You may be able to tell if you have ear wax build up because your ear might feel clogged up, and you could even have problems hearing. It's also likely that you might experience some pain in the ear containing excess ear wax. If you have ear wax build up inside either of your ears, you might additionally be able to see the wax just outside your ear. Even though ear wax is generally thought to be beneficial, it can cause problems when it becomes impacted inside the ears because it typically hardens at that point and may be difficult to remove.

If your ears feel clogged up, similar to when you are driving or flying at high altitudes, ear wax build up might be your problem. You might even have the sensation of something being lodged inside your ear that you can't quite remove. When the ears feel clogged up due to travel at high altitudes, the sensation can typically be relieved by swallowing or blowing air through the nose. If you attempt these things and your ears still don't unclog, excess ear wax may be the problem. It's important to note that sometimes a cold or allergies can cause fluid build up inside the ears, which might also create the clogged up sensation, and if you have any cold or allergy symptoms, you may not actually have ear wax build up.

Excess ear wax might also cause problems with your hearing. If your hearing seems muffled on either side of your head and you are also experiencing the clogged up sensation inside your ear, there is a possibility you have too much ear wax in your ears. In most cases, hearing returns to normal as soon as excess ear wax is removed. You might also experience pain in the ear with ear wax build up, similar to what you may feel when you have an earache. Pain relievers might help you manage your ear pain until you can have the ear wax removed.

You might want to consider looking in a mirror to check if you can see ear wax coming out of your ears. If you can see the ear wax and you are also experiencing ear pain or a clogged up sensation inside your ears, it is likely that you have ear wax build up. You probably need to see a doctor rather than try to get the ear wax out yourself. Sometimes the use of Q-tips and other items meant for cleaning out the ears actually push wax further back inside the ears, doing more harm than good. A doctor can most likely remove the ear wax build up without causing any further damage to your ears.