As gross as ear wax may be, it is actually really beneficial to us.
Think of it as our body’s defensive tool to keep debris and bacteria out of the ear. It also has lubricating and antibacterial properties. Also known as cerumen, ear wax is only bad if too much builds up.
And if it builds up in your ear, it can cause painful symptoms and blockage. But can ear wax cause hearing loss?
Can Ear Wax Cause Hearing Loss?
Yes, ear wax build up can cause hearing loss. But there’s more to the story than that. Do let’s dig in a little deeper here.
It is possible to experience hearing loss when your ear wax builds up. Hearing loss is one of the symptoms of ear wax accumulation.
However, ear wax build up only causes temporary hearing loss. This kind of temporary hearing loss that you may experience with accumulated ear wax is known as conductive hearing loss.
The good news is that most of the time, the buildup of earwax does not cause permanent hearing loss. However, it is still possible to experience permanent hearing loss through ear wax.
How Ear Wax Can Lead To Permanent Hearing Loss
The buildup of earwax itself does not necessarily cause hearing loss on a permanent level. However, the way you remove ear wax may cause it.
If the impacted wax is not removed safely and properly, you may experience permanent hearing loss. And removing impacted ear wax by way of using q-tips or cotton swabs is not a good idea.
Instead, it may push the impacted ear wax deeper further into the ear. So how can you safely remove ear wax?
How to Determine Build up of Ear Wax
Before you go about removing and treating excessive ear wax, it is important to identify when you have it, before or after you experience conductive hearing loss.
Common symptoms of earwax blockage include the following:
- Earache
- Feeling of fullness in the affected ear
- Ringing or noises in the ear (tinnitus)
- Decreased hearing in the affected ear
- Dizziness
- Cough
Once you have determined that you have a blockage, you can begin to consider proper treatment options.
How to Get Ear Wax Out
Treatment for the symptoms you experience due to the buildup of earwax will depend on many factors. This may include your age, your general health, and the severity of your symptoms.
Treatments for impacted ear wax may include ear irrigation. Ear irrigation is the process of putting an OTC ear wax softener in the affected ear.
Then, after that you may need to visit your primary care physician in his/her office for a saline ear irrigation. It may be mixed with a hydrogen peroxide or a small suction to remove the ear wax.
If your ear wax is on your outer ear, then you can remove it by yourself. You only need a cloth to wipe it yourself.
Another home remedy that you can use is by way of using cerumenolytic solutions or solutions that can dissolve the ear wax. These solutions may include the following:
- Mineral oil
- Baby oil
- Glycerin
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Peroxide-based ear drops
- The aforementioned saline solutions
Put a few drops into the affected ear using a dropper. Then the next thing to do is to lie on the opposite side so that the solution can drip out of your ear.
There you have it! The next time you experience a build up of wax in your ears, be sure you follow protocol for safe removal to avoid any permanent hearing damage. If anything gets progressively worse, be sure to see an audiologist to get things checked out.