is gone, gently dry the ear. But if irrigation fails, the best thing to do is to go to a health care provider for professional assistance.

You should never put a cotton swab or other object into the ear canal. But you can use a swab or cloth to clean the outer part of the ear. The experts agree with the old saying that you should never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. For transcripts and MP3s of our reports, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.


----------------------------Google Translate

耳朵护理：自己动手清防蜡
从专家的意见，怎么做的-而不是做-当您的耳朵是封锁与蜡。全文电台广播：
2008年6月17日

这是美国之音特别英语卫生报告。

一些人的耳朵产生蜡一样，忙碌的小蜜蜂。这可能是一个问题，即使出现earwax服务的一个重要目的。
专家说，保护和清除的耳朵。它的陷阱污垢和其他问题，并保持昆虫。医生认为这也可能有助于防止感染。和含蜡原油不断从耳朵越来越太干。

因此， earwax是好的。它甚至有一个医疗名称：耳垢。有两种。大多数人的欧洲或非洲血统有“湿”的一种：厚和sticky 。东亚人普遍有“干” earwax 。

但您可以有太多的一件好事。

该腺体在耳道产生蜡作出太多，在一些人。 earwax通常是开除;属于出耳或得到冲走。但额外的蜡可以变硬，形成阻塞干扰声波，并降低听证会。

人们也可以造成淤塞，当他们尝试清理他们的耳朵，但只有把蜡更深内。 earwax去除，有时是必要的，但你必须使用一个安全的方法或可以做了很多的损害。

专家在美国国立卫生研究院建议一些方法来治疗过度earwax自己。专家们在n.i.h.说，蜡，可软化与矿物油，甘油或滴耳。他们说，过氧化氢或过氧化脲也可帮助。

另一种方式，以消除蜡称为灌溉。与头部正派，把握外部分的耳朵。轻轻拉向上拉直耳道。使用注射器的装置，以温柔的直接找水对墙耳道。然后把头部向一侧，让水。

专家们在n.i.h.说你可能要重复此过程数次。使用的水是体温。如果水是凉的或温暖，它可以使你感到晕眩。从来没有尝试灌溉，如果鼓膜破裂。它可能导致感染和其他问题。

后earwax走了，轻轻地干耳。但如果灌溉失败，最好的事情要做的就是去一个健康护理服务提供者的专业援助。

你应该从来没有向棉花拭子或其他物件进入耳道。但您可以使用拭子或布清洁外部分的耳朵。专家们同意古语说，你应该从来没有向任何小于你的肘部在您的耳朵。

这是该美国之音特别英语卫生报告，书面，由caty维夫。誊本的MP3和我们的报告，去voaspecialenglish.com 。我史蒂夫ember 。