A doctor has warned that hearing a subtle sound could be the start of a major problem. If you don’t address it soon, you could end up with permanent hearing loss, he added.
Dr Ahmed, who shares medical advice on TikTok, said he’s seen an increase in patients with this condition at his surgery recently. He urged anyone experiencing ear pain, a ringing sound or a general reduced sense of hearing to “get checked”.
He explained: “You could need your ears checked and possibly micro-suctioned. A lot of the time, people have wax that’s impacted in their ears, and this can be painful.”
Earwax usually falls out naturally but if it’s blocking your ears, professional help is needed. Earwax build-up can cause tinnitus, which can manifest as soft or loud, low or high pitched sounds that may come and go or be constant.
These sounds can be heard in one or both ears, or even in your head. Besides ringing, it can also sound like buzzing, hissing, noises that beat in time with your pulse, roaring, clicking and humming, reports the Mirror.
According to Tinnitus UK, the condition is very common, affecting 7.6 million people in Britain – with 1.5 million of them having severe tinnitus. The NHS lists several causes for earwax accumulation, such as ear canals that are narrow, damaged or have lots of hair.
There could also be skin condition responsible for the block or you could be suffering with inflammation of your ear canal (known as otitis externa or ‘swimmer’s ear’). Other signs of excessive earwax include:
- Hearing loss
- Earache
- Feeling of fullness in the ear
- Itchiness in the ear
- Dizziness
- Cough
- Odor or discharge in the ear
- Pain or infection in the ear
Another telltale sign that something is wrong is feeling wobbly. The ears play an important role in maintaining our sense of balance, and blockages due to wax can disrupt this.
Thankfully, Dr Ahmed explains the procedure to unblock the ears is “very simple”. In some cases, the process can take no more than a couple of minutes. However, it needs to be done by a professional.
The procedure will be carried out by a doctor, audiologist or well-trained nurse who will use a specialist microscope to examine your ear. A suction device is then carefully inserted to remove the wax.
According to Dr Ahmed, patients often feel “instantly better,” after this process as it can alleviate ringing and pain. Clearing an ear blockage also allows for a better view of the eardrum, helping to identify other potential issues such as infections.
Earwax buildup can obstruct sound waves from reaching the ear, leading to conductive hearing loss which, if left untreated, could become permanent. It’s important to remember that earwax serves a purpose – it “protects your ears from dirt and germs”.
You should avoid using fingers or objects like cotton buds to remove earwax. This can push it deeper and exacerbate any problems.