Sulfur plug in a child: how to determine what is dangerous, how to clean your ears. "wax plugs in children can lead to hearing loss" Wax plug in a two-year-old child
The human ear is designed in such a way that sulfur is constantly formed in it. Normally, it should go out on its own: this is facilitated by the cilia of the epithelium located in the ear canal, and the mobility of the jaw, which stimulates the movement of sulfur to the external outlet.
Sulfur performs protective functions in the ear: it traps dust, dirt, microbes and other microparticles, as well as epithelial cells, preventing them from penetrating into the cavity inner ear. However, if the purification mechanism is violated, sulfur can accumulate in the ear canal, eventually forming a dense plug. This usually happens for several reasons:
- increased secretion of earwax;
- insufficient care for the child's ears (when the ear canals are not cleared of wax residues);
- excessive care for the child's ears (when sulfur is removed too often - in this case, more of it begins to be produced);
- usage cotton buds for cleaning the ears (large cotton rolls push the sulfur deep inside, because of which it cannot go out naturally and, accumulating, forms a cork over time);
- excessively dry indoor air, due to which earwax becomes hard;
- peculiarities anatomical structure auditory canal (preventing the normal release of sulfur).
In adults sulfur plug hard, and in children more often just dense, pasty or jelly-like. But with the aggravation of the condition, it also hardens. The cork in the child's ear, if it is not removed in a timely manner, will increase in diameter and gradually close the ear canal completely. Also, the cork increases and closes the lumen when water or other liquid enters the ear: the seal absorbs moisture and swells.
It is not easy to identify sulfur plug in your child, because some visible symptoms at the initial stage of its formation is not observed. If parents regularly check the baby's auditory passages, they may notice a brown seal in them - from a light shade to a dark one, even black. To do this, the ear canal must be “aligned” (physiologically, it is slightly curved). Gently tug on the baby's earlobe, moving the ear back and down if it is still a baby, and back and up if the child is older. Thus, visibility improves: if there is a sulfur plug in the child's ear, then you will certainly see it. It is especially well visible after bathing, because, by absorbing water, it noticeably increases in size.
It is possible to suspect the presence of an ear plug in the ear in children if they suddenly began to ask again, do not respond to a call from another room, simply ignore calls to them. In a word, the child's hearing is deteriorating, he may not even hear how they approach him, which is why he gets scared and shudders. Babies, when an ear plug is formed, can pull themselves by the ear - there are discomfort, itching.
At an older age, a child can sometimes, in addition, complain of headaches, dizziness, nausea - this is due to a deterioration in the work of the intra-ear vestibular apparatus. He feels congestion and tinnitus, other discomfort, a reflex cough may appear.
If parents have suspicions about the formation of sulfur plugs in the ears of children, then it is necessary to contact the ENT. Firstly, similar symptoms can also occur with inflammation of the inner ear and other disorders (the doctor will make an accurate diagnosis after examination). Secondly, only a specialist is able to effectively and safely remove the wax plug from the child's ear.
How to remove a sulfur plug in a child: treatment
Such a procedure does not present any difficulties. However, it is not carried out at home! Improper treatment can lead to damage in the ear and the development of complications. In addition, sulfur formation usually adheres quite tightly to the walls, so it is not so easy to remove it yourself.
In the otolaryngologist's office, the child will undergo a simple manipulation. A warm liquid (plain water or furatsilin solution) is drawn into the syringe (now a 20-cubic disposable syringe without a needle is used for this) and the ear canal is washed. A small child must be firmly fixed so that he does not twitch - and there is no mechanical damage inside the ear. Usually, parents clamp it, as the doctor shows, fixing the limbs, and keep the baby's head in a comfortable, secure position. The doctor under pressure injects a jet of liquid into the ear, washing out its contents.
The manipulation is repeated as many times as necessary. The ENT then examines the ear for cleanliness and, if necessary, removes the remnants of the cork. After drying the ear opening, the doctor puts cotton wool into it: for the next 15 minutes, it should remain inside.
