Doctors call the occurrence of sulfuric traffic jams a "disease of purity." All problems of this kind are associated with the fact that people clean their ears, trying to free them from the "excess" sulfur, in all possible ways: cotton buds, matches, even the ear of a pin. Before resorting to such fanatical measures of influence, it is necessary to understand what sulfur and sulfur plug in the ear are.
Sulfur is, first of all, not dirt, which must be disposed of mechanically. It is released to protect the auditory canal, as well as to prevent infection. When sulfur comes out, it takes with it dust, small particles and dead particles of the epithelial cover, thus freeing the ear from foreign and unnecessary elements.
Remember that when you remove sulfur with the help of any objects, you do not completely erase the ear: it simply tamps the amount that you could not get to the side of the eardrum. As a result, a sulfur plug occurs, the removal of which is much more difficult.
Signs of a sulfur plug are constant tinnitus and the presence of a resonant echo during a call. As a rule, signs that a sulfur plug has appeared in the ear are manifested when water enters the ear or when sweating is severe.
Sulfur plug in the ear occurs for several reasons:
- As a rule, sulfur pressing occurs as a result of regular cleaning of the auricle with cotton buds, matches with cotton wool, hairpins, pins.
- Possible natural tendency to excessive sulfur formation.
- A narrow or ornate ear canal.
- The inflammatory process on the skin of the ear canal, as well as the ingress of foreign small particles, dust and debris inside.
- Less often, but there is a sulfur plug in the ear also due to elevated cholesterol in the blood.
When nevertheless there was a sulfuric plug in the ear, its treatment should be carried out immediately. Only an otolaryngologist should remove it. It is forbidden to do this on your own: you can violate the integrity of the eardrum and the ear as a whole. If the cork is not removed on time, it can lead to the development of external otitis media, hearing impairment of varying degrees (hearing loss). Even bedsores of the external auditory canal may occur.
For people whose body is prone to the formation of sulfur plugs, doctors recommend cleaning their ears in a hospital.
Washing the plugs is carried out with a weak pressure of water, which has room temperature. Fluid is drawn into a syringe and sent to the ear. Before you go on this procedure, you need to soften the sulfur plugs. This is done by instillation of special drops in the ears for several days. They can be purchased at drugstores. However, the use of a specific type of drops is not selected independently. The prescription is made by a doctor. You can use glycerin as a softening agent, as well as hydrogen peroxide or mineral oil. If the sulfuric cork in the ear is pre-softened, it can be easily removed under a small pressure of water.
Note that getting rid of sulfur plugs is not the final stage. It is important to maintain good hygiene of the ears in the future in order to prevent the subsequent occurrence of these problems. So, several times a month, otolaryngologists recommend burying the ears with liquid paraffin or hydrogen peroxide, and then clean the ear with a (neatly) twisted cotton flagellum.
When you take a bath, as a preventative measure, do not wipe your ears completely, dry. Just blow dry them with a hairdryer (warm stream), and then drop a drop of ethanol into each ear.
Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure! Remember this and be healthy!