You probably don’t give a lot of thought to earwax accumulation unless you’re in the process of clearing it out. Nonetheless, comprehending what causes earwax, how it develops, and its purpose is essential.
What causes the accumulation of earwax?
Earwax, scientifically identified as 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.
While the production amount of earwax varies from person to person, adults typically generate less earwax than children. Furthermore, adult earwax tends to be darker and harder compared to that of children.
Earwax gets discharged or washed out after passing the outer ear canal and reaching the opening of the ear.
Why do we need earwax?
Earwax serves several crucial functions, such as:
- Fending off potential infections that may occur within the ear canal.
- Protecting and lubricating the skin lining the ear canal, thus preventing dryness and itchiness.
- Acting as a protective barricade against outside irritants like dirt, dust, and other foreign particles before they penetrate deeper into the ear.
Earwax obstructions
Usually, there’s no crucial need to clean out earwax from your ears unless it becomes impacted, a common issue associated with earwax. Impacted earwax can be the result of narrow or abnormally shaped ear canals impeding the normal movement of earwax toward the ear’s opening.
Wax can be accidentally crammed up into the ear canal by utilizing poor cleaning practices like using cotton swabs.
Earwax obstructions are frequently experienced by people who often use earplugs, earbuds, or hearing aids.
How is hearing affected by too much earwax?
Auditory health may be impeded and you may feel slight discomfort.
Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, may also happen.
Neglected earwax obstructions may escalate into middle ear infections, perforated eardrums, or lasting hearing impairment due to acoustic trauma.
Addressing impacted earwax
Should you suspect an earwax blockage, consulting us immediately is imperative. Depending on the severity of the obstruction, you may be advised to use over-the-counter wax softening drops or a bulb syringe for delicate irrigation to relieve the condition.
If you’re worried about your earwax buildup, call us today to schedule an appointment.
