What is ear wax?
Ear wax is not a sign of poor hygiene. It is a completely natural substance that is produced by all of us from glands in our ear canals. It helps to lubricate the ear canal and it is antibacterial and anti fungal to protect the sensitive skin of our ear canals from things like dirt, dust and bacteria that can cause infections.
Normally wax, along with the skin lining the walls of the ear canal, migrates outwards, through the actions of chewing, talking and yawning, to the entrance of the canal where it is shed. A small amount of wax is normal and maintains the health of the ear canal but in some cases, the ear wax can build up and form a blockage or plug.
Causes of impacted ear wax
Different people produce different amounts of ear wax. Some people produce more than their ears can get rid of naturally. Commonly it is when people try to clean their ears that impacted earwax is caused. Using things like cotton buds, a finger, or other objects to try and remove earwax can actually push it further into the ear – where it can build up and become impacted. Other causes of ear wax include:
- Wearing hearing aids, ear plugs or ear bud headphones
- Having narrow or hairy ear canals
- Age – very dry and hard wax is common as we age, and this is more difficult to migrate out
- Exposure to moisture. Wax can absorb water and expand
Symptoms of blocked ears
An ear blockage can be caused by a number of things. It can cause discomfort and make it difficult to hear. Any of the following symptoms of ear wax may be experienced:
- Earache
- Infection
- A feeling of fullness in the ear
- Muffled hearing
- Ringing or buzzing sounds in the ear (tinnitus)
- Itchiness in the ear
- Dizziness or vertigo
- A tickly cough
- If you wear hearing aids you may experience whistling (feedback) from your aids
Once the earwax is removed, these symptoms usually improve.
Diagnosis
We can tell whether you have a blocked ear by looking in your ears with an instrument called an otoscope, which magnifies and lights up the inner ear. We also use a video otoscope, so you can see the wax for yourself.
If you are diagnosed with excessive or impacted ear wax, we can remove it for you. Impacted ear wax could lead to infection if not removed. We would normally recommend ear wax removal by microsuction or irrigation or a combination of both.
