Blocked Ear? It Might Not Be Earwax…

Have you ever had that frustrating feeling that one of your ears is blocked? Sounds may seem muffled, your ear might feel full or pressured, or you may find yourself turning the television up more than usual.

It’s easy to assume that earwax is to blame — and often it can be. But a blocked or muffled ear isn’t always caused by earwax.

Understanding what might be causing the problem can help you know what to do next.

Could it be earwax?

Earwax is a natural and important part of a healthy ear. It helps protect the ear canal and normally makes its own way out.

However, sometimes wax can build up and become impacted. This can cause symptoms such as:

• A blocked or full feeling in the ear
• Muffled or reduced hearing
• Hearing that seems worse in one ear
• Ringing or buzzing (tinnitus)
• Itching or discomfort
• Occasionally, dizziness

If these symptoms sound familiar and you think earwax could be the cause, having your ears checked can help establish whether wax is actually responsible.

What else can cause a blocked ear?

There are several other reasons your ear may feel blocked.

Colds and congestion

After a cold, flu or respiratory infection, you may experience a blocked feeling because congestion can affect the Eustachian tube — the passage that helps equalise pressure between your middle ear and the back of your nose and throat.

This can make your hearing sound muffled, even though there is no excess earwax.

Changes in pressure

Ever experienced blocked ears on a plane?

Changes in air pressure during take-off and landing can cause the ears to feel full or blocked. This usually settles as the pressure equalises, but some people can experience symptoms for longer.

Ear infections

An ear infection can cause a blocked sensation alongside other symptoms such as pain, discharge, fever or feeling generally unwell.

If you have significant pain, discharge from the ear or other concerning symptoms, it’s important to seek medical advice rather than assuming you simply have a build-up of wax.

Fluid behind the eardrum

Sometimes fluid can collect behind the eardrum, particularly following an infection or cold. This can lead to muffled hearing and a feeling of pressure or fullness.

Hearing loss

If hearing has gradually become worse, it isn’t necessarily because of earwax. Hearing loss can have many different causes, particularly as we get older.

This is one reason why it’s important not to automatically assume that every change in hearing is due to wax.

So, should you try to remove the wax yourself?

If you’re not sure whether earwax is actually causing your symptoms, it’s best not to start putting objects into your ears to try to remove it.

Cotton buds, hairpins and other objects can push wax further into the ear canal and potentially cause damage.

Your ears are naturally designed to clean themselves, so putting things into the ear canal isn’t normally necessary.

If you think you have a wax blockage, a professional assessment can help determine whether wax is present and whether removal is appropriate.

When should you get your ears checked?

If your ear feels blocked and you’re unsure why, getting it checked can provide some reassurance and help establish the likely cause.

In particular, don’t simply assume it’s wax if you have sudden hearing loss, significant pain, discharge from the ear, or other unusual symptoms. These may need medical assessment.

Think you might have earwax?

At Just Ears, our trained practitioners can examine your ears to establish whether earwax is causing the problem. If wax is present and suitable for removal, we can discuss the most appropriate treatment with you.

And if your symptoms don’t appear to be caused by wax, we’ll let you know — because sometimes the most helpful thing we can do is tell you that earwax isn’t the problem.

Blocked ear? Don’t guess what’s causing it. Book today.