1. Cleaning and Protecting
Ear wax, or cerumen, is a naturally occurring substance that is found in the outer portion of the human ear canal. It is a thick substance produced by the body and is responsible for the cleaning and protection of the ear canal. By maintaining the proper acid balance in the ear, the wax helps to prevent infections that would otherwise proliferate in an altered environment. The ear continually produces new wax and sheds the older material when no longer useful. The consistency of the cerumen also helps to catch dust and dirt particles, thus preventing them from entering the ear canal.
2. Excessive Ear Wax
An excessive buildup of ear wax can occur if a person's ear produces too much of the material, or the ear does not clean itself adequately. This can lead to the formation of a "plug" that can get stuck in the canal and cause decreased ability to hear. In this instance, the ear cannot adequately pick up vibrations caused by speech and sounds, making it difficult to hear.
People who wear hearing aids should be particularly aware of this potential for excessive buildup, as the wax can plug the device itself as well as the ear canal.
3. "Don't Put Anything in Your Ear Smaller Than Your Elbow"
As corny as the cliche sounds, it is filled with validity. One should never put anything inside the ear canal, such as cotton swabs or hair pins, in an effort to clean ear wax from the ear. The risk of injury, and mostly of pushing any wax further into the canal, is far too great. When this does happen, it may be necessary to have it removed by a medical professional. When ear wax is pushed deep into the ear canal, it prevents the necessary sound waves responsible for hearing from passing into the inner ear, creating hearing problems.
4. Is it Wax Buildup or Something Worse?
If you are experiencing an alteration in the quality of your hearing, seek the help of a qualified healthcare provider to find out if the changes are indeed due to wax buildup and not some other hearing related problem. Physical examination of the outer and middles ear structures, together with auditory testing if necessary can give a very good picture of the health of the auditory system. Mechanical removal of wax, or even the use of peroxide or other cerumen-softening agents, can do much to help restore and improve overall hearing quality when wax is the culprit.
5. Good Ear Hygiene and Health
The important thing is to maintain good ear hygiene, keeping them clean, but not risking injury by trying to mechanically remove potentially unwanted ear wax. Keeping the external ears clean and free of debris and old wax, and letting the ear "do its thing" can go a long way to maintaining good hearing quality.
