Below is a general guide to help you learn more about earwax (also known as CER u men). While this doesn't cover all aspects of earwax, it should answer most common questions.
What is earwax?
The glands produce earwax (also called CER u men) in the outer part of the ear canal. Earwax is produced by your body to help your ear stay healthy. The purpose of this sticky substance is to act as a shield to prevent dust, debris from guest posts, and other materials from entering your ear canal. Earwax also helps maintain the balance of acids in the ear canal and protects the ears from various infections.
A popular myth about earwax is that it is a sign of poor hygiene. This couldn't be further from the truth! Earwax inside the ear canal is not only normal, it is essential for proper ear health. Your ears are constantly cleaning themselves by slowly moving earwax and debris out of the opening of the ear canal. Most of the time, you will not be aware of this cleaning process.
Can earwax become a problem?
Fresh earwax is soft and yellow. Older earwax is brown or black and may even look like blood. The wax can also be dry, white and flaky. If you have a darker kind, or it looks like blood, you may want to see a specialist to make sure it's not a more complicated problem.
Too much earwax in the ear can cause discomfort. If excess ear wax collects in the ear canal, it can act as an ear plug; it blocks sound vibrations entering the ear and causes mild hearing loss.
What causes excessive earwax buildup?
No one knows for sure why some people have problems with earwax and others don't. Older people tend to have more problems than younger adults. People with coarse, wiry hairs in their ears seem to have more trouble. This occurs more often in older men.
Some people may have a problem in only one ear, others with both or neither. If you use a hearing aid, you should pay special attention to the excessive accumulation of earwax. The ear mold of the hearing aid can act as a dam to prevent the free movement of wax from your ear canal.
Your ear can also become impacted (clogged) with earwax if you use items to clean the ear canal. The object can push the earwax deeper into the ear canal and compact it. The compacted ear wax then hardens and can cause sudden hearing loss or ear pain.
Never try to remove earwax from the ear canal yourself. Objects such as cotton swabs, car keys, needles, toothpicks, matches, or high-pressure water sprays are dangerous tools for removing earwax. These ear cleaning devices often push earwax further into the ear canal towards the eardrum.
If these objects come into contact with your eardrum, they can injure your ear canal and puncture your eardrum. They can also damage the small bones in the middle ear behind the eardrum. They can even damage the inner ear and cause permanent hearing loss.
How is earwax buildup treated?
There are safe ways to remove earwax if it is causing pain or hearing loss. You can use baby oil, mineral oil, or special ear drops to soften the earwax. This may be enough to slowly work the excess wax out of the ear. The wax will fall out or can be safely cleaned from the outer ear with a washcloth.
Your healthcare provider can remove earwax that is still causing problems. They may use irrigation (ear washes), a curette (a small spoon-shaped instrument), or suction.
Your healthcare provider may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist for earwax removal if you have:
Chronic ear disease.
A punctured or ruptured eardrum (now or in the past).
Only one ear with good hearing, and that ear is the ear that accumulates earwax.
If your ear is repeatedly affected by earwax, you will likely need to see an ENT specialist regularly.
How can I take care of myself?
If there is no blockage, it is best to leave the earwax alone. Remember that earwax is essential to protect the ear. It does not mean that your ears are not clean.
If you have problems with earwax build-up, you can help by following these steps:
Do not attempt to soften earwax if you have earaches, cold symptoms, or if you have ever had a punctured eardrum.
Do not insert any objects (such as cotton swabs or pencils) into your ears to try to clean them.
See your healthcare provider if you experience pain or discomfort in one or both ears, or if you notice a change in your hearing.
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