If the ear is blocked by earwax, it is considered to be cerumen embolism, and it is necessary to seek medical treatment and cooperate with the doctor to remove the cerumen.
If the cerumen is movable and not completely blocked, it can be removed with knee forceps or cerumen hooks. For soft cerumen, the cerumen can be separated from the ear canal wall before removal.
If the cerumen is hard, a cerumen hook can be used to separate the cerumen from the wall of the ear canal from the upper wall of the back of the ear canal, and then the cerumen hook can be inserted into the middle of the cerumen mass and hooked out, to avoid damaging the external auditory canal and the tympanic membrane, and to try to remove the cerumen as completely as possible.
If the cerumen is deep and hard, the cerumen should be softened and cleaned with the aid of an otoscope. It can be softened with drops of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution, and rinsed with saline after 2 to 3 days.
Patients are advised to seek medical treatment as early as possible, and self-treatment is not recommended to avoid adverse consequences such as mucosal damage and destruction of the tympanic membrane as a result.