Why Do I Have So Much Earwax? (2024)

Excess earwax can be caused by skin conditions like eczema or when the ear canal is irritated by things like earbuds or hearing aids. The buildup of earwax may also occur as you get older when earwax is generally drier and harder, or simply because your ear canal is narrow. Improper cleaning can also cause earwax to become impacted (jammed) in the ear canal.

When earwax is impacted, it can cause itchiness, coughing, dizziness, ringing in the ear, and a significant loss of hearing. You may be able to remove the earwax at home, but you may be better served to see a healthcare provider if there is any discomfort or hearing loss.

Learn why you may suddenly have so much earwax, ways you can safely remove it, and when it is time to see a healthcare provider.

Why Do I Have So Much Earwax? (1)

Function and Types of Earwax

Earwax is a waxy substance comprised of secretions in the ear canal. These include substances called cerumen (secreted by specialized sweat glands known as ceruminous glands) and sebum (a skin oil secreted throughout the body by sebaceous glands).

Ear wax protects the outer ear canal from dirt, insects, bacteria, and other harmful agents. It also repels water and keeps the ear canal moist and free from dryness and cracking.

Earwax also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Studies show that a healthy amount of earwax may decrease your risk for ear infections like otitis externa.

What Causes Excessive Earwax?

Typically the body removes earwax through the action of chewing or talking. Jaw movement causes the earwax to move from your inner ear towards your outer ear.

However, certain conditions can cause the excess production of earwax and/or the impaction of earwax in the ears. Chief among them is the type of earwax you have.

These include:

  • Wet earwax: This is the typical type of earwax that has a higher lipid (fat) content.
  • Dry earwax: This is a type with a lower lipid content due to a reduced number of ceruminous glands.

Dry earwax can be problematic as it is less able to cling to the walls of the ear canal. Instead, it may start to clump as sebum glues it together with dead skin and debris.

Other causes and risk factors for earwax overproduction and impaction include:

  • Genetics: Eastern Asian people are genetically predisposed to dry earwax.
  • Older age: Sweat gland and sebaceous gland production tend to slow with age, increasing the likelihood of dry earwax. Hair in the ear canal also tends to become coarser, trapping earwax.
  • Younger age: Babies and small children have shorter and narrower ear canals, increasing their vulnerability to impaction.
  • Abnormal ear anatomy: This includes benign bony growths such as osteomas that can block the movement of wax from the ear.
  • Improper ear cleaning: Using objects like cotton swabs can push earwax further into the ear canal, increasing the risk of impaction (and possibly damaging the ear canal or eardrum).
  • Hearing devices: Over time, objects like earbuds and hearing aids block the migration of earwax from the ear canal, leading to impaction.
  • Skin conditions: Eczema is an inflammatory condition that can cause increased earwax production. It also causes the shedding of skin cells that can mingle with earwax.
  • Hidradenitis suppurativa: This is a condition that causes inflammation of the sebaceous glands, leading to skin infection, skin dryness, and dry earwax.
  • Stress: Anxiety, fear, and stress are linked to increased earwax production due to the release of the stress hormone cortisol which stimulates sweat glands.

Some people produce more earwax than others for no apparent reason, referred to as idiopathic cerumen overproduction. In cases like these, earwax buildup tends to be recurrent.

Excess Earwax Symptoms

Earwax blockage can cause the following symptoms:

  • Earache
  • Hearing loss
  • Feeling like your ears are plugged
  • Ear itchiness
  • Persistent cough
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Dizziness

Removing Excess Earwax

About 12 million people get treated for excess earwax every year in the United States.

There are several ways to remove earwax at home, including over-the-counter ear drops containing mineral oil, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, and saline (salt) solution.

Rinsing of the ear canal can be done with a rubber bulb syringe purchased at most drug stores. Use only lukewarm water. If cold water or water that is too warm is used, it can cause vertigo (a sensation that the world is spinning around you).

However, if you have pain or significant hearing loss, you should contact a healthcare provider. Similarly, if your child has excess earwax, see a pediatrician rather than trying to remove it yourself.

