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Cerumen impaction is the medical term used to describe the buildup of cerumen, also known as earwax, in the ear canal. Earwax is produced naturally by the body and has an important role in protecting your ears from dust, dirt, and other small foreign objects.
Excessive earwax blockage can cause significant problems to your ear health if left alone. If you want to learn more about this, here are some of the potential problems it can cause:
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss from earwax is often temporary and can easily be treated. Over time when earwax gets stuck in the ear canal it thickens and blocks the sound from traveling to the eardrums. If you feel like you cannot hear as well or if people sound muffled, an audiologist can help determine if the difficulties you are experiencing are due to a build-up of wax.
Tinnitus
While tinnitus is not a disease on its own, it can be a symptom of a bigger problem that may need to be resolved. It can be caused by several other problems, but it’s common with people who have too much earwax in their canals.
When cerumen accumulates in the ear canal, your auditory system may start to overcompensate for the hearing loss and begin to generate noises that aren’t there. If left untreated, this may cause permanent damage to the ear. Tinnitus due to wax buildup may reside once the blockage is removed.
Ear Infection
Earwax keeps the ear canal clean and healthy. It’s meant to stop any bacteria from getting to the inner ear. However, if your ear canals are blocked by too much wax, bacteria won’t have anywhere else to go and may start to infect your ears.
Call Us Today for Cerumen Removal
Excessive earwax can happen to anyone! If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above or think you may have too much earwax, schedule an appointment at The Hearing Doctor today. An experienced audiologist is ready to help address all of your hearing healthcare needs.