What is Earwax?
The ear canal naturally produces cerumen, a waxy oil colloquially known as earwax. Cerumen is a necessary component to good ear health, providing a bulwark against foreign particles, bacteria, insects, and water. Typically, cerumen is harmless and is naturally excreted by the body without issue.
When Does Earwax Pose Health Risks?
For some, cerumen may accumulate in excess and potentially cause a blockage within the ear canal. This is also referred to as an earwax impaction. These blockages can cause a slew of health problems including discomfort, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, ear ache (otalgia), discharge, odor, and chronic cough. When this excess cerumen is left untreated, these symptoms can worsen to the point of requiring medical treatment.
What Causes Earwax Buildup?
In most cases, excess buildup of cerumen can be attributed to lifestyle choices. For example, those who frequently use earbuds, hearing aids, and earplugs are at a higher risk of accumulating excess earwax. These devices can prevent earwax from exiting the canal naturally.
The most common cause of buildup, though, is the use of improper tools in at-home ear cleaning. Q-tips and bobby pins can push earwax further into the ear canal and cause or worsen existing impactions.
In more extreme cases, cerumen build-up can be caused by certain health conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and thyroid disorders. This is called cerumen impaction syndrome (CIS) and typically requires treatment by a medical professional.
How can Bebird Help?
Whether you are a chronic sufferer of CIS or are just looking to upgrade your self-care routine, our products provide an elevated ear cleaning experience. Our products are engineered with safety in mind. The otoscope and gyroscope in each Bebird cleaning device work in tandem to provide stable, clear images to prevent accidental damage to the ear canal or eardrum. Each device is also regulated to ensure that the temperature never exceeds that of the human body, completely eliminating the risk of burns or even discomfort. Not only are our products thoroughly tested for safety, they are proven to be very effective in removing wax buildup and detritus from the ear. The ear spoon tips that accompany each model help to gently scoop wax out of the ear rather than compacting it further into the canal. You can even use the Bebird app to record video and save images of your ear canal! For those with more serious earwax issues, this makes it much easier to communicate complex health problems with an ENT professional.
