How Do I know If I have a Hearing Problem Or Need an Ear Cleaning?
Loss of hearing can be due to a number of issues, however, making sure you are keeping your ears clean is a simple way to ensure that your hearing loss is not due to blocked ears. Here are some common signs that you may be due for a professional ear cleaning, or if you may need a more in-depth audiology appointment.
Signs You May Need an Ear Cleaning
Remember, there is only so much you can do at home and going to see a professional audiologist for your ear concerns is always recommended.
1. Hearing Strange Noises
One of the first signs of excess ear wax can be the hearing of strange noises. Ringing in the ears, also known as Tinnitus, could be one of them. While you may think that wax buildup can impair hearing, it may also cause you to hear noises that others don’t hear.
2. Irritation in Ears
If there is any ear pain, or irritation, it can often be a sign of excessive ear wax. Ear wax can harden and then press up against nerve endings in the ear canal. An experienced audiologist will need to use specialized tools to be able to give you a safe ear cleaning and offer relief from the discomfort.
3. Dark Ear wax
We are all used to seeing ear wax being a yellow color, however, if you are seeing wax that is darker or more brown, there may be other debris or bacteria in the ear canal. Darker ear wax may also be a sign of aged ear wax. A professional cleaning will be able to properly flush anything in your ear canal out.
4. Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can result from any of the above signs due to impacted ear wax. Generally, if the hearing loss is sudden, it typically means you need an ear cleaning done by a professional audiologist. If you’ve noticed signs of hearing loss over the years, there is the possibility of long term hearing loss unrelated to needing an ear cleaning. It is best to schedule an appointment with your audiologist as soon as possible. Learn more about hearing loss.
When To See An Audiologist
Audiologists aren’t going to use cotton swabs that can end up compacting wax further into your ear canal. Instead, there are special tools and devices that can be used to properly clean your ears. It is best to schedule an appointment with an audiologist like Dr. Srour at either EarSpa or Your Home Audiologist to fully determine the causes of your hearing loss. A simple ear cleaning may be able to properly resolve the issue or there could be some other underlying reason for your hearing loss.
Only an audiologist using the proper tools will be able to diagnose the true reasoning behind any hearing loss you may have. Sometimes a simple ear cleaning is all that is needed, while other times hearing loss may be attributed to other reasons, and hearing aids or implants may be the best way to get you hearing well again.
Before and after pictures of blocked ear canals causing hearing issues. A simple ear cleaning was all that was needed to help these patients hear better.
