Don’t forget to wash your ears. Whenever you say that, you unavoidably use your “parent voice”. Maybe you even recall getting that advice as a child. That’s the sort of memory that can take you back to simpler times as you wrap yourself in the nostalgia of childhood.

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

Excessive earwax? Eww!

We get it, earwax is not the most appealing of materials. That’s an opinion that most individuals share. But it’s actually important for your ear’s health. Earwax is manufactured by glands in your ears and is then pushed out when you chew in order to keep your ears free of dust and dirt.

Essentially, the correct amount of earwax can help keep your ears clean and healthy. However counterintuitive it seems, the reality is that earwax itself isn’t a sign of poor hygiene.

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

What does excess earwax do?

So, what type of impact does excess earwax present? There are numerous issues that may arise due to out-of-control earwax or earwax that builds up over time. Here are a few:

• Dizziness: Your ability to maintain balance depends greatly on your inner ear. You can suffer from episodes of dizziness and balance issues when your inner ear is having issues.
• Infection: Infections can be the consequence of excessive earwax. If fluid builds up, it can become trapped behind plugged earwax.
• Tinnitus: Tinnitus is a condition where you hear a phantom buzzing or ringing in your ears. Tinnitus symptoms can show up or get worse when earwax accumulates inside your ear.
• Earache: An earache is one of the most common signs of excess earwax. It doesn’t have to hurt a lot (though, sometimes it can). This usually occurs when earwax is creating pressure in places that it shouldn’t be.

This list is just the beginning. Neglected earwax can trigger painful headaches. If you wear hearing aids, excess earwax can impede them. So excessive earwax might make you think your hearing aids are having problems.

Can your hearing be affected by earwax?

Well, yes it can. One of the most common issues associated with excess earwax is hearing loss. When earwax builds up in the ear canal it produces a blockage of sound causing a kind of hearing loss known as conductive hearing loss. Your hearing will usually go back to normal after the wax is cleared out.

But there can be sustained damage caused by excess earwax, especially if the buildup gets severe enough. The same goes for earwax-related tinnitus. It’s normally not permanent. But the longer the extra earwax sticks around (that is, the longer you disregard the symptoms), the bigger the danger of long-term damage.

Prevention, treatment, or both?

It’s a good idea to keep track of your earwax if you want to safeguard your hearing. In many cases, earwax accumulation is caused not by excessive production but by improper cleaning (for example, blockage is often a result of cotton swabs, which tend to press the earwax further in rather than getting rid of it).

Often, the wax has gotten hard, dense, and unable to clear without professional help. You’ll be able to start hearing again after you get that treatment and then you can start over, cleaning your ears the correct way.

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