A new study said that some over-the-counter drops meant to soften ear wax can damage the ear and shouldn’t be used. “Patients often complain that wax is blocking their ears and is causing discomfort and sometimes deafness,” said Dr. Sam Daniel of the Montreal Children’s Hospital. He said they can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. “Because some of these products are readily available to the public without a consultation with or prescription from a physician, it is important to make sure they are safe to use. Our study shows that in a well-established animal model, one such product, Cerumenex, is in fact, toxic to the cells of the ear,” Daniel said.
