That plugged-up feeling. Muffled sounds. The sense that someone turned down the volume on everything around you. Before you assume it's hearing loss, consider a much simpler explanation: earwax buildup. It's one of the most common things we treat, and fortunately, one of the easiest to fix.

Earwax Is Actually Doing You a Favor

Most people think of earwax as a nuisance, but it's there for good reason. It traps dust and debris, fights off bacteria, and helps push dead skin cells out of the ear canal naturally. Under normal circumstances, your ears are remarkably good at cleaning themselves.

The trouble starts when that process gets thrown off. Some people produce more wax than others. As we age, wax tends to get drier and doesn't travel out as easily. And if you regularly use earbuds or earplugs, you may actually be pushing wax deeper into the canal without realizing it. Once it builds up enough to become impacted, you'll notice muffled hearing, a full or pressured feeling, sometimes itching or mild discomfort.

What isn’t helping your earwax situation

Reach for cotton swabs when your ear feels blocked? You're not alone, but you're not helping either. Swabs don't pull wax out. They push it deeper and pack it tighter. We regularly see patients whose buildup was made significantly worse by well-meaning swabbing. In some cases, it leads to a scratched ear canal or, worse, a perforated eardrum.

Ear candles are another popular home remedy that simply doesn't deliver. The idea sounds reasonable, but studies have shown they don't actually remove earwax, and holding an open flame near your head carries obvious risks.

When your ear feels blocked, doing something feels better than doing nothing. We understand that. But the wrong move can turn a minor issue into a medical appointment that could have been avoided entirely.

How We Safely & Gently Remove Earwax

At Sioux Falls Audiology Associates, Dr. Norgaard begins every earwax removal appointment the same way: by taking a close look inside your ear with an otoscope. The amount of wax, how deeply it's impacted, and the condition of your ear canal all factor into which method is right for you.

There are three approaches we use depending on what we find:

1. Manual removal uses small and specialized tools called curettes to carefully extract wax, particularly effective for firmer buildup near the opening of the canal.
2. Irrigation flushes out wax with a gentle stream of warm water. Most patients find it painless, though the sensation feels a little strange the first time.
3. Microsuction offers the most precision. A low-pressure suction device paired with a magnifying scope gives Dr. Norgaard a clear view and careful control throughout the process. Many patients find it the most comfortable option of the three.

No single method works best for every ear. That's exactly why we look first and decide second.

Hearing Aid Wearers Should Pay Attention

If you wear hearing aids, earwax is especially worth staying on top of. It's one of the leading causes of device problems — clogging receivers, blocking microphones, and muddying sound quality in ways that can easily be mistaken for a malfunctioning device. If your hearing aids have been sounding off lately, it may be a wax issue rather than a hardware problem.

Dr. Norgaard offers service plans that combine routine earwax management with hearing aid maintenance and prescription updates. Addressing both together means fewer surprises and better, more consistent hearing over time.

When to Come In

You don't need to wait until things get bad. If your ears feel full or stuffy, your hearing seems muffled, or your hearing aids aren't performing the way they should, that's reason enough to schedule a visit. A single appointment is usually all it takes to clear things up completely.

At Sioux Falls Audiology Associates, Dr. Mandy Rounseville-Norgaard brings more than 15 years of audiology experience and a genuine commitment to helping patients feel comfortable and heard in every sense of the word. Earwax removal is a quick, straightforward procedure, but it makes a real difference in how you experience the world around you.

Call us at 605-306-3050 or stop by our office at 4948 E. 57th Street in Sioux Falls to schedule your appointment. You'll probably wonder why you waited as long as you did.