When you shower, always remember to wash your ears. It’s difficult not to say that in your “parenting” voice. Perhaps when you were a child you even remember your parents telling you to do it. As you get wrapped up in past nostalgia, that sort of memory can take you back to simpler times.

But that advice can be rather helpful. Your hearing can be significantly affected by out-of-control earwax. And on top of that, earwax can solidify 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, sort of gross. And we’re not going to try to change your mind about that. But it’s actually essential for your ear’s health. Created by special glands in your ear and churned outwards by the chewing motions of your jaw, earwax can help keep dirt and dust out of your ears.

Essentially, the correct amount of earwax can help keep your ears healthy and clean. However counterintuitive it sounds, the reality is that earwax itself is not a sign of bad hygiene.

Too much earwax is where the trouble begins. And, naturally, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to tell when a healthy quantity of earwax starts to outweigh its usefulness (literally).

What is the consequence of excess earwax?

So, what kind of impact does excess earwax have? Earwax that gets out of control and, over time, accumulates, can cause several problems. Here are a few:

• Infection: Infections can be the consequence of surplus earwax. 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 suffering from a condition known as tinnitus. Tinnitus symptoms can appear or get worse when earwax is built up inside your ear.
• Dizziness: Your inner ear is essential to your balance. You can suffer from episodes of dizziness and balance problems when your inner ear is having issues.
• Earache: An earache is one of the most common signs of excess earwax. Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt that much, and other times it can hurt a lot. This normally occurs when earwax is creating pressure in places that it shouldn’t be.

These are just a few. Ignored earwax can cause painful headaches. If you use hearing aids, excess earwax can impede them. This means that you might think your hearing aids are having problems when the real problem is a bit too much earwax.

Can your hearing be impacted by earwax?

Well, yes it can. One of the most common problems 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 in. Your hearing will typically return to normal after the wax is cleared out.

But there can be sustained damage caused by accumulated earwax, particularly if the buildup gets severe enough. And tinnitus is also typically temporary but when earwax blockage persists, permanent damage can cause tinnitus to become a lasting condition.

Prevention, treatment, or both?

It’s a good plan to keep an eye on your earwax if you want to safeguard your hearing. It’s improper cleaning, not excess production that causes buildup in most cases (a cotton swab, for example, will often compress the earwax in your ear rather than removing it, eventually leading to a blockage).

It will often require professional eradication of the wax that has become solidified to the point that you can’t get rid of it. You’ll be capable of starting to hear again after you get that treatment and then you can start over, cleaning your ears the right way.

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