Cerumen impaction

Description:

Cerumen impaction is accumulation of an earwax which leads to blockade of acoustical pass and puts the considerable pressure upon a tympanic membrane. On a twist of fate, cerumen impaction often is result of attempt of nepravleny removal of an earwax.  
Cerumen impaction develops when the earwax accumulates in an internal part of acoustical pass and a tympanic membrane. Normal the earwax is developed by glands in an outside part of acoustical pass, in an internal part of acoustical pass it is absent. The earwax detains parts of dust, protects an external part of ear pass, pushes away water.
In the USA from 2 to 6% of the population see a doctor concerning cerumen impaction. In an equal part both floors suffer.  

Reasons of cerumen impaction:

Cerumen impaction, as a rule, forms at pushing through of an earwax to a tympanic membrane by means of  wadded applicators, hairpins and other objects which people try to clear acoustical pass.  Often cerumen impaction forms at patients with the hearing aid. Less common causes of formation of cerumen impaction the increased production of an earwax glands in acoustical pass or abnormally narrow acoustical pass which tends to accumulation of an earwax is.

Symptoms of cerumen impaction:

The most important symptom of formation of cerumen impaction is the partial hearing loss. Other symptoms are the itch, noise or a ring in ears, feeling of a congestion of an ear, ear pain. Bol is called by pressure of cerumen impaction upon a tympanic membrane.
Aged till 1 year cerumen impactions sometimes are found in children during planned surveys.
Cerumen impaction is not a medical acute emergency.  Parents can remove cerumen impaction at the child.  There are medicines applied to removal of accumulation of sulfur, produced in the form of drops. The head of the child should be inclined to dig drug by means of  a pipette. In a few minutes drug will completely be soaked up. It is also necessary to examine the second ear regarding cerumen impaction. This method of house treatment can be repeated 2 times a day within 3-4 days.
However there are cases which demand medical examination:
- the child complains of dizziness or ear pain;
- cerumen impaction does not depart within several days of house treatment;
-  the child has  allocations from an ear.
The diagnosis of cerumen impaction is made on the basis of characteristic complaints, after tool  survey of acoustical pass and a tympanic membrane.

Removal of cerumen impaction:

Washing of acoustical pass is the most widespread method of removal of cerumen impaction.  The procedure consists in washing away of cerumen impaction from the channel the special syringe with a catheter. At the same time it is not recommended to use too strong water flow which can injure a tympanic membrane. A small amount of alcohol, peroxide of hydrogen or other antiseptic agent is added to water. Water temperature has to be close to body temperature if it too cold or hot, the patient can feel dizziness or nausea. After washing in acoustical pass the ear drops containing an antibiotic for prevention of an ear infection are dug in.  
Washing cannot be carried out at damages and ruptures of a tympanic membrane, at chronic average otitis or the carried-out myringotomy.
If the patient has contraindications to holding a procedure of washing, it is necessary to use the vacuum device or the curette. Manual removal of cerumen impaction is effective in 97% of cases. During the procedure the doctor holds the child's head on the one hand, when using the curette on the other hand. Removal is begun with that place where the earwax already began to depart from a wall of acoustical pass.  
Some doctors appoint special ear drops, such as Cerumenex to soften an earwax.  The most widespread side effect of Cerumenex and drugs similar to it  is allergic  skin reaction. Also 3% hydrogen peroxide solution can be used. This solution makes the smaller irritating impact on  skin.  
One of alternative methods which it is sometimes offered as a way of removal of cerumen impaction is  "raying".  The procedure consists in introduction  to the affected cone ear from impregnated with wax of flax or cotton.  Practicing an ear raying claim that it is warm from the burning candle or smoke creates vacuum which extends cerumen impaction. Some also claim that this procedure  improves hearing, reduces an inflammation of nasal bosoms, removes  ear pain or its congestion, reduces a sonitus. However "raying" does not admit acceptable tactics of treatment modern medicine.
The similar procedure is not only an inefficient way of removal of cerumen impaction, it can really damage hearing.
In most cases cerumen impaction  successfully is removed from the patient's ear by washing or manually  without any long-term side effects. Washing, however, can bring to an infection of an external or middle ear if at the patient it is damaged or  at all there is no tympanic membrane.  To children of advanced age and teenagers who try to remove a hairpin earwax for hair or similar objects  risk to provoke perforation of a tympanic membrane or injury of skin of acoustical pass that can lead to bleeding and risk of infection.