Pilates Thoughtful Tuesday: Earwax Friend, Foe, and Freak Show

Michael King
15 hours ago
2 min read

Detailed image highlighting human ear structure, natural texture, and surrounding facial hair stubble. — Close-up photo of a man’s ear and side profile, showing skin and short hair.

Earwax gets a bad reputation. People act like it’s toxic sludge leaking out of your head, when in reality it’s a clever little body hack. It moisturises, traps dirt, fights bacteria, and keeps your ear canal happy. Without it, your ears would be dry, itchy, and prone to infections. In short: earwax is not the enemy.

So why do so many people think they need to dig it out? Social media is full of horror-movie contraptions, candles, vacuum gadgets, spiral scoops, and enough tweezers to make a surgeon sweat. TikTok makes it look satisfying, but in the real world you’re just one clumsy poke away from a perforated eardrum and a sheepish trip to A&E.

Why some of us produce more earwax

Ear canal shape: Some people are built narrow or bendy, which makes wax escape harder.
Ageing: Older ears don’t self-clean as well. Skin gets drier, hair grows thicker. Thanks, biology.
Gadgets: Hearing aids, earbuds, or earplugs block the canal like a cork in a wine bottle.
Skin conditions: Eczema or dermatitis make wax production unpredictable.
Bad habits: Cotton buds push wax deeper instead of clearing it. Congratulations, you’ve made your own ear plug.

And stress? There’s no neat study proving it, but stress hormones do mess with your skin, sweat, and oil glands. Since earwax comes from modified sweat glands, it’s not a leap to think stress might make things worse. Science just hasn’t stamped it yet.

Symptoms of too much wax

Hearing like you’re underwater.
Fullness or pressure in the ear.
Itching or irritation.
Tinnitus (ringing).
Dizziness (less common, but happens).

The safe ways to clear it

Do nothing unless you have symptoms. Wax is protective. If it’s not causing trouble, leave it alone.
Soften it. A few drops of olive oil, almond oil, mineral oil, sodium bicarbonate, or hydrogen peroxide for 3–5 days can help wax slide out on its own.
See a professional.
- Microsuction (vacuum under a microscope).
- Manual removal (tiny tools, steady hands).
- Irrigation (warm water flush, only if your eardrum is intact).

The unsafe ways (aka TikTok greatest hits)

Cotton buds.
Ear candling.
Hairpins, tweezers, keys, or pen lids.
Random suction gadgets from the internet.

How often should you clean your ears?

For most people: never. Chewing and talking naturally move wax out. If you’re a heavy wax producer, use drops once a month or schedule a yearly clean with someone who knows what they’re doing.

References

Guest JF, Greener MJ, Robinson AC, Smith AF. Impacted cerumen: composition, production, epidemiology and management. QJM. 2004;97(8):477–488.
Burton MJ, Doree C. Ear drops for the removal of ear wax. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;1:CD004326.
Roland PS, Smith TL, Schwartz SR, et al. Clinical practice guideline: Cerumen impaction. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008;139(3 Suppl 2):S1–S21.
NHS. Earwax build-up. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/earwax-build-up
Clegg AJ, Loveman E, Gospodarevskaya E, et al. The safety and effectiveness of different methods of earwax removal: a systematic review and economic evaluation. Health Technol Assess. 2010;14(28):1–192.
Smith ME, Tysome JR. Tests of cure and follow-up for impacted cerumen: a review. BMJ Open. 2015;5(9):e008965.