VOA慢速英语:Ear Care: Do-It-Yourself Wax Removal

Some people's ears produce wax like busy little bees. This can be a problem even though earwax appears to serve an important purpose.
一些人的耳朵像繁忙的小蜜蜂一样频繁地分泌出蜡质。尽管耳垢也起着非常重要的作用，但是也可能产生一些问题。

It protects and cleans the ear. It traps dirt and other matter, and it keeps insects out. Doctors think earwax might also help protect against infections. And the waxy oil keeps ears from getting too dry.
这些耳垢可以对耳朵起到清洁和保护作用。耳垢可以防止污垢，异物和昆虫进入耳内。医生认为，还可以防止感染。此外，这些蜡质还可以防止耳内过于干燥。

So earwax is good. It even has a medical name: cerumen. And there are two kinds. Most people of European or African ancestry have the "wet" kind: thick and sticky. East Asians commonly have "dry" earwax.
所以，这些耳垢是好的，它甚至还有一个医学名字：耵聍(cerumen)。耳垢主要有两种。大部分欧裔和非裔人口都是“湿型耳垢”，比较粘稠。东亚人的耳垢则通常是“干型”的。

But you can have too much of a good thing.
但是，即使是好东西，过多也会产生适得其反的效果。

The glands in the ear canal that produce the wax make too much in some people. Earwax is normally expelled; it falls out of the ear or gets washed away. But extra wax can harden and form a blockage that interferes with soundwaves and reduces hearing.
一些人耳孔内分泌耳垢的腺体过多。耳垢通常被排出耳外，从耳内脱落或被冲走。但是过多的耳垢可能会硬化，形成栓塞，干扰声波的接收，减弱听力。

People can also cause a blockage when they try to clean out their ears, but only push the wax deeper inside. Earwax removal is sometimes necessary. But you have to use a safe method or you could do a lot of damage.
一些人还可能造成人为的栓塞。他们对耳部进行清洁，反而使耳垢更加深入。有时适当的清除耳垢是必要的。但是必须使用安全的方法，否则可能对耳朵造成损害。

Experts at the National Institutes of Health, NIH, suggest some ways to treat excessive earwax yourself. The wax can be softened with mineral oil, glycerin or ear drops. Hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may also help.
国家卫生院的专家提出了几点关于自己清除耳垢的建议。他们说，矿物油，甘油或滴耳剂可以使耳垢软化，过氧化氢或过氧化脲也可以起到帮助。

Another way to remove wax is known as irrigation. With the head upright, take hold of the outer part of the ear. Gently pull upward to straighten the ear canal. Use a syringe device to gently direct water against the wall of the ear canal. Then turn the head to the side to let the water out.
清除耳垢的另外一个方法是滴灌。头部直立，抓住耳廓，轻轻地将耳廓向上拉直。使用注射器直接向耳孔壁注水。然后将头偏向一边，让水流出。

The experts at NIH say you may have to repeat this process a few times. Use water that is body temperature. If the water is cooler or warmer, it could make you feel dizzy. Never try irrigation if the eardrum is broken. It could lead to infection and other problems.
国家卫生院的专家表示，这个过程要重复几次。水的温度要和体温一致。如果水过冷或过热，会使你感到晕眩。如果耳膜破裂，千万不要使用这种方法，否则可能会导致传染和其他问题。

After the earwax is gone, gently dry the ear. But if irrigation fails, the best thing to do is to go to a health care provider for professional assistance.
耳垢清除后，轻轻地将耳部擦干。但是如果滴灌的方法失败，最好的方法就是去医疗保健机构寻求专业帮助。

You should never put a cotton swab or other object into the ear canal. But you can use a swab or cloth to clean the outer part of the ear. Experts agree with the old saying that you should never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

千万不要将棉棒或其他物体放入耳孔内。但是可以使用棉棒或布料来清洁耳朵外部。专家同意一个谚语的说法，你不能把比你胳膊肘小的东西放进你的耳朵里(寓意：小题大做)。