Symptoms, causes, and treatments for
Earwax Buildup
When cerumen, otherwise known as earwax, excessively accumulates in your ear canal, it can cause discomfort and even temporary hearing loss.
Still, ear wax is natural, secreted by a gland in your inner ear, and it helps protect your ears from organisms, water, particulates, and generally icky germs.
Just having a minor buildup of earwax isn’t a condition, but if wax creates a blockage, or your attempts to clean your ears pushes the wax deeper, it can lead to a possibly serious complication and permanently affect your hearing.
The following symptoms may suggest an ear infection or other illness:
Be careful about removing earwax unnecessarily. Doctors recommend leaving your naturally occurring earwax alone, even if you’re prone to the occasional buildup of excess wax. Some individuals do experience greater wax buildup because of:
If you notice an excessive wax buildup a simple procedure can remove extra wax. Otherwise, you might be causing bigger problems for yourself by inserting a cotton swab or other object too deep into your ear canal. You could even possibly damage your eardrum.
It’s best to leave your earwax alone. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:
Earwax Buildup
Prevention Tips:
Consider these tips to help prevent earwax accumulation:
