Craziest threat to your health as you age

Want to know one of the craziest threats to your health as you age? It’s earwax. I know, it sounds absurd. But it’s true!

Our ears produce wax naturally to protect the ear canal. But as we age, our ears produce more and more earwax. And this excess earwax can cause all kinds of problems.

Excess earwax can cause hearing loss, ringing in your ears, and even vertigo, which increases the risk of falling. And, if the problem goes on long enough, studies show that these issues can lead to memory loss.

What’s worse, clearing the wax out of your ears safely can be a bit tricky. If you use a Q-tip, it’s easy to push the wax further into your ear canal. Or you can go too far in and damage your ear drum.

Some people use a paper clip to dig the wax out. But this can easily rupture your ear drum.

In fact, sticking Q-tips or other objects in your ear is the number one reason for hearing loss. The objects pack the wax into your ear to the point that it completely blocks the ear canal. This is the most common reason people go to their doctor with hearing loss.

When this happens, doctors often recommend over-the-counter wax softeners. But these aren’t as safe and harmless as you might think. A recent study found that one over-the-counter eardrop is toxic to cells in the ear. Even a single dose can harm these cells.

Cerumenex can cause inflammation, burning, or a rash in your ears and even damage your eardrum and inner ear. And it can even lead to permanent hearing loss.

What’s more, it’s not even particularly effective. One study said the ear drops were no more effective than plain old saltwater.

Some people really like the product Debrox. But when you learn what’s in Debrox, you’ll realize how over-priced it is.

Debrox is simply a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and urea (a natural product that’s typically used to remove dry or dead skin). The urea can help, but you really don’t need it.

What to Use Instead

Debrox can cost as much as $10 for a small dropperful. But you probably already have a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in your cabinet. And it costs about $2 for a big bottle. So why not use it instead?

Hydrogen peroxide works because of the bubbling reaction it produces. Once you put it in your ear, it seeps into the earwax and begins to bubble. This bubbling loosens the wax and lets it easily fall out of the ear.

Plus, hydrogen peroxide is very easy to use. All you have to do is lay down on your side with your head on a pillow (you may want to put a towel over the pillow for easy cleanup). Make sure the affected ear is facing the ceiling.

Put 3-4 drops of 3% peroxide (which you can get at any grocery store) into your ear. Remain on your side for 5-15 minutes. Leave it in long enough to penetrate and loosen the wax.

Turn your head in the opposite direction so the hydrogen peroxide can drain. Clean the outside of your ear with a small towel.

Repeat this process several times if necessary. If you have a bulb aspirator, you can use it to suck out the loose wax at the end of each application.

If the wax doesn’t come out, you can put a couple of drops of olive oil into your ear before you use the peroxide. Let the olive oil sit for about 5 minutes and it will help soften the wax and improve the peroxide’s effect.

Afterward, I like to clean the ear using hot tap water. The water needs to be a few degrees hotter than your normal shower temp, but not so hot that it scalds you.

Let the hot water sit in your ear for a minute or two and then let it fall out. This will remove any remaining wax as well as the olive oil and peroxide.

You can repeat this as often as you need. It’s completely safe and extremely effective. And it costs pennies.