What should you know about effects of earwax buildup?

Earwax normally protects the ear canal, but a compacted plug can interfere with sound reaching the eardrum. You may notice reduced or muffled hearing, a blocked sensation, itching, discomfort, earache or ringing in the ears. Symptoms may affect one ear or both and can change after bathing when wax absorbs moisture. These effects do not by themselves show what caused the blockage; an examination can distinguish wax from infection, fluid or another ear problem.

A clinician can look into the canal and check whether the eardrum can be seen. If hearing remains reduced after the canal is clear, a hearing test may help identify another cause.

Do not push cotton buds, hairpins or other objects into the ear, because they can move wax deeper or injure the canal. Keep water out if the ear is painful or draining. A pharmacist or clinician can advise whether a wax-softening treatment is suitable; do not use drops if you may have a perforated eardrum, ear tubes or an active ear infection unless a professional advises it. If wax is confirmed and symptoms persist, ear wax removal may be offered using an appropriate method.

Arrange medical assessment for new hearing loss, ongoing pain, discharge, marked dizziness or symptoms that do not improve after advised care. Seek urgent help for sudden hearing loss, severe spinning dizziness, facial weakness or severe pain with swelling. A blocked ear after an injury or insertion of an object also needs prompt evaluation. Do not assume every blocked-ear symptom is wax, especially when the change is sudden or one-sided.

Ask: Can you see a wax blockage, and is the eardrum healthy? Which removal option fits my ear history? Should I have a hearing test if hearing stays muffled? What symptoms would mean I should return promptly? Tell the clinician about pain, discharge, previous ear surgery, ear tubes, perforation and any objects used in the ear.