Excessive ear wax can lead to ear infections and may also impact the overall health of your ear. For example, ear wax build up can cause dizziness, which may result in a loss of balance. This is particularly prevalent in elderly people who are using hearing aids.
You may also be prone to tinnitus, which is the sensation of ‘phantom noises’ like ringing or buzzing in your ears.
It’s important to understand these symptoms and causes. What may seem like a minor earache or ear pain may lead to an ear infection. Therefore, it’s important to seek prevention strategies as soon as these signs appear.
What Are the Symptoms?
If you are hearing a variety of buzzing or humming noises in your ears, you may be suffering from excessive ear wax.
This may sound like a washing machine buzzing in another room, or insects in your garden. However, they are also the tell-tale signs of other issues.
When an ear canal is blocked with wax, it can cause tinnitus. 1 in 20 adults experience an excess of ear wax at any one time.
Removal of the ear wax can help relieve these symptoms.
For 1 in 7 people who are experiencing a form of tinnitus, the removal of ear wax may not be the solution.
What Are the Causes?
An earache or ear pain may be caused by a range of factors. Typically, it involves an excess build up of ear wax. However, dental issues, hearing loss, or recent viral illness can cause these symptoms too.
In addition, vertigo may also be caused by impacted ear wax. This leads to dizziness, which may give people a false sensation of movement.
How Do I Prevent This?
There are a range of ear treatment options. If you are prone to ear wax build up because of your profession or hobbies, you should be aware of the risks.
For example, you may need to use earplugs to prevent water from entering your ear. This is particularly important for swimmers. We recommend drying out your ears after you go for a swim and doing so gently with a hairdryer on low heat.
Wax tends to absorb trapped water, which inevitably causes the ear wax to expand. This can lead to a blockage, which may lead to an ear infection.
Remember, the ear is self-cleaning. As such, please do not need to use cotton buds or other objects to clean out your ears as this can lead to a worsening of symptoms.
The Earworx team of nurses can perform a gentle and pain-free procedure called microsuction to help remove any excessive ear wax or debris from infection.
Contact Us Today
Our experienced team specialises in the management of ear wax build up and removal of debris from infection.
Our highly qualified nursing staff will take care to ensure your ear infection treatment is managed without pain.
If you have any questions or concerns about ear wax removal, please contact our staff or book an appointment online.