Sulfur plug in the ear in children: hydrogen peroxide
If the sulfur plug is very hard, then it must first be soaked, that is, in such cases, it is necessary to prepare in a special way for the removal procedure. To do this, for 3-5 days, 3% hydrogen peroxide is instilled into the ear in which sulfur has accumulated: 3-4 drops in each ear canal 3-4 times a day. Do not be alarmed if you find that after instillation, the cork has increased in diameter (it may even worsen your hearing temporarily) - this is normal, because, if you remember, it absorbs liquid. But the cork will soften - and it will be easier to remove it. Peroxide in the ear will hiss, forming foam: it must be removed with a cotton swab, cleaning only the area of \u200b\u200bthe ear and ear canal that is accessible to the eye.
If the problem of the sulfur plug has become acute (for example, it worries the child a lot, but there is no way to see a doctor), then you can try to remove it at home with the help of A-Cerumen. For this, the child is laid on its side with the ear up, a warm liquid is instilled, it must remain motionless in this position for a minute, then turn over with the dripped ear down - and the softened cork should come out on its own.
To avoid the formation of a sulfuric plug, the child's ears must be cleaned once a week (not more often), and at the same time, you can bury a drop of peroxide in each walker: the sulfur will come out along with the foam. It is best to perform the procedure immediately after bathing - at the same time, the water that has got into the ears will be removed.
You can’t clean the child’s ears with cotton swabs (sterile cotton flagella should be used for this purpose), and in no case should you try to remove the sulfur plug using metal or any other sharp objects.
Especially for - Ekaterina Vlasenko
The wax that forms in the ear has a protective function. It prevents dust particles, dirt and pathogens from entering deep into the ear. The development of such a secret is a very important and necessary process. Dust particles settle on the sticky sulphur, dry out a little and then are naturally brought out. The movement of sulfur is provided by talking, yawning and chewing. Under certain factors, failures in this well-established process can occur, and sulfur will accumulate in the ear cavity, forming sulfur plugs. A cork in the ear of a child most often appears due to incorrect hygiene of the ear cavity.
The reasons
Sulfur plugs in the ears in children are formed by different reasons. If parents understand why the child has abundant sulfur, they will be able to avoid this unpleasant condition in the future. Otolaryngologists identify several main causes of traffic jams:
- The ear glands begin to secrete sulfur profusely if the child's ears are cleaned quite often.. Ideally, such hygiene procedure needed only once a week.
- Contribute to the appearance of sulfur plugs and cotton swabs, which are so often used to clean the auditory canal. The fact is that sticks do not remove dirt from the ear well, but contribute to its tamping.
- Anatomical structure of the ears. This is not considered a pathology, but due to the structure of the hearing organs in some children, it is necessary to take care of the ears especially carefully.
- Sulfur plugs in children are often formed at very low humidity in the home. In the house, you need to maintain humidity at 60%, only then it will be possible to avoid this unpleasant phenomenon.
If a sulfur plug in the ear of a child occurs very often, it is necessary to identify the cause and try to avoid it. Neoplasm can not be detected visually in all cases. Most often, it manifests itself only by characteristic signs.
In the practice of otolaryngologists, sometimes there are small patients whose ear canal is blocked by a sulfuric plug by almost 70%.
Plug types
Ear plugs can be conditionally divided into several types, depending on the consistency of the allocated secret:
- Pasty - such ear discharge is characterized by a soft consistency, their color varies from light yellow to dark yellow.
- Plasticine-like - such formations are plastic and have a brownish tint.
- Dry - have a very hard texture. The color may be dark brown or almost black.
At first, sulfur in children is soft and pliable. But over time, it becomes quite dense, and in some cases even stony. The sulfur plug can be supplemented by the epidermal plug, which is formed by particles of epidermal scales. It can be white or slightly grayish in color, it is very dense and fits quite tightly to the walls of the auditory canal. The epidermal plug often causes bedsores in the bony part of the ear.
Sulfur plugs can close both part of the auditory canal and the entire passage completely..
Clinical picture
- The child's hearing becomes impaired. At the same time, the baby himself does not complain at all. But parents may notice that the child often asks everything again and is very frightened when someone enters the room behind him.
- After taking a bath, the baby's ear remains stuffy for some time. This is due to the fact that at high humidity, the sulfur plug swells and almost completely closes the ear canal.
