Ear Care as You Get Older: What Changes?

As we get older, it’s natural for some things about our bodies to change — and our ears are no exception.

You might notice that your hearing isn’t quite what it used to be, that your ears feel blocked more often, or that you need to turn the television up a little louder.

But how do you know whether you’re experiencing earwax build-up or a change in your hearing?

The two can sometimes feel very similar, so understanding the difference is important.

Why can earwax become more of a problem as we get older?

Earwax is completely normal and plays an important role in protecting the ear. Usually, it gradually works its way out of the ear naturally.

However, as we get older, earwax can become drier and harder, which can make it less likely to move out of the ear naturally. This means some older adults may be more prone to a build-up.

Hearing aid users can also be more prone to earwax build-up, as hearing aids can interfere with the ear’s natural process of moving wax outwards.

A build-up of wax can cause:

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

The good news is that if your hearing has been affected by a blockage of earwax, it may improve once the wax has been safely removed.

But what if it’s not earwax?

Hearing loss is also common as we get older and can happen gradually over many years.

Unlike a blocked ear caused by wax, age-related hearing loss is often more noticeable when you’re trying to follow conversations — particularly in busy places or when there is lots of background noise.

You might notice that you:

• Ask people to repeat themselves more often
• Find conversations difficult to follow in restaurants or busy rooms
• Turn the television or radio up louder
• Struggle to hear clearly on the telephone
• Find yourself relying more on lip-reading or watching people’s faces
• Feel tired after concentrating hard to follow conversations

Sometimes it’s actually a family member or friend who notices these changes before you do.

Earwax or hearing loss — how can you tell?

Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to tell just from how your ears feel.

Earwax can cause a temporary reduction in hearing, whereas age-related hearing loss is usually a gradual change that needs further assessment. This is why it’s important not to simply assume that a change in hearing is caused by wax.

If you have symptoms of earwax build-up, having your ears checked can establish whether wax is present. If your ears are clear but you’re still experiencing hearing difficulties, a hearing test may be the appropriate next step.

Looking after your ears as you get older

There are a few simple things you can do to look after your ears:

Don’t put cotton buds in your ears

It can be tempting to try to keep your ears clean, but cotton buds and other objects can push wax further into the ear canal and make a blockage worse.

Your ears are naturally designed to clean themselves, so you generally don’t need to clean inside the ear canal.

Don’t ignore changes in your hearing

It’s easy to put hearing difficulties down to “just getting older”, but hearing loss is worth discussing and assessing.

A hearing test can help establish whether you have a hearing problem and what might be causing it. NHS guidance recommends getting hearing problems checked, particularly if your hearing is gradually becoming worse.

If you wear hearing aids, keep an eye on wax

If you wear hearing aids and suddenly find that your hearing isn’t as good as usual, don’t automatically assume that your hearing aids need adjusting.

Sometimes a build-up of earwax can affect how well your hearing aids work.

Having your ears checked can help establish whether wax could be contributing to the problem.

When should you seek medical advice?

If you experience sudden hearing loss, hearing that is getting worse quickly, significant ear pain or discharge from your ear, you should seek medical advice rather than assuming it is earwax. NHS guidance recommends urgent assessment for sudden hearing loss or hearing that has deteriorated over a few days or weeks.

For more gradual changes, it’s still worth having your hearing assessed. There may be a simple explanation, such as earwax, or you may benefit from a hearing test.

Taking care of your ears at every age

Getting older doesn’t necessarily mean you have to accept struggling to hear conversations, watch television or enjoy social occasions.

Sometimes the answer really can be as simple as a build-up of earwax. Other times, it may be a change in your hearing that deserves further investigation.

The important thing is to find out which it is.

Think you might have earwax?

At Just Ears, our practitioners can examine your ears and establish whether earwax could be contributing to your symptoms.

If we find a build-up that is suitable for removal, we can discuss the appropriate treatment with you. And if your ears are clear but you’re experiencing hearing difficulties, we’ll let you know that your symptoms may need further investigation.

Don’t simply put changes in your hearing down to getting older — get your ears checked and find out what’s really going on.