Does Olive Oil Help With Ear Wax Removal? – A Guide
Olive oil can be an affordable and effective way to soften and partially remove earwax build-up at home. You might be wondering how it works, or how to use it in your ears. This guide aims to answer the questions you may have for using olive oil at home.
What is olive oil?
Olive oil is made from, unsurprisingly, olives. It is produced by pressing the olives and extracting the oil, which is a good source of beneficial acids. While the most common uses for it are culinary, it can be used in a wide variety of ways such as:
Cooking
Cleaning
Haircare
Skincare
Shaving
Makeup removal
Earwax removal
While it may seem strange to put olive oil in your ears, it is actually a very effective home remedy for helping to shift earwax using a product you likely already have in your kitchen.
What’s the history of olive oil as a health property?
Many people use olive oil for cooking, but it was originally produced for a variety of other uses. It is estimated that we started using oil from olives all the way back in 4000 BC, with the olives themselves originating from the country now known as Turkey. These ancient civilisations used olive oil for medicine, skincare, hygiene products, oil lamps and even religious rituals. Many of these uses still stand, however its most popular use today is in the kitchen.
So, is olive oil actually good for the ears?!
The short answer is indeed yes, olive oil is good for your ears! It’s even recommended by the NHS as an effective method of helping to remove earwax. In addition to earwax removal, a few drops of olive oil can help to soothe ear infections and moisturise dry or itchy ears.
What’s the science behind olive oil’s benefits for the ear?
Olive oil works by softening the hardened earwax in your ear, making it easier to remove. Earwax itself is hydrophobic – this means that it has water-repelling properties. This can make the wax difficult to remove with water when it’s dried and hardened in your ear canal. Putting a few drops of olive (or other mineral) oil in your ear can soften the wax enough for it to come loose and be gently extracted by an ear care professional.
Are there any risks or downsides to putting olive oil in my ears?
It is very rare to experience negative side effects from using olive oil in your ears, however the most common problems are inflammation and skin irritation after use. The biggest risk of using olive oil for earwax removal is infection if you have a ruptured, or perforated, eardrum. If you think you may have a ruptured eardrum, do not put anything in your ear without consulting a medical professional first.
How to correctly administer olive oil ear drops
The best way to make sure the olive oil gets into your ear is by lying on one side, with the affected ear facing upwards.
After applying 1 or 2 drops of the oil into your ear, you can gently massage the outside of your ear to work the olive oil down into your ear canal. Leave it to sit for a few minutes, allowing the olive oil to soften the wax.
After a few minutes, you can carefully wipe clean the external surfaces of your ear with warm water and a clean towel to remove any excess or run-off.
Over the next few weeks after applying, you may notice the clumps of wax falling out of your ear.
What alternatives to olive oil are available to remove ear wax?
Other oils such as almond oil can be used to soften earwax with similar results. Other solutions such as saline or hydrogen peroxide can also be administered to the ear to treat earwax build-up, and gently rinsing your ear with warm water can help keep your ears clean.
By far the safest and most reliable way to deal with problematic earwax is to hire a professional audiologist. You can book an appointment with Ear View for earwax removal here.
