Earwax Impaction

By Kathy Mellott, AuD

As efficient as they are for removing earwax, Q-tips and cotton swabs may actually do more harm than good to your ears. Wax blockage is a common contributor to hearing loss, and attempts to clean the ears with cotton swabs actually pushes the wax deeper into your ear canal, which only worsens the blockage. There are only certain circumstances in which your ear should be cleaned, and when those circumstances arise, it's important to be aware of the proper cleaning techniques.

Cerumen, or earwax as it's commonly known, serves as a natural cleaning agent for your ear canals. When your jaw is in motion for actions such as chewing, old earwax is pushed to the ear opening, where it becomes dry and falls out. Under ideal circumstances you shouldn't ever need to clean out your ear canal. However, there is a condition known as CerumenImpaction that occurs when a large amount of earwax accumulates in the ear canal, causing symptoms such as earache, itching, coughing, hearing loss, and noises in the ear.

If you experience symptoms of Cerumen Impaction, there are certain steps you can take. Irrigation kits are commercially available, however removal of excessive ear wax by a physician is the preferred option. For more tips on ear cleaning and hearing healthcare, visit your hearing healthcare provider.