The Problems with Too Much Earwax

Earwax is a misunderstood part of the human body. We’re conditioned to believe that all earwax is bad and needs to be removed. On the contrary, earwax plays an important role in your ears. It protects your ear canal from getting water trapped inside it, which can lead to infections. Also, it has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, meaning earwax itself can decrease the risk of ear infections. 

Having said that, there is such a thing as having too much earwax. This occurs when your body can’t naturally remove the wax from your ears. It becomes trapped and impacted, which is a big problem. Too much earwax is an issue because it can lead to some of the following issues.

Earache

When the wax is overproduced in your ears, it causes blockages. Consequently, the earwax is impacted, meaning it tends to harden and get stuck inside the ear canal. As such, this can lead to persistent earache. The ear canal needs to be clear, or else a build-up of pressure can occur. At the low end of the scale, this will cause discomfort that can be cured by removing the earwax. 

A Perforated Eardrum

Your eardrum is a vital part of the ear, but it can become perforated – meaning a hole has been torn in it. This can be very painful, and it is commonly caused by a build-up of too much earwax. The problem is that too much wax will harden and push its way down the ear canal to the eardrum. Combined with excessive pressure in the ears, this can cause a rupture. 

Moreover, when you have too much earwax, you want to try getting it out. So, you use cotton swabs to try and remove it, but this pushes the wax closer to the eardrum and increases the chances of a perforation. Similarly, wearing earbuds or headphones when you have too much earwax can do the same thing. 

Tinnitus

Another concern with having too much earwax is that it can lead to tinnitus. This is a hearing symptom that causes you to constantly hear a buzzing or ringing sound in your ears. Sometimes, having too much wax in your ears can cause this, most likely due to the blockage inside. 

While tinnitus isn’t a serious symptom, it can negatively impact your life. It is harder for you to sleep when you have tinnitus as you can’t relax because of the constant buzzing. As a result, your lack of sleep will have a knock-on effect on the rest of your day. 

Hearing Loss

Finally, earwax blockages can cause temporary hearing loss. As you can imagine, this is because the wax acts as a natural earbud. It’s wedged into your ear canal, stopping sounds from traveling through and being picked up by all the sensors in your ears. Things might sound muffled, and it will be like the volume has been turned down on your life. 

The good news is that you can reverse this type of hearing loss as it is only temporary. Removing your earwax and preventing it from blocking your ear canal will let you regain your natural hearing once more. 

How Do You Treat Excessive Earwax?

The worst way to handle too much earwax is by attempting to remove it yourself. Never put anything in your ear to attempt to remove the wax. This will likely result in you pushing it further into the ear, making the problem worse. As we’ve already mentioned, this can cause a perforation in your eardrum! 

Likewise, don’t use any hacks or treatment ideas that you have seen online. One popular idea is to use candles to melt the earwax in your ears. Yes, this is as dangerous as it sounds, and no it doesn’t work. Avoid this at all costs. 

However, you can find some home treatments that are safe. Opting for oil drops can help to break down the wax in your ears and let it naturally disperse and clean itself out. Some people see success with these oil drops, while others don’t. 

Ultimately, it is best to see an audiologist and get the right treatment. Your audiologist may conduct earwax removal for you, using special tools and devices that can suction out the wax and unclog your ears. 

If you’d like to learn more about this or have any other hearing concerns, contact Atlantic Audiology today. Give us a call at (401) 262-0170 to learn more about our services.