Ear wax can block sound traveling through the ear canal. If you feel like your ears are plugged or sound is muffled, you may have accumulated wax. Your audiologist can safely remove blockage and provide an at-home care plan for ear wax management.
Regular ear cleaning and earwax removal can help improve hearing by eliminating blockages in the ear canal.
Symptoms of a cerumen blockage include:
Earache
Tinnitus (noise in the ear)
Difficulty hearing
Ear pressure
If a blockage occurs, it may need to be removed. Depending on the size and severity of the blockage, ear wax removal can be done at home or in the clinic.
Buildup of earwax over time will block the ear canal and keep sound waves from passing through. Earwax removal helps restore hearing.
How Not to Remove Earwax Buildup
People commonly use cotton swabs to try and remove earwax or dislodge a blockage. This can sometimes cause more problems as cotton swabs may push the blockage further down into the ear canal, risking even more damage to the ear.
Cotton swabs themselves can also be accidentally inserted too far into the ear canal and can potentially damage your ear, including the possibility of rupturing your eardrum.
Physicians generally agree that cotton swabs are a bad idea for removing earwax and should only be used on the outer portions of your ear.