- The baby often complains of headache and severe dizziness. Sometimes this condition is accompanied by nausea.
- The child complains that he regularly has noise and ringing in his ears.
All these symptoms indicate that plugs have formed in the child's ear canal, which must be pulled out to avoid complications. The surest decision would be to visit the hospital, where the doctor will carefully and very quickly remove the neoplasms, without any discomfort for the crumbs. But it is not always possible to quickly get an appointment with an ENT doctor. Therefore, it becomes necessary to clean the ears yourself.
The baby cannot tell adults about pain and other symptoms. Parents should be alerted by restless behavior and constant touching of the baby to the ear..
Cork removal at home
It is not difficult to remove the resulting sulfur plug from the ear of a child at home, if certain recommendations are followed. There are several simple ways removal of neoplasms, which are suitable even for those parents who have never encountered such a problem.
Drops to eliminate traffic jams
In the pharmacy network, you can buy drops from ear plugs for children. The most commonly used drug is A-Cerumen. The child is laid on a barrel, the ear is plentifully instilled with medicine and left to lie down for several minutes. Then the child is asked to roll over on the other side, and the liquid flows out of the ear, along with the softened cork. On the pillow must first be laid soft tissue or gauze in several layers.
Before using drops to dissolve sulfur plugs, you need to carefully read the attached instructions and follow them clearly.
To remove the plugs yourself, you can use vegetable oil. It is heated in a spoon to a comfortable temperature and instilled into the ear twice a day, 2 drops each.. The course of such treatment is 5 days, usually during this time the cork becomes soft and easily comes out of their ear. If the neoplasm did not come out after treatment, it is necessary to show the child to an otolaryngologist.
Camphor oil will be more effective, but if it is not at hand, then ordinary sunflower oil will do.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide in the ear helps children from traffic jams. it medicine heated in the hand to a comfortable temperature and instilled into the ear canal up to 3 times a day, a few drops. Usually, after a couple of days, the sulfur plug comes out easily.
Garlic compress
Well removes the cork from the ear of the child and a specific compress. This folk way treatment is considered effective, but not entirely safe, so it's best to consult a doctor. Take half a clove of garlic and grind it to a pulp. Mix with three drops of camphor oil. In the resulting composition, a gauze flagellum is moistened and injected into the ear canal.
You can keep such a compress for no more than 10 minutes.. Due to garlic, a strong burning sensation will be felt, so the child may be naughty. After the flagellum is removed, and the ear is thoroughly washed with a syringe.
Furacilin solution
You can remove the resulting sulfur plug in a child with a solution of Furacilin. For the procedure, you need to prepare a large disposable syringe without a needle or a syringe and Furacilin solution. The child is seated on a chair, the head is tilted towards the problem ear and a small bowl or plastic tray is placed under it. A solution of Furacilin is drawn into the syringe and injected under pressure into the ear cavity. Usually it is enough just to carry out a similar procedure a few times, as the cork is removed.
During washing, the child may feel some discomfort, but most often the children tolerate such manipulation well. To reduce discomfort, Furacilin solution should be heated to a slightly warm state.
In many hospitals, ears are washed and ear plugs are removed with a Janet syringe and Furacilin solution.. Although more modern devices for washing the ear cavity have already appeared.
If the wax plug is visible in the child's ear even with the naked eye, do not try to remove it with piercing objects or tweezers. With such actions, there is a high probability of damage to the skin of the ear canal or eardrum, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to remove the sulfur plug from the ear.
It is also useless and risky to use cotton swabs to remove the formation. With such a stick, you can move the sulfur deep into the bone section of the ear, from where it will be very problematic to extract it.
If you follow these recommendations, then it will not be difficult to remove sulfur plugs from the child’s ears, and no complications will arise. But it must be remembered that the procedure for extracting the cork must be carried out carefully and in compliance with complete sterility. If there is even the slightest doubt in your abilities, it is better to contact an experienced doctor who will wash the child's ear using modern equipment.
When the sulfur plug is very dry and it cannot be removed quickly, the doctor prescribes 3% hydrogen peroxide to be dripped into the ear for several days, and only after that the canal is washed.
At the first symptoms of a plug in the ear, you should consult a doctor with your child. The sooner it is discovered, the less problems with the removal will arise.
