Earwax Blockage: Muffled Hearing, Safe Care and When to Be Seen

What it involves

MedlinePlus says the ear canal makes a waxy oil called cerumen that normally works its way out on its own. Sometimes more wax builds up than can leave, hardens, and blocks the canal, which is called an impaction, and it names wax blockage as one of the most common causes of hearing loss.

Who this is for

• Patients with one ear that feels full, plugged, or muffled
• Patients who clean their ears with cotton swabs and now feel more blocked than before
• Patients who wear hearing aids and want to know how often the ears should be checked
• Patients with ear pain, drainage, or fever who want to be sure it is only wax

What to expect

• Questions about when the blocked feeling started, whether one or both ears are affected, and any pain or drainage
• A look into the ear canal to see wax and, where visible, the eardrum
• A review of past ear surgery, a hole in the eardrum, or ear infections, which change what is safe
• A plan that may include softening drops, removing the wax, or a referral to an ear specialist

Wax is there for a reason

MedlinePlus explains that ear wax traps dust, bacteria, and other germs before they can reach the ear, and protects the delicate skin of the canal when water gets in. The goal is therefore not an ear with no wax at all. MedlinePlus warns against cleaning too often or too hard, because the wax helps protect the ear.

Why wax gets stuck

Some people make more wax than the canal can clear, and the extra can harden into a plug. MedlinePlus adds that reaching into your own ear to clean it often pushes wax deeper and blocks the canal, which is why providers recommend against it. It specifically says never to put an object such as a cotton swab into the ear canal.

Signs of a wax plug

The symptoms MedlinePlus lists are common and easy to confuse with other ear problems:

• Earache
• A feeling of fullness or a plugged sensation in the ear
• Noises in the ear, called tinnitus
• Partial hearing loss that may get worse

What can be tried at home

MedlinePlus says most blockages can be treated at home. Softening the wax with baby oil, glycerin, mineral oil, commercial ear drops, or water is the first step, and some people then rinse with body-temperature water using a bulb or syringe, because cooler water can cause brief dizziness. It also says never to irrigate or use drops if the eardrum may have a hole in it or after recent ear surgery, so it is wise to ask a provider before trying it. The dizziness guide explains other reasons the room can spin.

When to have it looked at

MedlinePlus says to see a provider if you cannot remove the plug yourself, and to call if you also have drainage, ear pain, fever, or hearing loss that continues after the wax is cleared. A provider may repeat the irrigation, use suction or a small curette, or use a microscope. An earache with fever or pressure from fluid may be an infection instead, which the ear pain and infection guide covers.

Hearing after the wax is gone

MedlinePlus reports that hearing loss from wax is often temporary and, in most cases, returns completely once the blockage is removed. The ear can fill again later, and hearing aid users should have their canals checked for excess wax every 3 to 6 months. If hearing does not return, a different cause is possible, and the hearing loss guide explains what a provider considers next.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Ear wax
• MedlinePlus — Ear Disorders