What exactly is ear wax?

Ear wax – we all have it, but do you know what it actually is? If not, don’t worry because that’s exactly what this article will delve into. So buckle up and let’s dive deep into the world of ear wax!

The Basics

First things first – let’s cover some basics. Earwax is also known as cerumen, a natural substance produced by our body to keep our ears lubricated and clean. In fact, cerulean means blue-colored in Latin from which word “cerumen” was derived because the original thought was that cerumen appeared slightly blue.

Types of Ear Wax

Did you know there are two types of earwax- wet and dry? Wet wax has a more fluid consistency due to its high lipid (fat) content while dry wax tends to be flaky or pasty in nature. And here you were thinking that your ears only had one type of waxy goodness!

How does Ear Wax work?

So how does something so simple like earwax actually work? When new skin cells grow inside our ear canal (also called meatus), they push old skin cells towards the outer part of the canal where they mix with oily secretions from nearby glands producing this yellowish-brownish goo we call ‘earwax’.

Functions Of Ear Wax

This sticky dome-shaped barrier has multiple functions including:
Lubricating and moisturizing skin inside your ear canal.
Traps dirt, dust particles or other debris settling on our outer-skinned surface stopping permanent damage.
Prevents pathogens such as bacteria/fungi/insects entering inside inner-middle ear damaging delicate hair cells eventually leading to hearing loss.

Now if those aren’t enough reasons for us all to become big fans of hearing ourselves chew, I don’t know what else will convince you!

Why Do Some People Have More Ear Wax Than Others?

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to produce more earwax than others? There are a number of factors involved – age, ethnicity, genetics and environment – are just a few.

Genetics

Some genetic differences play an important role as every person’s body is unique. Some people might have smaller or ‘unusual-shaped’ internal meatus for which the shape directly affects cerumen production allowing wax to get impacted quickly.

Age

As we grow older our glands producing this golden substance tend to become less active leading to dryer skin cells building up causing flaky debris often referred to in medical jargon as ‘keratin buildup’.

How Much Ear Wax Is Too Much?

The amount of earwax produced by your ears per day can vary from person-to-person but more than one gram (roughly equivalent weight) is considered excessive. If the quantity goes beyond moderation then it could cause blockages, moisture gets trapped making it easier for bacteria/fungi/ parasites etcetera.

Signs Of Excessive Earwax

You’ll know if your Eustachian tubes (small passageways between middle & inner ear connecting inside throat)start feeling congested with various signs indicating too much cerumen has built up such as-
Itching in ears.
Fullness sensation deep inside- similar feeling while diving downwards.
Difficulty hearing low-pitched sounds ranging higher frequencies sometimes temporarily lost during minor cold flu infections (measured via Audiometry Test Method).
Tinnitus- ringing sound perception without external source heard mostly during times when near absolute silence present around you (
not necessarily associated only with eurstachian-tube blockage).

If any of these symptoms resonate with you, don’t worry because help (in form of ENT specialist) is at hand and they will suggest safe ways cleaning process via manual fluid/dropper methods or micro suction under guidance.

Can You Remove Ear Wax At Home?

Yes, you can remove excess amounts of earwax at home using cleaning aids like ear-buds (Q-tips), curettes, drops or oil. As a rule of thumb and general advice DO NOT insert sharp objects as it could lead to hearing loss, rapture eardrums eventually leading to chronic infections too.

Earwax Drops And Liquid

Ear-cleaning solutions containing carbamide peroxide/hydrogen peroxide/glycolic acid used for softening wax allowing non-chemical based liquids/drops flow out naturally in turn extracting dirt & debris along respectively from the ears. Sometimes deemed therapies become a part of routine checkups suggested by medical personnel especially if prone towards excessive cerumen buildup.

Cleaning Aids

Cleaning devices such as spoon-shaped silicon / stainless steel loops specially made for gentle removal under guidance on own usage should not be done casually without knowing appropriate techniques as manipulation severely damages deeper inner structures permanently even leading surgeries ranging high risks-rewards situation mostly avoided under any circumstances unless medically necessary determinable with tympanometry method through audiologist help specialists only even severe cochlear malfunction might come up whilst testing .

So please go easy and implement discretion before taking aid methods mentioned above when proceeding yourself or others outside clinics via self-diagnosis (generally avoid considering practical safety precautions whenever near natural entry points).

Conclusion

And that’s all folks – everything you ever wanted to know about ear wax! So next time someone utters those dreaded words ‘I have too much earwax’, you’ll now know exactly how much is considered normal and what measures you can take to keep your ears clean and happy!

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