What Causes Increased Ear Wax Production?
Everyone produces earwax naturally, and earwax build-up is not necessarily a sign of increased earwax production in the body. Genetic factors can lead to dry earwax that seems to build up more easily.
Can Too Much Ear Wax Lead to Other Health Problems?
Earwax can contribute to a variety of problems, including temporary hearing loss and tinnitus – “ringing” of the ears. However, it is not usually possible to know if earwax is the cause of a health problem unless you see a specialist. They can rule out any underlying issues.
How Do You Get Rid of Excess Ear Wax?
If excess earwax needs to be removed, it’s imperative to see a specialist. Otherwise, ear damage can result. At-home earwax removal can contribute to impacted earwax, which can cause serious ear problems.
What Does Excessive Ear Wax Mean?
Under normal circumstances, earwax finds its way to the outer part of your ear naturally. Earwax can build up due to attempted at-home removal or prolonged use of headphones.
How Do You Know if You Have Impacted Ear Wax?
Impacted earwax generally causes symptoms that develop over time and are difficult to notice at first. Symptoms include gradual hearing loss in the affected ear, ringing or buzzing in the ear, a sense of fullness in the ear canal, and possible earache. You may notice dark yellow or brown earwax, but this is not necessarily a sign that earwax has become impacted.
Is Too Much Earwax Bad?
Earwax protects your ears from bacteria, viruses, and airborne irritants that can enter your body via the ear canal. If earwax becomes impacted, it can no longer serve these functions. Getting impacted earwax removed as soon as possible helps you safeguard your health. If earwax buildup goes untreated, it makes infection of the ears much more likely.
Will My Tinnitus Go Away After Removing Ear Wax?
Earwax is just one factor that can cause tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. Sometimes, you can fix tinnitus by removing impacted earwax. However, tinnitus can be caused by allergies, infection, a buildup of fluid, or other damage to the ear. In any of these cases, tinnitus may persist.
How Do I Remove Stuck Ear wax?
If you need to have stuck earwax removed, consult a physician who specializes in ear health. At-home removal of earwax using cotton swabs can push earwax deeper into the ear canal. It can also cause a medical emergency by puncturing the eardrum, causing irreversible hearing loss.
Where Does Earwax Go?
Earwax flows naturally out of the ear. It comes to rest on the ear’s outside edges, where it can be safely wiped away. Earwax removed this way may not be noticeable, since very small amounts are present outside the ear at any one time.
What Does Dark Ear Wax Mean?
In most cases, dark earwax is nothing to worry about. Earwax ranges in color from light yellow to dark brown. The color is reflective of the amount of dirt and debris captured by the earwax, so adults are more likely to spot dark colors.
If you believe you are producing too much earwax, make an appointment today with New York ENT. Our board-certified physicians have extensive experience in earwax productions.
