An NHS doctor, who is known for sharing medical advice on TikTok, has highlighted a surge in patients presenting with a common ear problem.
Asif Ahmed is urging anyone experiencing ear pain, a persistent ringing noise, or a diminished hearing ability to “get checked”. According to Dr Ahmed: “You could need your ears checked and possibly micro-suctioned.” He noted that many people suffer from impacted earwax, which can be quite painful.
Earwax typically exits the ear canal naturally, but when it accumulates, professional help might be necessary. A build-up of earwax can lead to tinnitus, which manifests itself as ringing in the ears.
This ringing might be soft or loud, high or low pitched, and it may be intermittent or continuous. It can be heard in one ear, both ears, or inside the head and can resemble various sounds including buzzing, hissing, throbbing, roaring, clicking, or humming, reports the Mirror.
The NHS lists several causes for earwax accumulation, such as ear canals that are narrow, damaged or have lots of hair. There could also be skin condition responsible for the block or you could be suffering with inflammation of your ear canal (known as otitis externa or ‘swimmer’s ear’)
Other signs of excessive earwax include:
- Hearing loss
- Earache
- Feeling of fullness in the ear
- Itchiness in the ear
- Dizziness
- Cough
- Odor or discharge in the ear
- Pain or infection in the ear
Another telltale sign that something is wrong is feeling wobbly. The ears play an important role in maintaining our sense of balance, and blockages due to wax can disrupt this.
Dr Ahmed reassures that the procedure to clear blocked ears is “very simple” and sometimes takes just a few minutes, but it must be performed by a professional. A doctor, audiologist, or well-trained nurse performs the procedure to remove earwax using a specialist microscope and suction device that is carefully inserted into the ear to extract the wax.
According to Dr Ahmed, patients usually feel “instantly better” after the procedure as the ringing in their ears stops and any pain subsides. Clearing an ear blockage also allows doctors to examine your eardrum more effectively and identify other potential issues such as infections.
If your wax isn’t naturally falling out then you could need a doctor to help flush out your ear canal
(Image: Getty)
Earwax build-up can obstruct sound waves from reaching the ear, resulting in conductive hearing loss. If not addressed, this could lead to permanent hearing loss.
It’s important to note that earwax formation cannot be prevented as it serves to “protect your ears from dirt and germs”. You should avoid using your fingers or objects like cotton buds to remove earwax as this could push it deeper into the ear and exacerbate any existing problems.