Chances are, earwax and its buildup haven’t been subjects of extensive consideration for you, except maybe during ear hygiene routines. Still, it’s essential to have an understanding of its purpose and how it forms.
What causes the accumulation of earwax?
Earwax, also scientifically called cerumen, is composed of a combination of sweat, skin particles, hair, debris, and ceruminous gland secretions. This earwax presents with a waxy consistency and can exhibit shades of orange, yellow, gray, or brown.
In most circumstances, children tend to produce more earwax than adults. Furthermore, adult earwax tends to be darker and harder compared to that of children.
Earwax passes the outer ear canal naturally, eventually reaching the ear opening, where it either self-expels or gets washed away during bathing.
Why is earwax essential?
Earwax serves several critical functions, such as:
- Fending off possible infections that might develop within the ear canal.
- Protecting and moisturizing the skin lining the ear canal, thereby preventing dryness and itchiness.
- Before things such as dust, dirt, or other external debris go further up into the ear canal, earwax acts as a barrier.
Blockages caused by earwax
Typically, there’s no crucial need to remove earwax from your ears unless it becomes impacted, a common problem associated with earwax. Sometimes, earwax is unable to easily get to the opening of the ear due to narrow or abnormally shaped ear canals.
Wax can be unintentionally crammed up into the ear canal by utilizing improper cleaning practices like using cotton swabs.
People wrestling with hearing loss who utilize earplugs or hearing aids are also predisposed to experiencing ear canal obstructions.
How is hearing impacted by too much earwax?
The occurrence of earwax blockages may yield mild discomfort and dampen auditory health.
Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, may also occur.
Neglected earwax blockages may intensify into middle ear infections, perforated eardrums, or enduring hearing loss as a result of acoustic trauma.
How do you tackle impacted wax?
It’s essential that you get in touch with us as soon as you can if you think your ears may be blocked by earwax. Depending on the severity of the obstruction, you may be advised to use over-the-counter wax softening drops or a bulb syringe for gentle irrigation to alleviate the condition.
If you’re concerned about your earwax buildup, call us today to schedule an appointment.
