Earwax blockage and Symptoms

Earwax blockage occurs when earwax (cerumen) accumulates in your ear or becomes too hard to wash away naturally.

Earwax is a helpful and natural part of your body's defenses. It protects your ear canal by trapping dirt and slowing the growth of bacteria. It's not known why some people experience earwax blockage or why earwax blockage often occurs in only one ear.

If earwax blockage becomes a problem, you or your doctor can take simple steps to remove the wax safely.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of earwax blockage may include:

• Earache
• Feeling of fullness in the affected ear
• Ear noise (tinnitus)
• Decreased hearing in the affected ear