What do sulfur plugs lead to
If the sulfur plug from the child’s ear is not removed in a timely manner, then this can lead to rather sad consequences:
- Pressure sores may form in the ear canal. This pathology causes severe pain and difficult to treat.
- The child's hearing is severely impaired.
- Otitis media often occurs, since sulfur deposits are an ideal breeding ground for pathogens.
- Due to the anatomical proximity of the ears and nasopharynx, the child often suffers from rhinitis and tonsillitis.
Sulfur plug is a good breeding ground for fungi, so there is a high chance of getting otomycosis.
Prevention of congestion in the ears
To prevent the appearance of sulfur plugs, you should regularly do mechanical cleaning ear canals. To do this, you can use a soft cotton flagellum, which is dipped in vaseline oil or with your index finger. For each ear passage it is necessary to take a separate cotton flagellum. Ears are cleaned no more than once a week.
It is important to maintain normal humidity in the home. This can be done with a special humidifier or by hanging wet towels around the house. Most often, dry air in a home is observed in the winter season, when the heating is turned on. To maintain normal humidity, it is enough to keep a wet terry towel on one battery.
If the child is prone to the formation of ear plugs, then you can start an aquarium with fish at home. Such a miniature reservoir will also help in maintaining normal humidity. But you can start fish only if the crumbs are not allergic, since dry food is the strongest allergen.
We must not forget about regular preventive examinations, which are necessary for the child once a year. When examining specialists, various pathologies can be detected in a timely manner. If a plug is found in a child's ear, the doctor can remove it in a matter of minutes in the treatment room.
All parents should understand that removing the wax plug from the child's ear prevents many dangerous complications. You can remove the sulfur plug both in the hospital and at home, the main thing is to follow certain recommendations. If there is no certainty that everything will be done correctly, it is better to contact a practicing otolaryngologist.
Almost every mother is familiar with the appearance of traffic jams in the ears of babies. When given state child, mommy has a lot of a wide variety of questions about how to cope with such a pathology. This article will tell parents what they should do when a child has a wax plug in the ear.
Why do sulfur plugs appear?
They can form in the ear at any age. Adverse symptoms are manifested in both infants and adolescents. The approach to therapy in each age of babies, as a rule, is different.
The formation of wax in the ear canal is a natural physiological process.. It appears in small numbers all the time. A variety of factors can lead to excessive accumulation of wax in the ear canal. AT childhood, as a rule, this is facilitated by a violation of the rules for conducting personal hygiene processes.
Sulfur in the ear canal in a small amount is necessary. It helps to protect the environment of the inner ear from the ingress of various foreign objects, as well as the penetration of pathogenic microbes. Also, the sulfur layer helps to protect the cavity of the middle ear from dust.
The composition of such a sulfur mass contains a number of biologically active substances, which have a pronounced detrimental effect on various microorganisms. These substances are represented by organic acids. The specific smell of this mass is given by the sulfur included in its composition.
Scientists have found that the chemical composition of such a sulfuric layer in babies of different sexes is significantly different. This physiological feature due in many respects to the different structure of the special sebaceous glands that produce the formation of sulfur in the ear canal.
The boys in chemical composition such departments contain much less various organic acids than girls.
Normally, excess sulfur masses come out of the ears. This usually happens when the child is eating or talking. This is facilitated by the performance of special vibrational movements. lower jaw. This feature is provided by nature to maintain optimal hearing for many years.
Experts identify several provoking causes that contribute to the excessive accumulation of sulfur in the ear canal. These include:
Abuse of hygiene procedures. It has long been noted that frequent sulfur plugs appear in babies, whose ears are often cleaned by parents using various cotton swabs or other devices. Such procedures can be very dangerous. Incorrect cleaning of the ear canal using a cotton swab can not only lead to the formation of a large amount of sulfur, but also damage the structure of the inner ear.
Water ingress. Quite often, this situation manifests itself in babies after visiting the pool. Water entering the ear canal leads to the development of an imbalance in the formation of sulfuric mass. This will eventually contribute to the fact that the child will have plugs in the ears.
