Earwax build-up
What can cause an earwax build-up?
Some people regularly get blocked ears because they naturally produce a lot of earwax.
Other factors that can increase the risk of too much earwax include:
- producing naturally hard or dry earwax
- having narrow or hairy ear canals (the tube between the opening of the ear and the eardrum)
- being elderly, as earwax becomes drier with age
- bony growths in the outer part of the ear canal
Earwax can also block your ear if you frequently insert objects into your ear canal, such as cotton buds, ear plugs or hearing aids .
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Read about what problems a build-up of earwax can cause, why it happens, and what can be done about it.
What can cause an earwax build-up?
Some people regularly get blocked ears because they naturally produce a lot of earwax. Other factors that can increase the risk of too much earwax include: producing naturally hard or dry earwax h
Symptoms of an earwax build-up
A build-up of earwax in your ear can cause: earache hearing loss tinnitus (hearing sounds from inside your body) itchiness in or around the ear vertigo (a spinning sensation) ear inf
What to do if you think your ear is blocked
Don't try to remove a build-up of earwax yourself with your fingers, a cotton bud or any other object. This can damage your ear and push the wax further down. If the earwax is only causing minor prob
When to see your GP
Contact your GP surgery if you have particularly troublesome symptoms or eardrops haven't helped after three to five days. Your GP or practice nurse will look inside your ears to check if they're blo
Treatments to remove earwax
There are several different earwax removal treatments available. The main treatments are: eardrops dropsused several times a day for a few days to soften the earwax so that it falls out by itself
Preventing an earwax build-up
Some people are naturally prone to earwax building up in their ears and may need frequent treatment to remove it when it becomes a problem. It's not clear if there's anything you can do tostop earwax
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