Excessive Earwax Symptoms

The medical term for earwax is cerumen. It is an oily substance produced by the sweat glands called ceruminous glands present in the outer part of the ear canal. It provides protection to the ear canal by forming a protective lubricated layer that catches hold of the unwanted foreign particles like dust, and stops them from entering deep into the delicate interior part of the ear.

If there was no earwax, the internal part of the ear would be dry, and would give us a constant itching sensation. Normally, earwax falls off the ear in pieces and flakes over a period of time. If this does not happen, then it leads to build up of the earwax.

Chewing and jaw motion helps in the movements of the earwax from the interior part of the ear canal to the opening of the ear. People of any age group starting from infants to elderly can show excessive earwax symptoms.

Actually, the earwax formed inside the ear is found in the outer part of the ear canal and naturally flows out of the ear quite easily. However, if it gets pushed deep into the ear, then it can lead to blockage. This can happen due to use of ear plugs or hearing aid.

When people use objects like cotton swab or a rolled napkin corner to clean up the earwax, it can get pressed deeper into the ear canal and block it. There are some people who tend to produce more earwax, than others. If it is not cleaned up regularly, then it can lead to excessive earwax.

Other causes include narrow ear canal, recurring ear infections, too much of hair inside the ear, etc. The elderly are more prone to this condition, because it becomes very dry with age, which makes it difficult to come out of the ear.

The severity of symptoms varies from person to person, and it largely depends on the extent of blockage made by the earwax. In the initial stage, the symptoms are a little discomforting due to a sense of fullness in the ear. It is followed by other symptoms like:

• Pain in the ear canal

• Tinnitus: It is a condition when one hears a noise which comes from a source within the ear.
• A sensation of dizziness, spinning of the head, or vertigo, though some experts opine that it cannot cause vertigo.

• Cough: This is because the pressure due to wax build up stimulates any particular nerve in the ear, and causes cough. It is rare, though.
• Loss of hearing ability: If there is excessive earwax in one ear, then it would be a partial hearing loss or else it would be total loss of hearing.

Too much of earwax can cause irreversible damage to the eardrum, and lead to permanent hearing impairment.

• Other symptoms are itchiness inside the ear which can vary from mild to severe, discharge from the ear, foul odor in the ear, etc.

There are several ways of earwax removal. Just washing the exterior part of the ear with a cloth can be helpful. Pour a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ear to soften up the wax. Wait for a few minutes then flush it out by putting a dropper of lukewarm water into the ear.

Tilt your head sidewards in order to drain out the earwax. Slightly warm olive oil can also be used for the purpose. Put a few drops of olive oil into the ear, wait for a few minutes, and then lean your head to let the oil and melted earwax flow out of the ear.

In case the symptoms look serious, you should not try any home treatment, and visit a doctor immediately. They often use ear drops to get rid of the excessive earwax. Irrigation is another method used for this purpose. Here, sterile saline solutions are administered into the ear using a syringe for earwax removal.

Sometimes, they also use special tools to clean the earwax manually. This is one the most effective treatment in babies, people with ear canal deformities, and diabetic patients.

Some of the symptoms like tinnitus, and loss of hearing ability can be associated with other serious ear problems as well. Hence, if you are experiencing any of them, then you should consult your doctor. Most importantly, never insert any object like ear swabs to clean the earwax as it can aggravate the symptoms.