Most people don’t concern themselves too much about the build-up of earwax. With regular maintenance, you should be able to say on top of things without the need for a professional’s intervention. However, a surprising amount of people end up in need of professional ear wax removal. Curious if you might need such a procedure? Ear are a few signs you need earwax removal.
Here are some signs you might need earwax removal.
Pain
If you feel pain in your ear, you will probably assume that you have an ear infection. But it can actually be a sign of excessive earwax to the point that you might need earwax removal. Typically, a human’s ears are surprisingly good at self-regulating build-up. But if it can’t keep up, the wax may harden and press on your nerves. This can cause some noticeable pain in severe cases.
Darker Earwax
Cotton swabs may generally be best avoided, but they can be useful for getting a sense of the color of your earwax. Normally, healthy earwax should be yellow to off-white. If you start noticing some darker colors such as dark orange or brown, that could indicate that you have an issue with the build-up of earwax. This is especially true if you notice dark earwax in conjunction with the other symptoms we are listing today.
Ear Blockage
If you’ve had an ear infection before, you may be all too familiar with the sensation of ear blockage. Typically, this manifests as a reduced ability to hear. The world around you might sound muffled. But don’t worry—excessive earwax build-up doesn’t typically cause hearing loss. You may just need professional earwax removal.
What Can I do About It?
It can certainly be alarming to notice any of the symptoms we’ve listed above. Thankfully, the field of audiology is more equipped than ever before to tackle the problem of excess earwax.
Here at Bay Area Audiology, we offer a variety of different professional earwax removal solutions. These include the following:
- Over-the-counter solutions. If we believe you can fix the problem by yourself, this is what we will recommend.
- Physical removal. For more severe cases, our audiologist may recommend a tool called a curette or suction to remove your excess earwax.
- Water irrigation. If the above methods fail to produce the desired results, we will use water to flush your ears out.
No matter the severity of your earwax build-up, we’re here to help.
Contact Bay Area Audiology Today for Your Hearing Evaluation
Ready to do something about your hearing loss? Our Doctor of Audiology, Dr. Trisha A. Bents Muth, is exceptionally experienced in the art of audiology, and provides the absolute best solutions. Bay Area Audiology has been working to give patients a comfortable environment with thorough evaluations. We are independently owned, and unbiased when it comes to finding you the care you need.
You can always come into the office or contact us in advance to set up an appointment. We also provide updates on our social media websites. You can check out our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest to keep up with Bay Area Audiology.
Don’t hesitate–we can help.