What are the causes and symptoms of ear wax build-up?

Some people naturally produce a lot of wax, leading to buildup. Wearing a hearing aid can easily stop earwax from flowing out naturally. Using a cotton swab to clean your ear can push the wax farther into the ear canal, where it accumulates and hardens, especially if you have a narrow or hairy canal. Hardened earwax can cause discomfort, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus). It sometimes makes hearing aids malfunction.