What exactly is earwax?

Earwax, also called "cerumen", acts as a protective substance in the ear. However, the build-up of earwax affects our capacity to hear, leads to infections and causes discomfort. Often, due to the discomfort in the ear, most people are obliged to remove the earwax themselves. Although manual dislodgement of the wax may seem logical, it is considered harmful and can lead to problems deep in the ear.

Why is earwax so important?

As you move your jaw when talking or chewing, the motion helps facilitate the natural drainage of earwax from the outer opening of the ear. This is why you should not manually remove the wax using dangerous appliances.

The ear canal consists of glands and tiny hairs that naturally produce waxy oil. As a result, earwax has many benefits since it acts as a lubricant, moisturiser, and water repellent. In addition, earwax removes dead skin cells and dirt that increase the risk of infection.

What is impacted earwax?

The build-up of earwax in the external auditory canal can lead to symptoms such as the following:

• A blockage
• Irritation in the affected ear
• Pain or noise (typically ringing) in the ear
• A cough
• Difficulty with hearing

How does Dr Boggenpoel safely remove earwax?

Dr Boggenpoel may decide to irrigate (safely rinse) the impacted ear. Only an ENT specialist is qualified to perform this procedure, so it should NOT be attempted at home.

He then removes all the cerumen from the ear without causing any harm using illumination and magnification tools.