Wrong washing. Not only a visit to the pool can lead to the fact that the child will have adverse symptoms of increased ear sulphurization. Often, banal shampooing, carried out incorrectly, contributes to the appearance of plugs in the ear passages. This, as a rule, leads to the constant ingress of a large amount of shampoo and water into the ears.
Dry air. A constant decrease in the level of humidity in rooms where babies are quite long time, can lead to the frequent formation of sulfur plugs in their ears. To maintain the physiological balance of sulfur formation, it is very important that the humidity in the children's room does not fall below 55%. This situation quite often develops in a child aged 2-3 years.
Diseases of the ears and various anomalies in the development of the hearing aid. The first adverse symptoms in this case develop already in babies under the age of one year. Too narrow ear canal a large number of sebaceous glands and other anatomical features become provocative causes of an increased tendency in a child to form frequent sulfur plugs.
family predisposition. Pediatric otolaryngologists have long noticed that babies from families where one of the close relatives has a tendency to frequent plugs in the ears often have the same problem.
Heightened love for music. In this case, the problem with the formation of sulfur plugs occurs when the child listens to songs through headphones. It is usually abused by teenagers. In this case, the appearance of sulfuric plugs is caused by the frequent mechanical impact exerted by listening to music for a long time.
Symptoms
It should be noted that it takes quite a long time for the formation of sulfur plugs in the ears of a child. Parents can suspect that the crumbs have such formations in the ear canals on their own. To do this, they should carefully observe with their baby in familiar everyday situations.
The first adverse symptoms appear, as a rule, already with a pronounced mechanical narrowing of the auditory canal. In this case, the child begins to feel a slight discomfort in the affected ear, which only progresses over time.
The most difficult diagnosis is in babies early age. They cannot yet complain to their parents about what worries them.
To determine the ear plugs in a baby under 4 years old, parents should pay attention to his behavior. The child in this case begins more often rub or touch the injured ear. With a pronounced process, the baby can shake his head, tilting it to the side where the sulfur plug has formed.
In many babies, adverse symptoms increase significantly after various water procedures. The ingress of water into the ear canal leads to a significant swelling of the sulfur mass, which is manifested by an increase in specific clinical signs. Most characteristic symptom - sound effects or hearing loss, which appears in a child after visiting the pool, bath or just bathing in the bath.
With the development of the pathological process, the baby develops feeling of strong swelling in the ear, where is the sulfur plug. If the process is bilateral, then in this case the child may even have a severe hearing loss. Some babies have a severe headache, which only increases over time, and dizziness develops.
Quite often, sulfur plugs look like light yellow or white stripes. They can have a very different consistency - from pasty to very hard. In advanced stages, sulfur plugs acquire a dark brown color. The intensity of the smell of such ear secretions also varies significantly.
Is it possible to remove the cork at home?
Parents are interested in the question of whether it is possible to remove sulfur plugs on their own. Doctors do not recommend fathers and mothers to eliminate such formations in a small child at home. It is especially dangerous to do this for children who have any chronic diseases ENT organs or congenital anomalies in the development of the hearing aid.
If parents notice that the baby has any symptoms associated with hearing loss, first of all they should definitely show the child to the doctor. A pediatric otolaryngologist will be able to remove sulfur plugs from the affected ear.
Before carrying out the procedure to remove them from the ear canal, the doctor will also definitely examine all the ENT organs and identify the possible presence of concomitant diseases in the baby.
You can get corks using various medical instruments. You should not be afraid of this. If the procedure is performed by an experienced and qualified specialist, then parents do not need to worry. The risk of causing any traumatic injury in this case is practically zero.
After the procedure for removing sulfur plugs from the ears, the doctor will make specific individual recommendations for the baby. They usually include prescription of various medications. These funds help the baby to prevent excessive formation of sulfur formations in the ears in the future.
Medical treatment
To date, pharmacies sell a huge number of a wide variety of drugs to eliminate ear sulfur layers. Parents should remember that not all of them can be used in babies. Some of these drugs have a complex complex composition. It contains various extracts medicinal plants. Babies should use such drugs as carefully as possible, as they can lead to the development of a strong allergic reaction and significantly aggravate the course of the disease.
Ear passages can be cleaned with various solutions. Usually they are used by pediatric otolaryngologists. Such use will be effective in the case when the sulfur mass has a rather loose and soft consistency.
