Sulfur cap drops

The human ear is a fairly complex mechanism that, with proper care, provides its owner with the necessary perception of sound waves. To maintain it in proper condition, regular hygiene of this organ of hearing is necessary. If you neglect this procedure, the ear canal can be blocked by a sulfur plug. To get rid of it and return to "normal hearing", an otolaryngologist prescribes drops for sulfur plug, which will be discussed in this article.

Indications for use of drops for earwax plugs

Any manufactured medicine, due to its pharmadynamics, has its purpose. Indications for the use of drops from a sulfur plug are quite simple and have a narrow focus in use. The main function of these drugs is to loosen the structure of the substance blocking the ear canal and cleanse the ear of it. They are also used as preventive measures to prevent its formation, especially in people whose body is prone to increased formation and accumulation.

This is mainly relevant for the following categories of patients:

• For people who suffer from hearing loss.
• For little children.
• For patients who already have to use hearing aids.
• For people of different ages who frequently use headphones and other earphones.
• For older people who are losing their hearing due to their age.
• For people who often visit swimming pools or open water bodies in the summer.
• This also affects those whose professional activities involve working in dusty areas.

Release form

The form of release of the considered drugs is quite similar. The only difference is that, for example, hydrogen peroxide is released in glass bottles and to carry out the procedure, it is necessary to additionally use a pipette.

In modern drops for earwax, the method of use is also thought out. To simplify the use, the medicine is usually placed in a bottle made of polymer materials, which serves as both a storage and a pipette at the same time.

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Pharmacodynamics of drops for earwax

All medications of this type are used locally in otological practice. The pharmacodynamics of drops from earwax largely depends on the properties of the surfactants they contain. They create certain conditions for the high efficiency of liquefaction of cumulative earwax, preventing its increase in volume. It is the pharmacodynamics of the active substance that allows you to easily clean the ear canal, and the use of this product for preventive purposes makes it possible to keep the ear canal clean, preventing the accumulation of sulfur formation.

Modern drops for earwax do not contain highly aggressive and toxic compounds, and antibiotics are not added to them, which allows them to be taken even by newborn babies and people whose bodies are prone to allergic reactions.

The active substances of the solutions for instillation work on exfoliation of keratinized cells of the walls of the ear canal. They specifically narrow the pores. Some of them still contain a certain amount of chemical compounds that have antibacterial properties that suppress the reproduction and further development of pathogenic microorganisms.

In addition to softening properties, these preparations usually also have moisturizing properties, which makes it easier to remove the earwax plug from the canal.

Modern medications used to clean the ear canal from wax are not addictive.

Pharmacokinetics of drops for earwax

To date, the pharmacokinetics of earwax drops have not been studied thoroughly enough. Doctors only note that the introduction of these drugs dropwise into the ear canal does not show systemic absorption of the active substances of the drug used.

Names of drops for removing earwax

Attention! It should be noted right away that you should not prescribe medications to yourself based on this article. It is purely informative. Any pharmacological agent should be prescribed only by a qualified specialist, otherwise, instead of the expected relief, you can get unpleasant and sometimes dangerous complications.

The formation of sulfur in the ear canals of the human ear is a normal physiological process, which was provided by nature to protect this organ from external disturbances and influences. There is another function of this substance - it is the moistening of the tissues of the passage. But if the process of its formation is too active, a person gradually develops a problem - he begins to hear worse, first quiet speech, and then higher sounds.

To solve the problem, the otolaryngologist prescribes the necessary medication procedures. Below are the names of drops for removing earwax, which are most often used to eliminate the pathology that has arisen. After all, the accumulating substance not only weakens sound perception, but also begins to put pressure on the eardrum, thereby causing discomfort, the appearance of pain symptoms, and also provokes an effect on the nerve endings, which are combined into one bundle with the nerve receptors of the nasopharynx. Such pressure leads to the fact that a person begins to feel a sore throat, which causes coughing fits.

Therefore, if a plug has formed, it must be removed. There are several drugs used in modern medicine to remove it; in this article, we will consider only some of them. Doctors call them cerumenolytic agents.

One of the most commonly used medications is Remo-Vax, a specialized liquid produced by the Finnish company Orion PHARMA. The basis of the drug is the chemical compound allantoin, which shows high efficiency in the process of liquefying and washing out sulfurous substance. In case of use for preventive purposes, it works well to maintain the cleanliness of the ear canal.

