If you have a ringing in the ears, earache or vertigo it’s important to visit your healthcare provider to ensure you don’t have an infection. Some infections may be resolved on their own, while others might require medication.
Sudden hearing loss is also something that should be addressed as soon as possible. It could be a sign of an earwax impaction or something more serious.
1. Earwax Blockage
A buildup of earwax (known as cerumen impaction) is one of the first indications you need to have your ears cleaned. Earwax is a healthy, natural substance that helps protect your ears from dirt and debris. However, if your ears produce too much earwax or the earwax is pushed deeper into your ear canal, it may cause hearing loss or other problems.
It is best to leave the cleaning of earwax to a healthcare provider. Using objects like cotton swabs and bobby pins to clean your ears can actually push the wax deeper into your ear. Instead, a doctor can use a lighted instrument called an otoscope to remove earwax from the ear canal. In addition, routine ear irrigations are a great way to prevent earwax blockage. They are quick, easy, and safe. Your healthcare provider can also recommend a prescription medication to prevent earwax impaction.
2. Swimmer’s Ear
Many people link swimmer’s ear to a dunk in the pool or ocean, but it can happen anywhere water or moisture gets trapped in your ear canal. When that happens, germs settle in, causing an infection.
Swimmer’s ear is a painful condition called otitis externa. It’s most often caused by activity that traps water in your ear canal. This allows bacteria and fungi to grow, causing an infection.
To diagnose the problem, your healthcare provider will do a physical exam. They may also use a lighted tool called an otoscope to see inside your ear. They might also recommend ear drops that contain antibiotics to fight the infection and medicine to reduce swelling of your ear canal. These are usually given several times a day for 7 to 10 days. You may need to keep your ears as dry as possible during that time.
3. Irritation
Irritation is an emotion that seems to affect everyone. It’s what the writer Melville calls a ‘generalised mood’, and compared to anger, it is a feeling that has weaker bonds with its objects.
While it may be normal to experience irritability occasionally, if you’re constantly feeling irritable and annoyance, it’s time to talk to a mental health professional. If you are unable to manage your symptoms through self-help techniques, a doctor will be able to prescribe you medication and talk therapy.
In addition to a mental health diagnosis, your doctor will also perform an exam and run lab tests to rule out any medical conditions that could be causing your irritability. They’ll also advise you on lifestyle changes that could help ease your symptoms. They may recommend sleep, diet and exercise to get your feelings under control.
4. Dark Earwax
Earwax varies in color and consistency from person to person and is perfectly normal. If your earwax is dark in color, this indicates that it is older and has accumulated a lot of debris.
In a healthy ear, the glands inside your ear canal continuously produce earwax and it slowly makes its way out of your ear canal over time. As it moves through the ear canal, it picks up bacteria and dirt, which causes the earwax to harden and turn darker as it becomes older. Hearing aids or earplugs can also push earwax back into the ear canal, which causes it to become dried out and eventually darken. This is not a sign of infection and is typically nothing to worry about. However, it is important to have your earwax examined to ensure that it is leaving the ears properly.
5. Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a common sign that you need to see an ear, nose and throat doctor. You should seek care if you have trouble understanding people when they talk, your ears feel full or sound muffled, or you have difficulty with high-pitched noises like doorbells and ringing telephones. An earwax removal in Aberdeen might also help your case.
Loud sounds can damage the tiny hairs in your inner ear that turn sound vibrations into electrical signals for the brain to interpret as sounds. Long-term exposure to loud noise can lead to permanent hearing loss.
If you’re experiencing sudden onset hearing loss, visit an emergency department immediately. This type of hearing loss can be an indication of a serious problem like a stroke or head injury. It can also be a side effect from certain medicines, such as the antibiotic gentamicin and sildenafil (Viagra). Also, certain health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease can cause hearing loss.
6. Clogged Ears
A clogged ear is an indication that it’s time to see an otolaryngologist. They will ease the symptoms and may test your hearing. This initial evaluation will also help to determine the cause of your clogged ears, such as changes in atmospheric pressure, eustachian tube dysfunction, ear infections or fluid, foreign objects or earwax.
Clogged ears are not something you can resolve on your own at home, especially if the problem is caused by a impacted earwax. Sticking cotton swabs in your ear canal can actually pack wax in rather than remove it. Using a saline mist or nasal spray can help loosen and dislodge earwax, but if the problem persists, you should seek medical attention. An otolaryngologist can use various prescription ear drops to treat your clogged ears. These can include antibiotics, steroid drops and antifungal drugs.
7. Clogged Ear Canal
If you feel a clogged or blocked feeling in your ears, it’s important to seek medical attention. This may be due to changes in pressure, ear infections, water in the ear canal, or even excessive wax build-up.
Your inner ear contains a system of fluid-filled canals and sacs that detect movements and position in space, sending signals to the brain that allow us to balance and move around with ease. If this system is disrupted, it can cause dizziness and imbalance.
While you may hear a lot of advice on the Internet about how to clean your ears, otolaryngologists advise against regularly using cotton swabs. They can push wax deeper into the ear and potentially cause physical damage to your ear canal. Use a soft cloth to gently clean your ears when they feel dirty, but never stick anything into your ear canal.
8. Clogged Eardrum
If the feeling of fullness in your ears doesn’t go away or is accompanied by pain, dizziness or fluid discharge, it’s important to seek medical attention. This can indicate a serious problem with the ear canal or eardrum.
Changing atmospheric pressure can cause your ears to feel clogged or “pop.” This is normal, but extreme changes may injure the eardrum. Earwax blockage or infections can also contribute to the feeling of fullness in your ears.
If you have a feeling of fullness in your ears, try swallowing, yawning or chewing. Over-the-counter decongestants and sinus sprays can also help. If these methods don’t work, see an ear, nose and throat doctor to manually remove earwax. They have specialized tools to do this safely. This will eliminate a buildup of earwax and relieve symptoms quickly. They can also advise you on ways to avoid future blockages.
A clogged eardrum is an indication that you need professional attention because it can affect your hearing. It is typically a temporary problem and can be treated at home or in an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor’s office, depending on what is causing it.
Blocked ears are common, and they can be caused by a variety of things. However, they can also be a sign of something more serious like sinus infections or COVID-19, which require immediate medical attention. Unpleasant symptoms can include ear pain, itching, muffled sounds and vertigo — the feeling that you are spinning. Using cotton swabs to clean blocked ears can cause physical damage and should be avoided at all costs. A visit to a medical expert can provide a more comprehensive diagnosis and better treatment options. They may prescribe a steroid or antibiotic that will clear up the issue in a day or two.
9. Clogged Eustachian Tube
The Eustachian tube runs from the middle ears to the back of the throat and is responsible for regulating pressure in the ears. When the tube becomes blocked, ear pain and muffled sounds can occur.
Usually, the Eustachian tubes open when you swallow or yawn to equalize pressure on each side of the ear drum. However, the tube can become blocked by sinus or throat problems, allergies and ear infections. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness in the ears, ringing in the ears or hearing loss.
Often, Eustachian tube dysfunction resolves on its own without treatment. However, if symptoms last for more than two weeks, a doctor will ask about your history and examine the ear canals and ear drums, nasal passages and back of the throat. Treatments can range from medications and home remedies to balloon dilation for adults.
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