If sounds have started to feel muffled, or you keep asking people to repeat themselves, it is natural to worry that something serious is happening to your hearing.
The good news is that the cause may be surprisingly simple. The link between earwax and hearing loss is well established: when wax builds up and blocks the ear canal, it may prevent sound waves from reaching your eardrum properly, causing a temporary conductive hearing loss.
At Melbourne Audiology Centre, our audiologists see this every week across our clinics. This article explains how wax affects hearing, the signs to watch for, and what ear wax removal involves.
Exploring the Link Between Ear Wax Build-Up and Hearing Impairment in Summary
- Ear wax build-up may block the ear canal and cause temporary, conductive hearing loss.
- Cotton buds, narrow ear canals and excess wax production may disrupt the ear’s natural self-cleaning.
- Signs include muffled hearing, fullness, earache, itchiness and ringing, often in one ear.
- Unlike age-related hearing loss, wax-related loss may resolve once the blockage is removed.
- Home removal may worsen the problem; Melbourne Audiology Centre offers professional microsuction removal, with hearing tests available in the same visit.
How Ear Wax Build-Up may Cause Hearing Loss
Ear wax (cerumen) is a protective substance made by glands in the ear canal, and hearing loss may occur when too much of it blocks the canal.
The blockage physically prevents sound waves from reaching the eardrum, which is why hearing often sounds muffled rather than distorted. This is known as conductive hearing loss.
Your ears are usually self-cleaning. Jaw movements from talking and chewing slowly move old wax out of the canal, where it flakes away.
This natural self-cleaning process may be disrupted by:
- Naturally narrow ear canals that make it harder for wax to move out of the ear
- Producing more ear wax than average
- Using cotton buds, which often push wax deeper into the ear canal
- Wearing earplugs regularly (for example, when sleeping) which can compact wax over time
Importantly, wax-related hearing impairment often develops gradually, so you may not notice it until one ear feels noticeably ‘fuller’ than the other.
Signs of Blocked Ears and Hearing Loss
Blocked ears and hearing loss caused by wax tend to come with a recognisable cluster of symptoms. Hearing usually drops in one ear more than the other, sounds feel muffled, and the ear may feel full or plugged.
These signs often appear together and may worsen after showering or swimming, as water swells the wax.
Other common signs include:
- Muffled or reduced hearing in one or both ears
- A feeling of fullness, pressure or blockage
- Earache or discomfort
- Ringing or buzzing noises (tinnitus)
- Itchiness in the ear canal
- Your own voice sounding louder or ‘echoey’
Hearing changes should never simply be ignored, because wax is only one possible cause. One in six Australians has some degree of hearing loss, and untreated hearing loss may affect confidence, communication and social participation.
A professional assessment may help identify whether wax, or something else, is behind your symptoms.
‘Many people put off getting their hearing checked because they fear the answer. In reality, the cause may be as simple as ear wax, and finding out early gives you the most options’.
– Katherine Fournaris, BSc, MClinAud, MAudA(CCP)
Ear Wax Hearing Loss Compared With Other Types of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss due to ear wax differs from age-related or noise-related hearing loss. Wax-related loss is usually sudden or fluctuating, affects one ear more, and may improve once the blockage is removed.
Other types tend to develop gradually in both ears and are managed rather than reversed.
Only a proper assessment may confirm which type you have. If hearing does not improve after wax removal, a diagnostic hearing test may help identify what else may be contributing. At MAC if the clinician does not find wax at your wax removal appointment, we will do a quick hearing screen to try and acertain the cause of your symptoms.
Ear Wax Removal at Melbourne Audiology Centre
Professional removal is the best way to address impacted ear wax. At Melbourne Audiology Centre, our qualified audiologists use microsuction, gentle ear wax removal tools, or a combination of both.
Attempting removal with cotton buds, hair pins or ear candles may worsen the blockage and irritate the canal. Ear candles in particular has been debunked as a myth and do not remove wax at all. Professional ear cleaning and ear wax removal is quick, and because our clinics are audiology-led, we may also check your hearing on the spot if the muffled feeling persists.
FAQs About Earwax Blockages
In most cases, no. Hearing loss from ear wax is usually temporary and may improve once the blockage is professionally removed. However, unsafe home removal attempts may damage the ear canal or eardrum, so professional care is recommended.
Wax-related loss often affects one ear, feels like a blockage and may fluctuate. An audiologist may look into your ear canal to confirm whether wax is present and test your hearing if needed.
Dark brown earwax is usually just older wax. It darkens as it collects dust and debris over time, so it is generally not a cause for concern. If it is accompanied by pain, blood or hearing changes, we strongly recommend having your ears checked as soon as possible.
For most people, nothing. Ears are self-cleaning, and wax usually works its way out on its own. However, if wax builds up faster than it clears, it may become impacted, leading to muffled hearing, earache, fullness, or tinnitus until it is professionally removed.
Many people notice clearer hearing immediately after removal. If muffled hearing continues afterwards, a hearing assessment may help identify other causes.
There is no set schedule, as everyone produces wax at a different rate. People who wear hearing aids or earplugs, or who have narrow ear canals, may benefit from more regular checks with their audiologist.
Support for Better Hearing Starts Here
Muffled hearing is frustrating, and it is easy to fear the worst. Yet in many cases, the culprit is simply a buildup of earwax, and hearing may return to normal once it is cleared.
If your ears feel blocked or your hearing has dulled, book an earwax removal appointment at your nearest Melbourne Audiology Centre clinic. Our audiologists may remove the wax using microsuction and, if needed, assess your hearing in the same visit, so you leave with answers, not just cleaner ears.