This medicine does not contain any substances hazardous to human health, and it does not contain antibiotics. Therefore, this composition can be used without fear if the patient's body is prone to allergic reactions and has dermatological skin problems.

It is enough to use Remo-Wax several times during the month to prevent the accumulation of the substance in the ear canal, keeping the passage “clean”.

The drug A-Cerumen, supplied to the pharmacological market by the French company Laboratories Gilbert, is highly appreciated by specialists specializing in the treatment of ENT diseases. The second name of this drug is nicomed. These drops effectively remove earwax accumulation. The mechanism of action of this drug is somewhat different from the "work" of the previous drug. Getting on the sulfur plug, A-Cerumen dissolves sulfur accumulations, preventing them from swelling and increasing in volume. This is possible due to the surface-active compounds included in the drug. They effectively keep the surface tension from increasing, which allows you to maintain the volume of the sulfur plug, and also helps to remove it from the ear canal with greater ease.

The use of A-Cerumen - this alternative to mechanical removal of the substance has real advantages over the old proven method of getting rid of the sulfur plug using cotton swabs. And these advantages are that with mechanical removal you cannot guarantee complete cleaning of the ear canal, and also with improper use of the mechanical cleaning method, you can injure the tissues of the ear canal and the eardrum.

Hydrogen peroxide or alcohol are sometimes used as rinsing agents, and much less often, drugs belonging to the antibiotic group, but often their use worsens the situation with pain symptoms, irritation of the ear walls occurs, and a high concentration of alcohol can lead to a burn of the skin of the canal.

Three percent hydrogen peroxide is used effectively only for small-sized sulfur formations. This drug can only be used if the patient does not have skin diseases, especially when they affect the parotid surface.

Another innovative drug developed by Israeli scientists and doctors is Clean Ears. This unique medicine is made from an olive oil derivative containing active chemical compounds. The process of sulfur dissolution and removal occurs due to a natural cleansing mechanism, and the method of instillation allows maintaining a uniform - acceptable pressure of the stream, which prevents perforation of the eardrum.

Method of administration and dosage

All medications of this type are intended for instillation into the external auditory canal. Cerumenolytic agents are prohibited for oral and other use. The method of administration and dosage are described quite clearly in the instructions, which are necessarily attached to the manufactured pharmacological agents.

But the method of taking them is quite similar.

• Before using drops for earwax, they are first warmed up to the temperature of the human body (hold them in the palms of your hands for about five minutes) or brought to a temperature of 37 °C in any other way (for example, in a water bath).
• After this, the patient is placed so that the ear being treated is parallel to the floor, with the auricle facing up.
• The heated medicinal solution is introduced in drops into the outer ear. The drug flows down the walls inward. It is necessary to try to drip not in the middle, but at the edge, in order to avoid the formation of an air plug.
• The tip should not be inserted too deeply.
• The person should lie quietly for some time, at least one minute.
• Turn over onto the other side, tilt your head and put a napkin underneath to allow the liquid to drain back.
• It is necessary to carefully rinse the outer area of the auricle with warm water (0.9% sodium chloride solution or saline solution of the same concentration).
• Treat the second auricle in a similar manner.

It is necessary to carefully ensure that drops from the earwax plug do not get on the mucous membrane or eyes. The schedule of procedures is determined by the attending physician - otolaryngologist.

If the ear plug is quite dense and voluminous, then, for example, A-Cerumen should be administered 1 ml (half a bottle) into one ear canal. The procedure is performed twice a month. The duration of taking the drug is not limited to certain periods. Such medications can be used throughout life, like toothpaste.

One bottle of a modern remedy is usually designed for one dose, divided into two ear canals. For example, three percent hydrogen peroxide is instilled into the ear using a pipette.

• For about 15 minutes you need to lie on your side, opposite to the side on which the ear being treated is located.
• This process is accompanied by foaming and hissing. During foaming, some pieces of sulfur also come out.
• The remaining wax is removed with a cotton swab.
• The auricle is carefully wiped.
• This procedure is performed twice a day, three to five days in a row. The duration of the course depends on the level of "clogged" ear and until complete restoration of sound perception.
• It is advisable to hold dry heat on the ear for 15 minutes before going to bed. This nuance will increase the effectiveness of the procedure itself and dry the ear canal itself.

If after five days the patient does not observe a therapeutic result, it is necessary to consult with the attending physician.

