When you shower, always remember to wash your ears. Whenever you say that, you inescapably use your “parent voice”. Perhaps you even recall getting that advice as a child. As you get caught up in past nostalgia, that kind of memory can take you back to simpler times.
But it’s also excellent advice. Out-of-control earwax accumulation can cause a significant number of problems, particularly for your hearing. Even worse, this organic compound can harden in place making it challenging to clean out. In a nutshell, the cleaner you keep your ears, the better off you’ll be.
Excessive earwax? Eww!
Okay, earwax isn’t the most pleasing of substances. And we’re not going to try to change your mind about that. But earwax does have a purpose. 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 produce the ideal amount of earwax. It might seem weird, but earwax doesn’t suggest poor hygiene.
The troubles start when your ears generate too much earwax. And it can be rather difficult to know if the amount of earwax being generated is healthy or too much.
What is the consequence of excess earwax?
So, what type of impact does excess earwax present? Earwax that gets out of hand and, over time, accumulates, can lead to several issues. Those issues include:
- Infection: Excessive earwax can lead to ear infections. If fluid accumulates, it can become trapped behind plugged earwax.
- Tinnitus: When you hear ringing or buzzing that isn’t actually there, you’re probably dealing with a condition called tinnitus. Earwax buildup can cause tinnitus symptoms to worsen or to appear.
- Earache: One of the most prevalent signs of accumulated earwax is an earache. Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt that much, and other times it can really hurt. This normally occurs when earwax is creating pressure in places where it shouldn’t be.
- Dizziness: Your ability to maintain balance depends heavily on your inner ear. You can suffer from episodes of dizziness and balance issues when your inner ear is having problems.
These are only a few. Neglected earwax can trigger painful headaches. If you wear hearing aids, excess earwax can impede them. So too much earwax might make you think your hearing aids are malfunctioning.
Can your hearing be affected by earwax?
The short answer is yes. Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent problems linked to excess earwax. Usually causing a kind of conductive hearing loss, earwax builds up in the ear canal, stopping sound waves and vibrations from getting very far. The problem usually goes away when the earwax is removed, and normally, your hearing will go back to normal.
But if the accumulation becomes extreme, permanent damage can happen. The same is true of earwax-caused tinnitus. It’s typically temporary. But the longer the extra earwax sticks around (that is, the longer you disregard the symptoms), the bigger the risk of long-term damage.
Prevention, treatment, or both?
It’s a good plan to keep an eye on your earwax if you want to safeguard your hearing. In many cases, earwax buildup is caused not by excess production but by improper cleaning (for instance, blockage is frequently caused by cotton swabs, which will press the earwax further in rather than removing it).
Frequently, the wax has gotten hard, dense, and unmovable without professional treatment. You’ll be able to start hearing again after you get that treatment and then you can start over, cleaning your ears the right way.
References
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14428-ear-wax-buildup–blockage