Symptoms

• Typically, earwax problems occur when the body produces too much earwax or when earwax becomes impacted in the ear. Symptoms include partial hearing loss, ringing and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
  
  

Treatment

• You can try one of several remedies if you are having problems with excess earwax. A simple at-home treatment to soften the wax is to place a few drops of mineral oil or baby oil in the ear. If that doesn't work, try irrigating the ear canal using a rubber syringe filled with water. You can purchase an at-home kit at a pharmacy, or have your doctor remove the wax for you.
  
  

Warnings

• Never use a cotton swab to remove earwax. You'll risk pushing the earwax in further, making the impaction worse. Cotton swabs are a common cause of impaction, not a treatment. You also risk puncturing the ear canal and damaging it permanently.