Middle Ear Infection

If you have problems with chronic ear infections or ear wax build-up, try some of the following tips to help minimize some of these problems:

• Try and keep water out of your ears. When you take a shower, take a cotton ball slathered in Vaseline as an earplug. Also, if you go swimming, keep your head above water or wear custom earplugs.
• If you do get water in your ears, dribble a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and warm water in your ears to help the water evaporate.
• DO NOT USE Q-TIPS! While scratching the inside of your ears admittedly feels quite nice, it can lead to:
  • Outer ear infections by damaging the skin of your ear canal
  • Total obstruction (cerumen impaction) of your ear canal with wax by pushing the wax even further in. Some patients even put holes in their ear drums!
• If you have a problem with ear wax buildup (especially if you wear hearing aids), a nightly regimen to keep your ears clean may help. Try the following recipe:
• Pick 2 nights of the week (like Monday and Thursday). Use sterile mineral oil and an eye dropper and place a few drops in your ears before you go to bed. Put a cotton ball on each side afterwards.
• On the other 5 days of the week, use a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and warm water and dribble the solution into your ears. This will help keep the ear canals clean and dry. Alternatively, you can use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water.
• Despite all of these suggestions, some patients need their ears cleaned out periodically. Please call our office to schedule an appointment.