Ear Wax Accumulation: What You Need to Understand

When you take a shower, always remember to clean your ears. It’s hard not to say that in your “parenting” voice. Perhaps you even recall getting that advice as a child. As you get wrapped up in past nostalgia, that sort of memory can take you back to simpler times.

But it’s also great advice. Your hearing can be significantly impacted by out-of-control earwax. And additionally, earwax can solidify inside your ear and become really hard 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 attempt to change your mind about that. But it’s actually essential for the health of your ears. Earwax is produced by glands in 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 generate the right amount of earwax. However counterintuitive it sounds, the reality is that earwax itself isn’t a sign of bad hygiene.

An excessive amount of earwax is where the trouble begins. And it can be somewhat challenging to know if the amount of earwax being produced is healthy or too much.

What does accumulated earwax do?

So, what kind of impact does excess earwax have? There are several problems that may develop due to out-of-control earwax or earwax that accumulates over time. Here are a few:

• Tinnitus: Tinnitus is an affliction where you hear a phantom buzzing or ringing in your ears. Tinnitus symptoms can show up or get worse when earwax is built up inside your ear.
• Dizziness: Your inner ear is essential to your balance. You can suffer from bouts of dizziness and balance problems when your inner ear is having problems.
• Earache: An earache is one of the most common indications of excess earwax. It doesn’t have to hurt a lot (though, in some cases it can). This is normally a result of the earwax producing pressure someplace it shouldn’t.
• Infection: Excess earwax can lead to ear infections. If fluid builds up, it can get trapped behind impacted earwax.

These are just a few. Headaches and discomfort can happen because of uncontrolled earwax accumulation. If you wear hearing aids, excess earwax can interfere with them. So too much earwax may make you think your hearing aids are having problems.

Can your hearing be affected by earwax?

The quick answer is yes. One of the most typical issues associated with excess earwax is hearing loss. Usually producing a form of conductive hearing loss, earwax accumulates in the ear canal, stopping sound waves and vibrations from getting very far. The problem normally clears up when the earwax is removed, and normally, your hearing will go back to normal.

But if the buildup becomes extreme, permanent damage can occur. And tinnitus is also usually temporary but when earwax blockage persists, permanent damage can cause tinnitus to become a lasting condition.

Prevention, treatment, or both?

If you want to protect your hearing, then it makes sense to keep an eye on your earwax. It’s incorrect cleaning, not excess production that leads to buildup in most cases (a cotton swab, for example, will often compress the earwax in your ear instead of getting rid of it, eventually causing a blockage).

Frequently, the wax has become hardened, thick, and unable to clear without professional help. You’ll be able to start hearing again as soon as you get that treatment and then you can start over, cleaning your ears the right way.