Ear wax is one of the body’s important tools, designed to keep the inside of the ear clean, free of dirt and protected. But on occasion, ear wax can build up inside the ear canal, causing discomfort or pain, temporary hearing loss or muffled sounds, itchiness or even lead to an ear infection.
Why does wax become impacted?
A build-up of earwax can occur sometimes because of our age or following an ear infection. It is something that happens more often in old age.
But it’s also some of our habits that can lead to impacted ear wax – most notably, trying to clean out the inside of our ears using a cotton bud. This actually doesn’t remove any ear wax, but pushes the ear wax deeper inside the ear canal until it becomes blocked. The same can occur when someone uses earplugs or in-ear headphones on a frequent basis.
How do I know if I have impacted ear wax?
When ear wax has built up and formed a blockage in the ear, there are a number of tell-tale signs. This may include pain – it may be a mild discomfort or really quite painful. You may also experience an impact on your hearing. Sounds might be muffled or unclear, according to the NHS
Some people also report a feeling of fullness or pressure deep inside the ear, which can be annoying and uncomfortable. Impacted ear wax can also cause the inside of the ear to feel itchy.
Sometimes, impacted ear wax can even cause a person to feel dizzy or experience a condition called vertigo, which affects a person’s balance.
Fortunately, ear wax removal Poole or other locations by a specialist such as https://www.earwax.co.uk/ear-wax-removal-near-me/poole/ can easily treat this problem.
Specialist audiologists and hearing centres can recommend ways to soften the ear wax. This may be enough to solve the problem, but it is also possible to gently irrigate the ear canal, thereby clearing the blockage, restoring your hearing and relieving any pain.
