Impacted Earwax and Hearing Loss

When a person deals with impacted earwax, it might seem annoying at first. The ear would feel full, or sounds would seem dull, like there’s something blocking the listening experience. As time goes on, the muffled feeling can actually become hearing loss. Impacted earwax sneaks up slowly, but once it finally happens, it leads to confusion and frustration. 

Earwax is perfectly normal and actually helpful to the ears, but when there’s too much and it goes into the wrong place, it can affect everyday life. Hearing loss caused by wax buildup is more common than one might think and should be handled before it gets worse. 

Understanding What Earwax Does

Earwax, also known as cerumen, is very important to the hearing system. It is used to trap dust, dirt and bacteria before they go inside the ear. It also moisturizes the skin inside the ear. Normally, wax moves out of the ear on its own, falling out or getting washed away during a bath. 

But in some cases, it doesn’t move as it should. Wax can become hard, get pushed in deeper, or build up faster than it comes out. When this happens, it blocks the ear canal and makes it hard for sound to get to the eardrum. 

How Blocked Wax Leads to Hearing Trouble

When wax becomes impacted, it forms a physical barrier that sound can’t go through easily. This blockage causes what is known as conductive hearing loss, which shows that there’s something preventing sound from going through the ear. People usually describe it as muffled or dull hearing, and not complete silence. 

Voices will sound far away, and everyday sounds are harder to follow. The good news? This form of hearing loss is only temporary. Once the wax is removed, hearing gets better right away. But removing wax is not as easy as one might think. 

Common Signs That Earwax May Be Impacted

It’s not exactly easy to notice when earwax becomes a problem in the ear canal. Some symptoms of impacted earwax include fullness, itching, or a sudden drop in hearing. They feel like they just swam, and there’s water in the ear, or they have tinnitus in the affected ears. 

A hearing health professional will make use of reliable tools to look inside the ear and determine whether the main problem is impacted wax. Catching it early can prevent any form of discomfort and reduce the risk of infection or further blockage. 

Why Home Remedies Can Sometimes Backfire

Many people try to fix impacted earwax on their own, but then it backfires. A common practice is to use cotton swabs to clean the ear, but this only pushes the wax deeper and makes it worse.

Over-the-counter drops are another common option, but they only soften the wax without removing it completely. And there’s a misguided, popular practice of ear candling, where a person literally uses an open flame in an attempt to melt the wax. But this is just as risky as it sounds and isn’t proven to be effective. 

Professional Removal Methods Are Safe and Quick

A hearing health professional offers all the tools and training that a person might need to safely remove earwax. Depending on the particular situation, they first soften the wax with drops and then rinse it out with warm water. Or, they can use gentle suction. If the buildup is too much, they can also use a tool to scoop it out without affecting parts of the ear. 

The entire process to remove earwax is quick, and once it’s done, the person feels the impact instantly. But this shouldn’t be the end of it. Go for regular check-ins so that the earwax won’t build up again in the future. 

When to Ask for Help and What Comes Next

Hearing changes should never be ignored, especially if they suddenly happen and are very uncomfortable. If a person is feeling pressure in their ear or hearing loss, or they have a history of heavy wax buildup, they should contact a hearing health professional. 

Even if wax isn’t what’s causing the loss, a hearing test can point to the way forward. Addressing the problem early not only protects hearing, it also provides peace of mind.