Ear wax - What will happen?

Most problems caused by ear wax are easy to treat.

In about a third of people with ear wax plugs, the wax goes away on its own after about five days, without any treatment.[1]

There are things that you should avoid doing. And there are other things that you can do to reduce ear wax building up in your ear. To learn more, see Looking after your ears.

Most ear wax plugs that don't go away on their own can usually be removed with ear drops or by squirting water into your ear. Squirting water into your ear is called ear syringing. It doesn't usually hurt. But it might not work the first time.

Ear syringing can have side effects.[2]

It can lead to infections in the outer part of your ear.
The water that is squirted into your ear can sometimes split your eardrum. We don't know for certain how often this happens, but it's probably only once in every few hundred treatments.

If your hearing doesn't improve after you've been treated for an ear wax plug, your doctor will do more tests to find out what's causing the problem.[3]

References

Keane EM, Wilson H, McGrane D, et al. Use of solvents to disperse ear wax. British Journal of Clinical Practice. 1995; 49: 7-12.
Burton MJ, Doree CJ. Ear drops for the removal of ear wax In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2007. Wiley, Chichester, UK.
Aung T, Mulley GP. 10-minute consultation: removal of ear wax. BMJ. 2002; 325: 27.

Glossary

infection: You get an infection when an organism, such as a bacterium, a fungus or a virus gets into a part of your body where it shouldn't be. For example, an infection in your nose and airways causes the common cold. An infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot. The organisms that cause infections are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope.

This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.