How often do you clean your ears? It’s probably not something that we regularly think of! For many of us, cleaning our ears involves grabbing a cotton swab and digging around. Cotton swabs are readily available, and are typically marketed to help you clean your ears.
Rather than helping to clean our ears, cotton swabs can sometimes cause bigger issues. In an attempt to clean your ears, you may in fact be pushing earwax and debris deeper down into your ear canal. Over time, this can lead to more serious problems.
In reality, most of us don’t actually need to clean our ears. Our ears are self-cleaning. Overtime, earwax and debris work their way out of our ears naturally.
However, in some cases, our ears can’t do all the heavy lifting on their own. In these instances, you may need a professional ear cleaning.
What is a Professional Ear Cleaning?
A professional ear cleaning is the safest way to get your ears cleaned. During a professional ear clean, your hearing healthcare specialist will carefully and effectively remove any impacted or excess earwax.
When To Book A Professional Ear Cleaning
You may be wondering when you’ll know you require a professional ear cleaning. It’s generally not something most of us will ever consider! There are a few signs to look out for, that may indicate you need to speak to a professional.
Your Ears Are Blocked
If you feel like your ears are blocked or clogged, you may need to visit a hearing specialist. This could be an indication that you have a build-up of wax in your ear. If you’ve had a feeling of blocked ears for longer than a few days, speak to your local hearing clinic.
Your Ears Are Painful
If you’re experiencing pain and discomfort in your ears, it could be a sign you need a professional ear cleaning. In some cases, the pain could be caused by an infection. In other cases, however, it can be caused by too much earwax.
If your ears are unable to clean the earwax, over time it can harden. This hardened earwax can then push against nerves in your ear, causing discomfort and / or pain.
Your Earwax is Dark
Generally speaking, most of us are familiar with the yellowish color of earwax. If you notice that your earwax is darker than normal, you may need to visit a hearing specialist. Darker earwax can be an indication of further debris. A professional ear cleaning would help to remove this debris.
Your Hearing Has Changed
Conductive hearing loss is a type of hearing loss caused by an obstruction or blockage in your ear. In some cases, earwax can become impacted in your ear. You can help prevent impacted earwax by never sticking items like cotton swabs into your ear canal. Learn more about at-home earwax removal here.
If you’ve noticed that your hearing has changed, it’s time to book a visit with your local hearing healthcare specialists. They will be able to assess your hearing, and determine if a blockage is causing changes to your hearing.
At Hearing, Balance & Speech Center, our hearing care professionals would be happy to give you a hearing assessment. Give us a call on 203-774-5642 to arrange an appointment, or click here to request one online.