In some situations, solid sulfur plugs cannot be removed by flushing alone. This will also require special otolaryngological instruments.
Flushing is a fairly common method for removing wax plugs from the ears. For this, doctors use, as a rule, a solution of furacilin in a low concentration. In some cases, it is also possible to rinse the ear passages with ordinary boiled water. Wash the ears on one or both sides. This is determined by the otolaryngologist during a clinical examination of the baby.
In some cases, the procedure may need to be repeated several times. Such treatment is carried out mainly in cases where the baby has too hard sulfur plugs. The solution is injected with a special tool, which, according to appearance looks like a syringe. The amount of fluid administered depends on the age of the child and his initial condition.
It is important to note that you can rinse your ears in cases where when the baby does not have any exacerbations of various diseases of the ENT organs. The presence of perforation of the tympanic membrane is also a significant contraindication for this procedure. It is for this reason that doctors recommend that mothers do not wash themselves at home.
In some cases, doctors resort to prescribing special therapeutic ear drops. These products have a softening effect on dense sulfur plugs. To remove such formations from the ear canals, it sometimes takes quite a long time to use these funds. Such drugs include "Remo-Vax" and "A-Cerumen". These ear drops are prescribed only by a pediatric otolaryngologist.
The use of special healing suppositories that are inserted into the ears can also become part of the treatment. Typically, such drugs are prescribed for babies who do not have any allergies to honey or bee products. This is due to the fact that the composition of many ear candles may contain individual components of propolis. Such use may cause the child to develop severe allergic reaction.
It is preferable to use ear candles in children who do not have allergies at an older age. Such medications contain a large number of various natural components, as well as antibacterial substances.
Such use allows not only to get rid of sulfur plugs, but also has a preventive and therapeutic effect on the ear passages. Ear candles can also be used to treat various diseases of the ENT organs.
Some of these drugs are quite pronounced analgesic effect and can be used in cases where the child's ear is inflamed. The eucalyptus or fir extract included in the candle helps to normalize well-being, as well as to cope with increased sulfur formation.
Before inserting the ear candle, lubricate the skin of the baby's ear well with baby cream. Lay the child on the opposite side. The damaged ear should be on top. Then put a regular napkin on the ear area, in the middle of which a hole should be made for inserting a candle.
Gently massage your ear. Gently and shallowly insert the candle into the ear canal. Don't make sudden movements. It is also not necessary to press hard when inserting a candle into the ear. Remove the napkin and light the top end of the candle. Then wait a few minutes.
Closely monitor the condition of the baby. If the child is very worried about something, his face becomes very red or white, then the procedure should be stopped.
After completing this cleansing, carefully remove the remnants of the candle and softened sulfuric masses from the ear canal. Try to perform this procedure as carefully and carefully as possible so as not to cause traumatic injuries. In some cases, several consecutive procedures may be required to achieve the effect.
Before conducting such home treatment, parents should always consult with a pediatric otolaryngologist.
For information on how to properly care for the ears in children, see the following video.
One of the most common causes of hearing loss in childhood may be a wax plug in a child's ear. If in babies this formation usually has a jelly-like consistency, then in adolescents and adults it can shrink and become significantly thicker. Wax plug is a mixture of earwax, dead skin cells and dust. Gathering in a dense conglomerate, it can block the ear canal, preventing the transmission of sound vibrations to the surface of the eardrum.
What causes ear plugs
Ear wax produced sebaceous glands external ear, performs a protective function in the body, preventing the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms and contaminants. A number of different reasons can contribute to the formation of wax plugs in the ears in children. As a rule, the secret of the sulfur glands is removed from the ear canal in a natural way, due to the mobility of the jaw joints during chewing and swallowing food, pronouncing speech sounds. Their motor activity is accompanied by a change in the position of the walls in the outer sections of the ears and the expulsion of sulfur outward.
The reasons for the formation of sulfur plugs in children can be as follows:
- Excessively frequent cleaning of the child's ears (more than once a week), which leads to a more intense secretion by the ear glands.
- Use of cotton swabs to remove sulfur. This can cause irritation of the glands with a subsequent increase in secretion production, contributes to its compaction and entry into the deeper part of the ear canal.
