Did you know that earwax isn’t actually wax? It has a waxy, sticky texture, which is what gave it its name, but it’s composed of oil, proteins, and debris. The official name for earwax is “cerumen,” and your body produces it naturally. 
What Does Earwax Do?
Earwax lines the walls of the ear canal, serving as a protective coating. Dirt, dust, bacteria and other hazards can damage your eardrum, so your body creates earwax to trap the debris before it can get there. Earwax also moisturizes and protects the soft, delicate skin of the ear canal, preventing it from getting scratched.
What Does the Color of My Earwax Mean?
Earwax has a lifecycle, and its color will reflect where it is in that lifecycle. Newly formed earwax is white or light yellow, and it gets darker in color as it collects debris and dries out, eventually darkening to a dark orange or brown color at the end of its life. However, there are some outlier colors that might indicate something else.
- Red-tinged earwax indicates blood in the earwax. You may have gotten scratched, or there could be some other injury in the ear, such as a ruptured eardrum.
- Green earwax could mean you have an ear infection. Green earwax is often cloudy or runny in texture.
- Black earwax indicates a foreign object or earwax blockage within the ear.
How Should I Remove Earwax from My Ears?
In the earwax lifecycle, it is formed deep within the ear canal and then migrates out to the outer ear, collecting debris as it goes. When it reaches the opening of the ear, it will dry out and fall out of your ears naturally.
You may use a damp washcloth to clean around the mouth of the ear canal and wipe away recently shed earwax, but do not insert a cotton swab into your ear to remove earwax. A cotton swab may remove some earwax, but it will also push older earwax back into the ear canal, causing earwax impaction. Earwax impactions are a common cause of hearing loss or tinnitus. Ear candling can be even more dangerous, so do not attempt ear candling as a removal method. Simply allow earwax to shed naturally.
What Should I Do if I Have Impacted Earwax?
You can treat impacted earwax at home with earwax-softening drops, or you can consult a hearing healthcare professional to have your ears professionally cleaned. Some symptoms of impacted earwax include:
- Muffled hearing
- Feeling of pressure in the ear canal
- Clogged ears
- Tinnitus
If you have any questions about earwax or earwax removal, call Torrance Audiology. We would be happy to explain further.