Earwax should only be removed if you have symptoms. The three methods of earwax removal by a healthcare provider include:

  • Cerumenolytic agents: These ear drops, often containing carbamide peroxide, soften earwax so that it can be easily washed out of the ear canal.
  • Ear irrigation: This involves squirting liquid in the ear canal to gently flush out earwax and debris.
  • Manual extraction: This is typically done by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist using a lighted scope and specialized tools.

If left untreated, excessive earwaxcan cause impaction symptoms to worsen. These include hearing loss, ear pain, dizziness, and tinnitus. A buildup of earwax can also make it difficult to see inside it ear during a physical examination, which can lead to the misdiagnosis of a middle ear problem

What Not to Do

You should never try to remove earwax with the following methods:

  • Ear candling (a special candle designed to pull wax out of the ear canal)
  • Cotton swabs like Q-Tips
  • Inserting objects like a paper clip into your ear
  • Using a water flosser, like a WaterPik, to irrigate the ear

The Danger of Q-Tips

Risks of Earwax Removal

Removal of earwax is relatively safe if performed with a healthcare provider. However, rare complications may occur, including:

  • Allergic reactions (in response to certain cerumenolytic agents)
  • Earache
  • Bleeding
  • Ear infection
  • Ear pain
  • Temporary hearing loss
  • Ruptured eardrum
  • Dizziness or vertigo (spinning sensations)
  • Tinnitus

Preventing Earwax Buildup

The following measures may help prevent the buildup of earwax. However, you should speak with your healthcare provider before trying them, especially if you have a history of ear problems:

  • Dip a cotton ball in mineral oil and place it in the outer ear canal for 10 to 20 minutes per week.
  • Avoid wearing earplugs or hearing aids for eight or more hours at night.
  • If you tend to have frequent earwax buildup, consider having a routine ear cleaning done by a healthcare provider every six to 12 months.

Summary

Earwax is a protective substance in the middle ear. Excessive earwax may be caused by the shape of a person's ear, genetics, stress, inserted devices, and hairy ear canal hair. Older adults are also more likely to have larger amounts of earwax.

Symptoms of excess earwax may include a cough, hearing loss, ear pain, itchiness, or tinnitus. To treat earwax impaction, it's best to see a healthcare provider. They may use ear irrigation, cerumenolytic ear drops, or manual extraction tools to remove the earwax safely.

10 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Mittal A, Kumar S. Role of pH of external auditory canal in acute otitis externa. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014;66(1):86-91. doi:10.1007/s12070-013-0684-0

  2. Shibuya Y, Morioka D, Nomura M, Zhang Z, Utsunomiya H. Earwax of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: a retrospective study. Arch Plast Surg. 2019 Nov;46(6):566–571. doi:10.5999/aps.2019.00290

  3. Horton GA, Simpson MTW, Beyea MM, Beyea JA. Cerumen management: an updated clinical review and evidence-based approach for primary care physicians. J Prim Care Community Health.2020 Jan-Dec;11: 2150132720904181. doi:10.1177/2150132720904181

  4. Ezure T, Amano S, Matsuzaki K. Aging‐related shift of eccrine sweat glands toward the skin surface due to tangling and rotation of the secretory ducts revealed by digital 3D skin reconstruction. Skin Res Technol.2021 Jul;27(4):569–575. doi:10.1111/srt.12985

  5. Hou X, Wei Z, Zouboulis CC, Ju Q. Aging in the sebaceous gland. Front Cell Dev Biol.2022;10:909694. doi:10.3389/fcell.2022.909694

  6. Wright T. Ear wax. BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0504.

  7. Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al. Clinical practice guideline (update): Earwax (cerumen impaction). Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491

  8. University of California, Los Angeles/UCLA Health. 6 things you need to know about earwax removal.

  9. National Eczema Society. Ear eczema.

  10. Adegbiji WA, Alabi BS, Olajuyin OA, Nwawolo CC. Earwax impaction: symptoms, predisposing factors and perception among Nigerians. Family Med Prim Care. 2014 Oct-Dec;3(4):379–382. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.148116

Why Do I Have So Much Earwax? (2)

By Kristin Hayes, RN
Kristin Hayes, RN, is a registered nurse specializing in ear, nose, and throat disorders for both adults and children.

