Northern Hearing Health | The Northern Hearing Health Centre

What is ear wax and, when is it a problem?

Cerumen is a naturally occurring substance of the external auditory canal. It is usually asymptomatic, but when it becomes impacted it can cause complications such as hearing loss, tinnitus, aural fullness, pain and dizziness.
Cerumen can also clog the microphones or receivers of a hearing aid, which can affect performance, sound quality, and patient acceptance.
The most common cause of impaction is overproduction coupled with attempts at unsuccessful removal
The use of hearing aids, earphones, and earplugs may cause stimulation of cerumen glands, leading to excessive cerumen production. Patients who use these devices are at higher risk of impaction