7 Signs You Need to Clean Your Ears

When did you last clean your ears?

And before you ask, sticking a cotton bud into your outer ear doesn’t count (because it does more harm than good) No. When did you last use an ear cleaner to maintain your hearing health?

If you’re scratching your head and wondering who bothers with ear cleaner, then you’re doing your hearing health a disservice. The quick, simple act of correctly maintaining a clear ear canal is of huge benefit in both the long and short term. Not convinced? Here are seven reasons to clean your ears.

1.    Muffled hearing

Are you always asking people to repeat themselves?

If the TV volume is cranked up getting or people mumble more, perhaps your hearing is to blame. With common things being common, the explanation may be simple, such as your ear canal is plugged with wax.

This latter is especially likely if you use cotton swabs. These push wax deeper and compact it, hence creating your very own wax earplugs.

Sometimes impacted wax needs professionally removing so that you can continue taking care of things for yourself. Also, if shifting the wax doesn’t improve your hearing then the audiologist is perfectly placed to run a hearing test and diagnose the nature of the problem.

2.    Itchy ears

Impacted wax interferes with the clever mechanism in the ear canal for clearing out dust, debris, and bacteria. In turn this makes infection more likely. When your ears are uncomfortable and itchy, this could be a sign of a physical problem within the ear canal. If the problem is mild then try a recommended ear cleaning product. But if you have pain then check with a physician or have an audiologist examine the ear canal.

3.    Earache when flying

Altitude changes cause a shift in air pressure across the eardrum. Swallowing helps to balance this pressure and stop painful earache. If however the ear canal is plugged with wax this makes the adjustment more difficult. It is sensible to clean your ears prior to flying, to aid your comfort on a flight.

4.    Wearing ear defenders or muffs

Ear defenders keep the ear canal warmer than usual, and in response more wax is produced. This then needs regular removal.

5.    Plugged earmolds

If you listen to music via earplugs or use a hearing aid, from time to time you’ll find the earplugs block with wax. To prevent this, get into the habit of once monthly ear cleaning.

6.    Hearing aid whistles

If your hearing device whistles annoyingly, then consider it might not be a fault with the aid but feedback caused by ear canals plugged with wax.

7.    Tinnitus or ringing in the ears

Some cases of tinnitus are caused by wax build up in the ear canal. If you suffer from tinnitus then your audiologist will clean your ear canal, before doing further tests.

Remember, clean ears aid healthy hearing.