You probably don’t give a lot of thought to earwax buildup unless you’re in the process of cleaning it out. Still, it’s essential to have an understanding of its purpose and how it develops.
What initiates the accumulation of earwax?
Earwax, also scientifically called cerumen, is composed of a mix of sweat, skin particles, hair, debris, and ceruminous gland secretions. This earwax presents with a waxy texture and can exhibit shades of orange, yellow, gray, or brown.
In most situations, children tend to produce more earwax than adults. Children also typically have softer earwax that’s lighter in color than adults.
Earwax goes by the outer ear canal naturally, eventually reaching the ear opening, where it either self-expels or gets washed away during bathing.
Why is earwax crucial?
Here are a few crucial functions that earwax serves:
- Before things like dust, dirt, or other external debris get further up into the ear canal, earwax acts as a barrier.
- Fending off possible infections that might arise within the ear canal.
- Preventing itchiness and dryness by moisturizing and protecting the lining of the ear canal.
Obstructions caused by earwax
Usually, there’s no critical need to clean out earwax from your ears unless it becomes impacted, a prevalent issue linked to earwax. Impacted earwax can stem from narrow or unusually shaped ear canals impeding the normal movement of earwax toward the ear’s periphery.
Wax can be accidentally crammed up into the ear canal by utilizing improper cleaning methods like using cotton swabs.
People grappling with hearing loss who use earplugs or hearing aids are also predisposed to experiencing ear canal obstructions.
How excessive earwax can affect hearing
The occurrence of earwax blockages might yield slight discomfort and dampen auditory health.
Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, might also happen.
Acoustic trauma might result in long-term hearing loss, perforated eardrums, and long-term hearing loss if earwax blockages go ignored.
Addressing impacted earwax
It’s crucial that you contact us as soon as possible if you think your ears may be blocked by earwax. Depending on the extent of the blockage, you may be advised to make use of over-the-counter wax softening drops or a bulb syringe for delicate irrigation to alleviate the condition.
Contact us right away if you need some assistance with an earwax blockage.