Ear Blockages - Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders

Ear Blockages

Children frequently push objects into the ear which either block sound or cause an outer-ear infection. If an adult decides to try to remove the object, it is important not to push the object deeper into the ear canal.

For minor build-ups of wax, physicians recommend that adults remove the wax themselves by gently pushing warm water into the ear. In Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide , nutritionist Katie Data of Fife, Washington, recommends gently washing the inner ear with lukewarm water and a few drops of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Virender Sodhi, an Ayurvedic physician, suggests in the same book washing the inner ear with warm herbal oils such as garlic or mullein combined with olive oil. Earwax which cannot be removed using heated water normally has to be removed by a physician.

Earwax can build up in the ear channel and occasionally interfere with hearing. The build-up is often caused by food or mold allergies. Ear specialist Dr. Constatine A. Kotsanis reports in Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide that excessive earwax in children is often caused by allergies to cow's milk.