Ear Wax Buildup: What You Should Understand

When you shower, always remember to clean your ears. It’s difficult not to say that in your “parenting” voice. Maybe when you were a kid you even recall your parents telling you to do it. That’s the kind of memory that can remind you of simpler times as you wrap yourself in the nostalgia of childhood.

But it’s also good advice. Out-of-control earwax accumulation can cause a significant number of issues, especially for your hearing. And on top of that, earwax can harden up inside your ear and become really difficult to clean. Bottom line, you’ll be best off keeping those ears clear.

Excessive earwax? Eww!

Earwax is, well, kind of gross. And we’re not going to try to change your mind about that. But it is actually essential for the health of your ears. Earwax is produced by glands inside of your ears and is then pushed out when you chew in order to keep your ears free of dust and dirt.

So your ears will remain clean and healthy when they produce the right amount of earwax. However counterintuitive it sounds, the truth is that earwax itself is not a sign of bad hygiene.

The problems start when your ears generate too much earwax. And it can be rather challenging to know if the amount of earwax being produced is healthy or too much.

What is the impact of excess earwax?

So, what type of impact does excess earwax present? Earwax that gets out of control and, over time, accumulates, can lead to a number of issues. Those issues include:

• Infection: Infections can be the outcome of surplus earwax. If fluid accumulates, it can get trapped behind impacted earwax.
• Earache: One of the most prevalent signs of excess earwax is an earache. It doesn’t have to hurt a lot (though, sometimes it can). This normally happens when earwax is causing pressure in places where it shouldn’t be.
• Tinnitus: Tinnitus is a condition where you hear a phantom ringing or buzzing in your ears. Tinnitus symptoms can show up or get worse when earwax is built up inside your ear.
• Dizziness: Your ability to manage balance depends greatly on your inner ear. You can suffer from bouts of dizziness and balance issues when your inner ear is having problems.

These are only a few. Headaches and discomfort can happen because of uncontrolled earwax buildup. Excessive earwax can interfere with the functionality of hearing aids. This means that you might think your hearing aids are having problems when the real problem is a little bit too much earwax.

Can earwax impact your hearing?

Well, yes it can. One of the most typical issues associated with excess earwax is hearing loss. When earwax accumulates in the ear canal it causes a blockage of sound causing a kind of hearing loss known as conductive hearing loss. The problem normally clears up when the earwax is extracted, and normally, your hearing will return to normal.

But if the accumulation becomes extreme, long term damage can develop. The same goes for earwax-related tinnitus. It’s normally temporary. But the longer the extra earwax hangs around (that is, the longer you neglect the symptoms), the greater the danger of long-term damage.

Prevention, treatment, or both?

If you want to safeguard your hearing, then it makes sense to keep an eye on your earwax. In many circumstances, earwax accumulation is caused not by excessive production but by incorrect cleaning (a cotton swab, for example, will often compress the earwax in your ear instead of removing it, eventually causing a blockage).

Often, the wax has gotten hard, thick, and unable to clear without professional help. The sooner you receive that help, the sooner you’ll be able to hear again (and the sooner you’ll be able to start cleaning your ears the correct way).