Earwax: It’s the sticky substance that’s a nuisance to notice but sweet relief to clear out. Think twice before you dig in with a cotton swab or other tool, however. Earwax is a normal, healthy substance meant to keep your inner ear healthy. Along with shielding your eardrums from dust and other debris, it can also prevent invaders from heading into your ear canal — the smell of earwax is a major turnoff to insects. 

Too much earwax, however, can signal health issues, as well as causing problems like muffled hearing. These necessitate a visit to a medical professional for removal. 

How much is normal and how much is too much? Keep your hands where you can see them. When it comes to earwax, we break it all down.

What can cause abnormal amounts of earwax?

While earwax itself is normal, it comes in many different textures, says Dr. Steven Goudy, a pediatric ear, nose and throat physician at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Depending on your genetics, you may have dry, flaky wax or thicker, mushier wax. It’s normal for earwax to be light brown, yellow or orange — and if it gets old, it may appear darker. 

In general, the ear is self-cleaning; hair cells in your ear naturally push small bits of wax out of your inner ear in little bits at a time. If you have an abnormal amount in your passages, experts call that “impacted wax.” 

Excess wax can build up in anyone’s ears. Anything you may put in your ear, like hearing aids or AirPods, can push wax further in. Even using Q-tips to clean your ears out can have the opposite of your desired effect. 

“If I look inside, I’ll see the shape of a Q-tip indented in the impacted wax,” says Atlanta-area audiologist Dr. Meryl Miller. 

Sometimes, injuries or medical conditions can trap earwax in the ear. Eczema, lupus and infectious diseases, such as swimmer’s ear (an infection in the outer ear canal), can cause buildup, either by creating more wax or by preventing wax from exiting the ear. Some people are also born with a bone structure that prevents wax from moving out of the ear canal. 

What can too much earwax do to your ears?

If earwax builds up in your ear, you may not notice any symptoms. For some people, excess wax can create temporary hearing loss. You may feel like you’re underwater, especially if you go swimming or try to use ear drops. “The liquid can get behind the wax and make your ear feel full,” says Miller. 

Sometimes, people with impacted earwax can experience pressure, itching, ringing in the ears or general discomfort, especially if the wax makes it down to your eardrum, though Miller says that’s not very common. In rarer cases, people with extra earwax might get dizzy or feel a sensation of vertigo (like the room is spinning). 

When should you consider earwax removal?

The temporary discomfort of impacted earwax can be annoying, but Miller says it’s usually not an emergency and probably won’t lead to any serious health problems, including permanent hearing loss. That said, being uncomfortable is a good reason to see a medical expert about earwax removal. 

More than one type of doctor can remove wax. Audiologists often do it, and Miller says many primary care providers are comfortable with earwax removal. If not, then either of these providers can refer you to an ear, nose and throat doctor, who will definitely be able to help. 

Providers can remove wax a few different ways. Before they do so, they often will use an otoscope (a kind of handheld microscope) to see the inside of a patient’s ear. 

Your doctor might use a tool called a curette, which is a long, thin handle with a loop on the end, to grab wax from inside the ear, in tandem with alligator forceps, which open and close inside the ear and make it easier to get wax out. 

Other providers like to use water or suction devices to flush out the ears. While the exact method depends on how much wax you have and your provider’s preference, any of these techniques can be safe and effective. Miller warns against at-home methods like Q-tips and ear candling, which can make the problem worse and even rupture your eardrums.

If you’re worried about earwax or experience any other ear-related symptoms. definitely check in with a licensed medical provider. “Ultimately, earwax is normal and nothing to be concerned about,” says Goudy. “But if it does get impacted, then you need to see an ear specialist.”