If you have had problems with your hearing or feel a sense of blockage, it is important not to leave things to drift. Significant ear problems seldom clear up on their own and leaving things as they are means you can suffer unnecessarily. On occasion, there can be worse consequences.
Earwax is one of the most common issues of all. Everyone produces earwax which, despite its name, is not made from wax but rather a mixture of oil, dead skin, hair and trapped water called cerumen. It is produced by the hair follicles inside the ear and has a useful purpose, as it helps protect the ear from infectious agents and organisms from bacteria to insects.
Because it is water resistant and also anti-fungal, it helps reduce the risks of infections, so we can all agree earwax is good – at least most of the time.
However, while it may have a useful defensive use, you only need so much of it and as it is produced constantly, it works best when older wax dries up and falls out of your ear over time, enabling you to avoid having too much of it.
The problem with earwax arises when it hardens and does not fall out, which can easily happen when the glands produce too much of it and the stuff is produced faster than the ear can excrete it. This is a bit like when you have a cold and your nose produces too much mucus, although at least then you can blow it to clear it somewhat.
Unfortunately, because the wax dries and hardens it becomes increasingly hard to shift and this is where it can cause a blockage. This can be very uncomfortable, but the thing you will notice most is impaired hearing. This is where you may need to visit a pharmacy for earwax removal.
Many traditional ways of trying to shift earwax are counterproductive, with one of the worst being to use cotton wool buds because this can just push the stuff further into the ear.
Specialist treatments you can get in a pharmacy include eardrops that you can use yourself. These can soften the wax, which should then fall out. However, sometimes it is so persistent that it needs syringing with warm water (a technique known as ear irrigation), or microsuction, which sucks it out. The good news is these are pretty painless processes.
There are some circumstances where more needs to be done. If you have a perforated eardrum you cannot use eardrops, so specialist help will be needed there. Also, persistent symptoms of five days or more and a loss of hearing may indicate an infection, in which case you might require antibiotics.
A key thing to remember is that any problem that causes hearing loss can have wider consequences. A lot of research has been produced to show that hearing loss can contribute to mental health issues and cognitive decline.
Quite simply, if you have any hearing problems, it is important to get it checked out to find out what is causing the problem. While it may be something that requires surgery or a hearing aid, often it is simply an earwax problem that the pharmacy can help to resolve swiftly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes small amounts of earwax move out of the ear naturally. However, if wax has become impacted and is causing symptoms such as hearing loss, earache, ringing in the ears or dizziness, it is less likely to resolve without appropriate treatment.
Common symptoms include reduced hearing, a feeling of fullness in the ear, earache, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness and itching. If these symptoms persist, you should seek advice from a healthcare professional.
Earwax can often be softened with olive oil or specialist ear drops before professional removal if needed. Avoid inserting cotton buds or other objects into your ear, as these can push wax deeper and increase the risk of injury or infection.