Common Signs and Symptoms:
Ear wax, also called cerumen, is a naturally occurring substance found in the ear canal. It protects the skin inside the canal by providing lubrication. Normally the ear canals are self-cleaning, but sometimes cerumen builds up and can block the canal of one or both ears. People who have a build-up of ear wax can develop discomfort in one or both ears, hearing loss, ringing in the ear(s), itching in the ear canal(s) or dizziness.
Ear wax can be removed from the canal by curettage. In this procedure, a MinuteClinic healthcare provider will place a plastic loop attached to a thin plastic handle into the ear canal and pull out the ear wax. If curettage does not work or ear wax is too hard for curettage, irrigation may be used. In this procedure, the MinuteClinic provider uses a WaterPik® with a special ear tip to spray water into the ear canal. The pressure of the water should loosen the wax so that it flows out of the ear canal.