What is ear wax?

How does ear wax affect hearing aids?

Hearings aids are a life line. Ensuring ear wax is managed is so important as excess ear wax will impact the effectiveness of hearing aids. In my experience with hearing aid users, often a whistling or squealing sound can be the result of sound rebounding of the wax build up. This is unpleasant and a sign you have a wax build up. 

Why do our ears become impacted with wax?

Although ears self clean, we do tend to like using cotton buds or other objects to  attempt to clean our ears. This can actually cause wax to be pushed further into the ear canal. This creates the potential for ear wax build up that becomes impacted.  

Some people also produce excessive ear wax, more in fact than is needed. Ear wax can become sticky or dryer than is normal. People who use headphones to listen to music, headsets for work/gaming or earplugs to get a good night sleep can all be affected. This can starve your ears of oxygen causing wax to produce much faster.

We are all different as are our ears can have narrow or hairy canals which can mean ears are more likely to block easily. Age can mean our ears become drier and people who regularly have water enter the eardrum and moisture can mean the earwax expands. 

Why can impacted ears affect Dementia?

Hearing loss caused by impacted ear wax can in our experiance worsen confusion, frustration and withdrawal in people with dementia. Restoring hearing can improve their communication, social interaction and awareness of surroundings.

People with dementia may not be able to explain their discomfort or blocked ears. Impacted wax can cause a sensation of fullness, tinnitus or even pain, leading to restlessness or agitation.

Blocked ears can also affect balance and spacial awareness increasing the risk of falls which are already a major concern in dementia care.

When individuals can hear better, they are more likely to engage in conversations, follow instructions and participate in activities, improving their overall quality of life.

How often will I need ear wax removal?

Everyone’s ears are different and it completely depends on your individual case to how often you will need ear wax removal. Some people may rarely need removal where as others may produce a large amount of wax and need help to remove more frequently.