Using Hydrogen Peroxide In The Ear To Remove Blockages

At first glance, the hissing and bubbling which characterized hydrogen peroxide may seem a little intimidating, especially when contemplating placing it within the ear. The good news is that even the National Institutes of Health (NIH) consider it a worthwhile homemade treatment to remove ear wax.

This article will explain the when and how with regards to hydrogen peroxide usage, as well as what exactly we are achieving. In most cases it will lead to near instant relief, but in others other forms of treatment may be better suited.

As always, if you are not absolutely certain you don't have other ear problems, infections and pains, consulting a doctor is advisable (because I am certainly not one).

Not all scenarios will find solace with Hydrogen Peroxide, in fact, some may even cause additional problems. As a rule of thumb, pass this one up if you have noticed one, or any of the following:

• You have very delicate skin.
• You have noticed discharge coming from the inner ear.
• You are experiencing severe ear pain.
• You are experiencing moderate hearing loss.
• You know the eardrum is not intact.

Make sure you have a 3% H202 (hydrogen peroxide) solution and not higher (most commonly bought household peroxide should be this kind, so chances are you've got the right one). Higher concentrations can cause severe burns, and must be handled with extreme care.

Using hydrogen peroxide in the ear to remove wax is a two-stage process. In the first part, I will show you how to correctly and safely insert the solution into the ear, and in the second we will irrigate the solution with water.

1. Take an eye dropper and fill it with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Warming the solution slightly will lower the chances of an unpleasant reaction and feel more comfortable.
2. Tilt your head to straighten the ear canal by pointing the impacted ear towards the ceiling.
3. Inject several drops (anywhere from 4 to 10 should do the trick, don't overdo it) into the ear and get comfortable. Ideally you should let the solution rest in the ear for around 20 minutes, so lying down is probably a good idea. The bubbling should have long-ceased to pass by this point.
4. Stand up and point the impacted ear downwards and drain the peroxide into a cotton ball or towel.
5. Repeat steps for your other ear if necessary.

Even though you're probably beginning to feel an immediate sense of relief, we're not entirely done yet. The hydrogen peroxide will have softened the ear wax, but now we will remove it entirely. Please note, completely softening the ear wax can take a couple of days!

1. Fill your eye dropper with warm water and straighten your ear canal. Pulling your lobe downwards and backwards can enhance the effect.
2. Give the water a little time and then tilt your ear downwards and flush the water (and hopefully the wax blockage) out onto a towel. If it doesn't work immediately try again the next day.
3. Do not try and claw the wax out (it may feel like it's ready to come out, but let it come out naturally).
4. Dry thoroughly.

Cleaning the ear with hydrogen peroxide is also a fantastic routine, beyond simply treating symptoms of congestion. It can be helpful in the prevention of excessive ear wax buildup and is cheap and accessible to just about anyone. I hope you found this little guide helpful, and that as of reading this you are feeling some relief after having followed the steps. If it worked, or didn't, please let me know in the comments section below! Thanks for stopping by.