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Why Do I Have So Much Earwax? (2024)

FAQs

Why Do I Have So Much Earwax? ›

Some people regularly get blocked ears because they naturally produce a lot of earwax. Other causes include: producing naturally hard or dry earwax. having narrow or hairy ear canals (the tube between the opening of the ear and the eardrum)

What causes increased ear wax? ›

Some people regularly get blocked ears because they naturally produce a lot of earwax. Other causes include: producing naturally hard or dry earwax. having narrow or hairy ear canals (the tube between the opening of the ear and the eardrum)

Is having a lot of earwax healthy? ›

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Remember, earwax on its own isn't bad. It cleans your ears and keeps them from getting infected. However, if earwax builds up, it can cause issues like irritation, itchiness and hearing loss. It's only safe to clean the outside of your ears and to use drops or water to soften earwax.

Is it good to remove ear wax? ›

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, as long as the ears are functioning properly, people should not be trying to remove ear wax, and should leave it alone. For the vast majority, ear wax does not cause any problems and there isn't a need to remove it.

What dissolves ear wax immediately? ›

If the aim is to completely break down the wax, waxsol, peroxide 3% or a sodium bicarbonate solution (which can be prepared by your local pharmacist) is effective.

How to unclog ear wax? ›

If earwax buildup continues, you may need to visit your health care provider once or twice a year for regular cleaning. Your health care provider may also recommend that you use earwax-softening agents such as saline, mineral oil or olive oil. This helps loosen the wax so that it can leave the ear more easily.

How to flush ear wax? ›

You also can try hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal amount of room temperature water. Place 2 drops of the fluid, warmed to body temperature, in the ear two times a day for up to 5 days. Once the wax is loose and soft, all that is usually needed to remove it from the ear canal is a gentle, warm shower.

Why did a black ball come out of my ear? ›

Sometimes it can be other colors, including dark brown or black. Black earwax is rarely cause for concern. In many cases, black earwax is just a sign your ear has earwax buildup. It may also mean your ear doesn't naturally remove earwax as well as it should.

Is ear wax removal painful? ›

Earwax removal usually is done in the doctor's office. There might be a little discomfort but it isn't painful. If a child can't sit still or cooperate, the doctor can remove it in an operating room while the child is under general anesthesia.

What is black earwax? ›

Black earwax indicates a buildup, or impaction, of earwax or a foreign object in the ears. You can try to soften the wax with eardrops from Ray's Pharmacy in Alexandria, but if this doesn't help, see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician to have it professionally removed.

How far can ear wax go? ›

The wax will most often make its way to the opening of the ear. There it will fall out or be removed by washing. Wax can build up and block the ear canal.

How to massage ear wax out? ›

Position yourself comfortably, either sitting or standing. Place your index and middle fingers behind your earlobe, near your ear's base. Apply gentle pressure and engage in slow, circular motions to help dislodge the earwax. While massaging, integrate some earlobe tugging.

What is earwax made of? ›

Earwax contains mostly sebum — dead skin cells and hair combined with a number of different substances, including: Keratin. Cholesterol. Long-chain fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated).

How to reduce ear wax production? ›

It is not possible to reduce the amount of ear wax you produce or to widen your ear canals. However, there are ways to reduce the incidence of wax build-up, including: Avoid cleaning the ear canals with cotton buds or fingertips, as any object poked into the ear can compact the wax and cause damage to the ear canal.

What foods cause ear wax? ›

Consuming dairy products such as milk, eggs and cheese in high quantities can lead to the excessive production of earwax in your ear canals. This is because dairy foods contain lactose. Dieticians have also noted a link between milk and earwax, but mostly for people who are lactose intolerant.

Does a lot of earwax mean ear infection? ›

Symptoms of earwax buildup can also be signs of other conditions, including ear infections, allergies, a cold or the flu. And even if your earwax is gray or black, it doesn't necessarily mean that you need to get treatment for impacted earwax.

References

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