- The structural features of the auditory canal in a child are small diameter and tortuosity.
- The ingress of foreign bodies into the ear, preventing the release of earwax. With the accumulation of secretion, there is a risk of inflammation of the surrounding tissues. To remove the trapped object, you must consult an otolaryngologist.
- Staying children in a room with dry air (with humidity less than 60%).
- Swelling and deterioration of the sulfur yield when moistened.
- Increased secretion due to genetic factors.
- Otitis and skin lesions with dermatitis.
What signs indicate the presence of an ear plug
At the initial stage of education, a cork in the ear of a child may not make itself felt. The first symptoms appear when the lumen of the ear canal is blocked by 70% or more. Often this is preceded by bathing the baby, in which the trapped water leads to an increase in the size of the sulfuric mass, causing a feeling of stuffiness in the ear.
The main symptoms of cork in the ears in children are as follows:
- hearing impairment - the baby often cannot hear the words and asks to repeat what was said, sometimes does not respond when his name is called;
- a headache may appear, a change in pressure on the eardrum can cause a reflex cough, nausea;
- noise or ringing in the ears;
- babies may experience increased anxiety, touch and rub their ears with their fingers.
Types of sulfur plugs
Taking into account the stage of development, color and consistency, 4 types of ear wax accumulations are distinguished. At the first stage, the sulfur mass is soft, yellow color and is called pasty. After a while, the density of the formation increases, so it is called plasticine, the color becomes more saturated, acquiring a brown tint. Then the cork begins to quickly lose moisture and becomes almost black. At this stage, it is classified as dry. The most neglected, accompanied by the release of pus and requiring significant efforts to restore healthy condition ear canal tissue, it is called epidermal ear plug and contains dead elements skin.
Diagnosis and methods of eliminating pathology
To detect a sulfuric plug in the ear of a child, you should contact a specialist in a children's clinic - an ENT doctor. With the help of otoscopy, an examination of the ear canal is performed, a bellied probe is used to determine the density of the sulfuric mass. There are other causes of hearing loss, for example, that occurs when the middle ear is damaged by an inflammatory process, so it is necessary to exclude the presence of other diseases and foreign body. Remove sulfur plugs in children under conditions medical institution allows the rinsing of the ear canal.
Features of the procedure
The child is fixed so that during involuntary movements of the body there is no injury to the tissue of the ear canal. Auricle pulled back to straighten the winding passages of the internal parts of the organ of hearing. A warm solution of an antiseptic is drawn into a special syringe (which does not have a needle on) and is released into the ear canal. Under the pressure of the liquid, the cavity is cleaned from the plug.
In cases where the consistency of the formation is too dense, it must be softened. For this purpose, 3% hydrogen peroxide or cork-dissolving drugs are instilled into the ear for several days. An electric pump can be used to aspirate the softened mass. If the eardrum is damaged, the tissues are inflamed, or there is persistent hearing loss, tweezers or a special probe are used to remove the cork from the child. At the end of the procedure, the remaining moisture is removed and the ear opening is covered with a cotton swab.
How to remove a plug in your ears yourself
There may be circumstances where the visit to the clinic needs to be postponed for some time. What to do if a sulfur plug occurs in a child in this case? You can try to clean the baby's ears from sulfur at home. At the same time, remember that you cannot use sharp objects that can injure the delicate skin of the internal ones, as well as a cotton swab - with its help, the dense mass will move even further, which will only complicate the situation.
Consider how to remove a sulfur plug in a child at home:
- The most simple and in a safe way is a daily double instillation into the ear of vegetable oil heated to body temperature for 5 days. You can use hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) instead of oil without heating it. If there is no result after the specified period, you need to use medical help.
- If the child does not have otitis media and the eardrum is not damaged, you can rinse the ear with a solution of furacilin or boiled and then cooled water using a 20 ml disposable syringe for this purpose. The needle does not need to be put on, usually the manipulation is repeated 3 or 4 times.
- The use of special preparations-cerumenolytics, the purpose of which is in the ears of a child. Before using them, you should consult with an otolaryngologist. These are medications, like A-Cerumen (for children from 2.5 years old) and Remo-Vax (can be used even for babies).
