Eight lifestyle habits that could be affecting your earwax build-up

Did you know that some aspects of your lifestyle can cause earwax? Genetic factors can also play a part, too. Here are a few of the things to look out for, to help prevent earwax build-up.

1. Alcohol – drinking too much alcohol makes your ear absorb more fluid and increases blood flow, which can lead to an ear infection, tinnitus and overproduction of wax
   
2. Smoking – the dangerous chemicals found in cigarette smoke (formaldehyde, benzene, arsenic, vinyl chloride, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide), may affect your hearing and damage hair cells in the ear. Smoking also causes pressure build-up in the middle ear, which can result in the over-discharge of earwax, hearing loss and infections
3. Headphones/Earbuds – earwax may build up over time if you wear earphones frequently, because they stop the wax from coming out of the ear canals naturally, leading to a blockage
4. Cleaning – if you use cotton buds, ear candles or other implements, these can prevent the natural pathway of wax out of the ear. Earwax may also be pushed down into the canal, where it could become stuck and press against the eardrum
5. Environment – if you live or work in a space that’s prone to dust accumulation, your earwax may trap more of these dirt particles, which leads to an increased amount being produced
6. Family history – genetics may also play a part in your ear health so if your parents experienced earwax issues, there’s a chance that you may, too!
7. Anatomy – narrow, small or hairy ear canals can cause wax to build up and lead to wax impaction, as it’s harder for the ear wax to work it’s way out naturally
8. Age – as we get older, the self-cleaning mechanism of our ears may not work as well. Your earwax will start to become dry and will be more likely to become compacted and trapped in the ear canal

Remember: Never put anything in your ears to try and remove earwax. It’s dangerous to insert small sharp objects into your ears and can also make problems with build-up worse, as the wax gets pushed further into your ear canal.

To find out more about our safe, endoscopic earwax removal service, visit our earwax removal page. 

To book an ear wax removal appointment or for more advice please call 01223 661 399.