Dr. Navid Taghvaei has been a resident of Arizona since 1988. He conducts very complex individual and group technical training courses and activities involving new and existing developments in the areas of audiology, products, software, and technology. Dr. Taghvaei has extensive clinical experience in pediatric and adult hearing instrument and cochlear implant fitting, programming, and rehabilitation.

Earwax is not Wax

Earwax, also called cerumen, is not actually a wax. In fact, it is a compound comprised in part, of dead skin cells which are shed from your inner ear, almost constantly. The auditory system is very complex, delicate and is constantly renewing itself. As dead cells drop off, they are pulled in to produce earwax.

However along with dead skin cells cerumen includes secretions from two glands —, the ceruminous and the sebaceous glands. The ceruminous gland is a sweat gland located just outside the auditory canal. The sebaceous glands are found over the entire surface of the body except the palms, soles and dorsum of the feet and excrete oil which aids in the lubrication of the skin. The combination of these glands is comprised of fatty acids, squalene, alcohols, and cholesterol mixed with dead skin cells to create earwax.

Earwax Protect Your Ears

One of the most important roles that cerumen plays is creating a waxy barrier throughout the auditory system. The auditory system is very fragile, and a small tear or break can quickly lead to an infection, which can put your hearing health at risk. Earwax lubricates the skin throughout the ear canal and is also antimicrobial, protecting it from bacterial infections before they can begin.

Not all Earwax is the Same

There are at least two different classifications for cerumen: wet and dry. Anthropologist have used earwax to track different groups of people’s movements throughout history. Wet earwax is most common. It’s a sticky tacky substance seen in Caucasian and people of African descent. Dry wax is found in individuals with East Asian descent, such as Japan or Korea but also those of Native American heritage.

Earwax Cleans the Ears

The more we explore around earwax the more essential we find it is. All day long we collect dirt and debris everywhere we go. Think about all the dirt floating in the air. Some of it is bound to find its way into your ear. Imagine earwax as a conveyor belt of sort which is constantly using its stickiness to your advantage. Cerumen collects the dirt and moves it to your outer ear where it can easily be wiped away with a wet cloth. When the eardrum beats or the jaw moves, earwax is sent towards the outer ear, and cleaning the whole way along.

You Need Just the Right Amount

Too much earwax can cause it to build up and block the ear canal. This can cause conductive hearing loss, which is a hearing loss in which a blockage impedes sound from reaching the brain. However, not having enough earwax can be just as much of an issue.

Not enough earwax can lead to itchy dry ears, prone to infection. Earwax is a natural lubricant for the ear canal so it’s important to avoid trying to over clean your ear and let your earwax do what it most often does on its’ own.

It’s Possible to Clean Earwax Out Safely

When your ears feel like they have a lot of earwax in them, it’s tempting to want to clean earwax out using a cotton swab. The danger in this is that it can cause more issues and increase the likeliness of a more severe impaction. You may also risk damaging the ear drum or other fragile micro functions of the inner ear. A good rule of thumb is to never insert anything into your ear, smaller than your elbow. There are times when earwax can become impacted at home this is best treated by taking a hot shower. You can sometimes try a few drops of mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide to loosen ear wax, hours ahead of time. A hot steamy shower will soften a impaction of earwax and ideally will allow it to exit the ear canal where you can just wipe it away. However, there are instances where home remedies don’t fix the problem, and these should always be treated by a specialist.

Screening for Hearing Loss

A hearing loss can be due to an impaction of earwax but there are many other causes. To get to the root of all your hearing issues, schedule a hearing exam with us today.

All About Earwax