You probably don’t give much thought to earwax buildup unless you’re in the process of clearing it out. Still, it’s crucial to have an understanding of its purpose and how it develops.
What causes the buildup of earwax?
Earwax, scientifically called cerumen, is a dense blend of debris, hair, skin particles, sweat, and ceruminous gland secretions. This earwax presents with a waxy texture and can show shades of orange, yellow, gray, or brown.
In most instances, kids tend to produce more earwax than adults. Kids also typically have softer earwax that’s lighter in color than adults.
Earwax gets expelled or washed out after going by the outer ear canal and reaching the opening of the ear.
Why do we need earwax?
Earwax serves several essential functions, such as:
- Protecting and moisturizing the skin lining the ear canal, thus preventing dryness and itchiness.
- Before things such as dust, dirt, or other outside debris go further up into the ear canal, earwax acts as a barrier.
- Helping prevent ear infections.
Earwax obstructions
Usually, there’s no critical need to clean out earwax from your ears unless it becomes impacted, a prevalent issue associated with earwax. Sometimes, earwax is unable to easily get to the opening of the ear as a result of narrow or unusually shaped ear canals.
Poor ear hygiene methods, such as using cotton swabs or bobby pins, can inadvertently push wax deeper into the ear canal.
Earwax blockages are often experienced by people who often use earplugs, earbuds, or hearing aids.
How is hearing affected by excessive earwax?
The occurrence of earwax blockages may yield slight discomfort and dampen auditory health.
Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, could also occur.
Acoustic trauma might lead to long-term hearing impairment, perforated eardrums, and long-term hearing loss if earwax blockages go neglected.
How do you tackle impacted wax?
Should you suspect an earwax blockage, consulting us quickly is imperative. Depending on the severity of the blockage, you may be advised to utilize 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.