Otolaryngologists do not recommend using cotton swabs to clean the auricles. During the mechanical ear cleaning procedure, a cotton swab can push the earwax further inward, bringing it closer to the eardrum. On the contrary, this only provokes the formation of a plug in the ear. In this situation, it would be more correct to simply wrap a little cotton wool around the index finger of your hand and moisten it in warm water. With such a swab, you need to carefully wipe the outer area of the ear, removing the released sulfur. This will be enough to maintain relative cleanliness, but the risk of creating a sulfur plug is removed and there is no injury to the tissues that form the ear canal.

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Using earwax drops during pregnancy

If we consider the influence of active substances of the used drugs on the development and formation of the fetus when used by a woman "in position", then doctors and pharmacists are unanimous - the use of drops from a sulfur plug during pregnancy is allowed. They do not cause harm to a newborn baby fed with breast milk, if during the feeding period the young mother uses these drugs.

It is allowed to use innovative drugs of this type for small patients. They are effective both for removing earwax and as a preventive measure against its formation.

Contraindications to the use of drops for earwax

But still, a medicine is a medicine and its use has its limitations. Contraindications to the use of drops for earwax are:

• An inflammatory process occurring in the area of the auricle.
• Pain symptoms localized in this area.
• Any discharge that is observed from the ear.
• The patient's body's tendency to allergic reactions. In this case, it is necessary to be very careful when prescribing a specific drug.
• Perforation of the tympanic membrane caused by mechanical, infectious or any other means.
• If a person has undergone a shunt of the eardrum, as well as within one year after its removal.
• In case of individual intolerance to the components of the product used.
• If the patient has a history of an infectious and inflammatory disease of the ear, which is in the acute phase of manifestation or has a chronic status.

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Side effects of earwax drops

Monitoring of the intake of the considered drugs did not reveal any side effects of drops from earwax. Cases are quite rare, for example, as individual characteristics of the human body, when the development of undesirable symptoms in the form of hypersensitivity to the component composition of the solution was noted. The patient may experience redness of the skin located near the auricle. Itching, burning sensation and skin rashes may occur. The patient may complain of a constant noise curtain in the ears.

When using drops for earwax, a person may feel as if there is liquid in the ear; this effect may be due to the moisture-retaining components included in the medicine.

If such symptoms appear, you must immediately notify your doctor.

Overdose

Since all medications work as external preparations, their overdose is impossible.

Interactions of earwax drops with other drugs

Before prescribing several drugs for simultaneous use, it is necessary to know their mutual influence on each other and their combined effect on the patient's body. The interaction of drops from a sulfur plug with other drugs belonging to the group of otological agents can be weakly antagonistic. Therefore, it is advisable to spread the administration of such drugs over time.

No mutual influence of drugs belonging to cerumenolytic drugs with drugs of other pharmacological groups has been detected, and, therefore, there are no contraindications to their parallel use.

Storage conditions for drops from earwax plug

Any instructions attached to the medicine necessarily contain recommendations that stipulate the storage conditions of drops from the earwax plug. If a person has thoroughly studied the instructions and adheres to them, then the degree of effectiveness of the drug will be at a high level, throughout the entire period of action indicated on the package.

These recommendations include:

• Store the medicine in a cool place where the room temperature does not exceed +30 °C.
• After opening the bottle, the drug is suitable for use within the next 24 hours.
• The medicine must be kept out of direct sunlight.
• It should not be accessible to small children either.

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Best before date

Any medicine is released by the manufacturer with its own effective period. This expiration date, both the production date and the recommended end time of administration, should be reflected on the packaging material of the medicine. For cerumenolytic drugs, this period is usually from two to four years. If the end date on the package has passed, then such a medicine should no longer be used either in the course of treatment or as a means for preventive measures.

Earwax secretions in the auricle are created by nature as a natural barrier that protects the human ear from infectious, bacterial or fungal damage to the hearing organ, and it also serves as protection from small flying insects. But if for some reason the amount of sulfur produced increases, or it is poorly excreted, accumulating, then the ear canal becomes blocked by a plug that must be removed. In this case, drops for earwax will help. You should just remember that any pharmacological agent should only be prescribed by a specialist. Self-medication can be fraught with serious complications. If you constantly feel noise in your ears or understand that you are losing your hearing, then you should not despair. You just need to consult an otolaryngologist. He will conduct an examination. Perhaps you have a sulfur plug, which is easy to get rid of without causing any harm to your body.