Earwax causing trouble
What exactly is earwax – and why do we have it?
Earwax isn’t just “dirt” in your ear; it is actually a clever protective mechanism produced by your body. It forms in the outer part of the ear canal from secretions produced by sebaceous and sweat glands, mixed with dead skin cells.
Why do we have earwax?
Protects against dust, bacteria, and fungi
Earwax traps foreign particles before they can damage the eardrum.
Keeps the ear moisturised – helping to prevent dryness and itching.
Natural cleaning – when you chew or move your jaw, this helps the wax slowly migrate out of the ear.
Earwax can be yellow and soft or dark and hard – both are completely normal. Colour and consistency vary from person to person and can be influenced by age and environment.
Should you use cotton swabs?
Avoid cleaning your ears with cotton swabs. They often push earwax further into the ear canal, causing it to become more blocked. Let the earwax do its job – the ear usually cleans itself.
Many people may still experience a blocked ear canal. When using hearing aids, music earplugs, or hearing protection, earwax can become compacted in the ear canal and harden. In some cases, this can cause temporary hearing loss because sound waves cannot reach the eardrum. When this happens, it can be difficult to remove the wax yourself.
You or others may notice that your hearing aids are constantly whistling or that they are not working as intended due to blocked filters and earplugs.
What can be done to remove earwax?
Ear irrigation, with oil drops used beforehand, is recommended. You can have your ears cleaned by an audiologist, ENT specialist, or GP. You can purchase an ear-cleaning kit from a pharmacy and try to flush out the earwax yourself, but a healthcare professional can check whether all the earwax has been removed and, importantly, ensure that the eardrum is intact afterwards.
Is using only ear spray enough?
No! It is often not enough to use only earwax-removal spray, which you can purchase from a pharmacy – despite what the advertising may claim. If you already have a lot of earwax in your ear canals, the spray may actually make the problem worse if the earwax is not subsequently flushed out.
Are you bothered by excessive earwax, or do you need your ear canals examined to determine whether you have earwax buildup?
At AudioPlus, we can both check the condition of your ear canals and, if necessary, irrigate your ears.
To book an appointment: Call 990 99 779 or contact us via: https://www.audioplus.no/bestill-time
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