Impacted wax

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF IMPACTED WAX

1. IMPACTED EARWAX
MS SAHELI C
LECTURER
IACN

2. INTRODUCTION
•Ear Wax (Cerumen) is a naturalprotective oily
substance which is produced in the outer third of
the earcanal.
•Its function is to remove small foreign particles,
such as dust, from thecanal.
•This is achieved by the ciliaryhairs.

4. DEFINITION
Excess collection of thick ear wax is known as
impacted wax.

6. ETIOLOGY
Earwax build up happens when there is a formation of earwax
faster than the body can remove it. This can happen with
many health conditions, such as:
Bony blockage (osteomaor exostoses)
Infectious disease, such as swimmer’s ear (external otitis)
Skin disease (such as eczema)
Autoimmune disease (such as lupus)
Narrowed ear canal (from birth, chronic inflammation)
Injury.

7. SYMPTOMS
Diminishedhearing:oftensuddenonsetafter“cleaning”the
ears
Discomfort:complainofpainunlessthewaxispressingon
thedrum
Tinnitusoccasionally
Hearingloss
Earache
Senseofearfullness
Itchingintheear
Dizziness
ReflexCough:Thisoccursduetostimulationofauricular
branchofvagus

8. DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION
Health history
Physical exam.
Otoscope.

9. MANAGEMENT
Cerumenolysis.
Ear irrigation by using Syringes.
Instrumental manupulation: Removal of wax
with hook and scoop.

12. CERUMEN HOOK AND SCOOP