Exact Answer: 1 – 3 Weeks
Ear wax is a buildup that forms inside the human ears and is produced by the glands present in the ear canal. It helps in trapping dirt particles and dust from reaching the deeper part of the year i.e the eardrum. Ear wax gets formed in everyone’s ear and its amount varies from person to person as it depends on one’s genetic factors.
Ear wax has several important jobs like protecting and keeping our ears moisturized, preventing itch and dry ears, and preventing contaminants from entering the ear. Its role can be demarcated as acting as a shield between the eardrum and the outside environment.
How Long Does It Take For Olive Oil To Clear Ear Wax?
Just like anything in excess is harmful, too much ear wax buildup in one’s ear can cause ear pain, dizziness, decreased hearing, ringing in the ear, etc. In such situations, it is required that one cleans up the ear wax buildup formed inside their ears to bring back the ears to their normal condition.
Ear wax can cause blockage of the ear when the ear wax gets pushed too deep inside the ear canal. It is one of the most common culprits for many ear problems like loss of hearing, serious ear pain, etc. Use of earbuds i.e cotton swaps for cleaning the ear or other similar objects like bobby pins which people use to remove ear wax can sometimes instead of removing ear wax push the wax deeper into the ear canal.
However, an easy and simpler way to clear ear wax from one’s ear is to use olive oil. Olive oil can be safely used by a person in their ears to reduce and clear the ear wax buildup that has been formed in one’s ears. Olive oil is one of the most common oil presents in most homes and thus, can be easily accessible whenever one wants to use it to clear up their ear wax.
Olive oil has been used using ages as a traditional remedy to treat ear infections and hence can also be used effectively and effortlessly used to clear wax. Olive oil has certain antibacterial properties in itself and thus assists in easing ear-related issues.
| Condition | Duration |
| Olive oil for clearing ear wax | 1 – 3 weeks |
| Olive oil for treating ear infections | 2 – 3 days |
Why Does It Take So Long For Olive Oil To Clear Ear Wax?
Ear wax formed in one’s ear is not required to be removed. However, when there is an excessive buildup of ear wax that starts affecting day-to-day, normal activities of the ear like interfering with one’s hearing, causing discomfort or pain, that’s when the ear wax becomes a problem.
Ear wax does the job of protecting the eardrum by preventing bacteria, dust, dirt, and other small particles from entering deep inside the ear canal. However, when it is present in excess, it can trap too much bacteria and dirt inside the ear which can increase the risk of developing an ear infection.
Thus, when it comes to clearing ear wax one can use olive oil for this purpose. It can be used by applying a few drops of olive oil to one’s ear by using either a glass dropper or allowing the excess oil from a cotton swab dipped in olive oil to drip inside the ear. It must be noted that one does not use any kind of object like earbuds and cotton swabs inside their ears.
The olive oil that is being used in this process can be either at room temperature or preferably a little warm for enhanced effectiveness. If using warm olive oil, care must be taken to ensure it is just slightly warm and not hot. Not just olive oil, other drops containing different soothing herbs and oil like lavender, calendula, etc can be used for treating ear-related problems.
Conclusion
Ear wax is nothing but a naturally formed buildup that prevents harmful particles from entering one’s ear. However, at times it becomes necessary to clear wax as too much of it can cause pain in the ears, impact hearing capacity, etc. In such cases, 2 – 3 drops of olive used continuously for 1 to 3 weeks can aid in softening the ear wax which can then be easily and painlessly be removed without harming the ears.
