Cleaning Earwax at Home

• Most cases of impacted earwax can be treated in the comfort of your home. Try applying warm baby oil or mineral oil in the ear twice a day for one week. If you still feel the irritation from the impacted wax, go to your local drug store and purchase over-the-counter ear drops. Ear drops can help soften the plug of wax in your ear, which will make it easier to remove. Start by applying a few drops in the affected ear. According to the medical Web site, NHS Choices, you should then lie on your side for a few minutes with the affected ear facing upwards. This will help the ear drops soften up the wax. Repeat this process two to three times a day for up to five days. The impacted earwax will start to soften and should eventually come out of your ear.
  
  

When to See a Doctor

• If you haven't noticed any improvements after a week of home treatments and the earwax is still impacted, you should consult a medical professional. You should also schedule an appointment with your doctor if you develop new symptoms such as fever, persistent hearing loss or severe ear pain.
  
  

Medical Treatments

• Your doctor may recommend several different medical treatments to clean your earwax. One of the more popular ways to remove impacted earwax is through irrigation. According to NHS Choices, it is a procedure that involves using a pressurized flow of water to remove the wax build-up. You doctor will most likely carry out this procedure using a tool called an electronic ear irrigator. This tool allows the doctor to control the amount of water pressure inserted in the ear. During the procedure, the doctor will squirt a controlled flow of water into your ear canal to clean out the wax. It is normally painless. However, you may experience slight discomfort when the water is being pushed around your ear canal.
  
  Your doctor may also try a technique called microsuction to remove the impacted earwax. During this procedure, your doctor will use a microscope to suction out the earwax. In addition, the aural toilet is another procedure in which a specialist uses an instrument called the Jobson Horne probe to remove the earwax, according to NHS Choices.