- Use of homemade ear candles. To make such a remedy, put in an enameled bowl 100 g of beeswax, 30 g of the infusion of the mixture medicinal herbs(marigold, oak bark, chamomile and St. John's wort), 10 g of propolis and 2 drops each essential oils orange and eucalyptus. The components of the candle should be placed in a water bath, and after obtaining a liquid consistency, pour into a thin conical shape to solidify.
How to clean the ears of a child with a healing candle: treat the sore ear of a baby lying on its side with baby cream, cover with a napkin with a cut hole. Attach one end of the product to the ear canal, and bring a match to the second, set it on fire and after a few minutes remove the candle from the ear. To remove softened wax, insert a small cotton flagellum into the ear canal. Repeat the procedure several times.
Consequences of untimely removal of sulfur plugs
With an inattentive attitude of parents to the complaints of children, a sulfur plug tightly clogging the ear canal can lead not only to hearing loss, but also contribute to the appearance of inflammatory processes- chronically occurring otitis media, rhinitis. Also, such formations can cause the development of bedsores, which are very painful and require long-term treatment. To prevent the accumulation of earwax, you should clean the ears of children no more than 1 time per week, use thin cotton flagella for this purpose. Experts advise avoiding the use of cotton buds and sharp objects. To identify the formation of plugs and diseases of the organ of hearing allows regular passage preventive examination otolaryngologist 1-2 times a year.
The main function of earwax is to protect the inner ear from dirt, dust or small particles. Therefore, its development is a normal process. Foreign particles settle on sulfur, it thickens, dries up, and then itself is removed from the ears. This is due to the mobility of the epithelium of the outer ear, which, when talking or chewing, moves the crusts closer to the exit. Failures can occur in this process, then sulfur plugs are formed.
Causes of the formation of sulfur plugs in the ears
- Excessive hygiene of the ear canal. With frequent cleaning of the ears, the body, trying to compensate for the lack of sulfur, begins to produce it several times more. As a result, the crusts do not have time to be removed and form plugs in the ears. As a result, the more often you clean your children's ear canals, the more sulfur is formed in them. To avoid this, try to carry out the cleaning procedure no more than once a week.
- Using cotton buds. Instead of removing the wax, they tamp it down and push it further into the ear, which is how ear plugs are formed.
- Features of the structure of the ears. Some people have ears that are prone to wax plugs. This is not considered a pathology, just such ears need to be given more attention.
- Too dry air. Insufficient air humidity in the room is one of the main reasons for the formation of dry sulfur plugs. To avoid their occurrence will help control the level of moisture, which should be about 60%.
Signs of a blockage in the ear
If the sulfur plug in the child’s ear does not completely clog the hole, then its presence can be found out after examination, since it does not cause discomfort. It is necessary to slightly pull the ear and look inside. If the cavity is clean, then there is no cause for concern, but if you find lumps or seals in it, you should visit a specialist. With a greater blockage of the opening, the child may be bothered by other symptoms of a plug in the ears. The most common is hearing loss, especially after water gets into the ear holes, which provokes swelling and an increase in the volume of the plug, which leads to the overlap of the ear canals. The child may be disturbed by headaches, slight dizziness and nausea. These symptoms occur due to a malfunction of the vestibular apparatus located in the inner ear.
Sometimes it is not possible to clean the ears from traffic jams at a time. This happens with dry sulfur seals. In such situations, preliminary softening of the cork is necessary. Before washing for about 2-3 days, it is necessary to instill hydrogen peroxide into the ear holes. Since the product is a liquid, it leads to swelling of sulfur deposits, which provokes hearing loss. This should not be a cause for concern, since after cleaning the ears, hearing will be restored.
Removing traffic jams at home
Visiting a doctor is not always possible. Then you can clean your ears from traffic jams yourself. For this, it is forbidden to use metal and sharp objects, as they can damage the eardrum or ear canal. To remove the plugs, you need to use special preparations. For example, A-cerumen. It is instilled into the ear 2 times a day for several days, during which time sulfuric formations dissolve and are removed. Preparations can be used not only to get rid of gray plugs in the ears, but also for prevention.
