what is the purpose of earwax?
108841
Earwax (cerumen) is made by glands in the outer part of the ear canal and helps maintain a healthy ear. The purpose of this sticky substance is to act as a shield to prevent dust, dirt and other substances from entering the ear canal. Earwax also helps maintain the ear canal's acid balance and protect the ears from infection. Fresh earwax is soft and yellow while older earwax is brown or black, even resembling blood. The wax may also be dry, appearing white and flaky. Every day or two, earwax may be noticeable at the opening of the ear canal. If left alone, the wax will fall out or may be cleaned safely from the outer ear with a soft washcloth.\n\nSome people's ears produce an excessive amount of earwax or do not self clean very well which causes a build-up of earwax. Hearing aid users must be alert to a build-up of earwax, because the earmold of a hearing aid acts like a dam, preventing the wax from moving out of the ear canal. A major cause of hearing aid problems is earwax plugging the hearing aid. If excess earwax gathers in the ear canal, it acts like an earplug, blocking sound vibrations entering the ear and causing a hearing loss. \n\nAn ear can also get plugged up with earwax when fingers or objects are used to clean the ear canal. The finger or object may push earwax deeper into the ear canal and compact it. The inner portion of the ear canal lacks oil glands, so the compacted earwax is no longer coated with oil and hardens. This may cause a sudden loss of hearing or ear pain. In such situations, a healthcare provider should remove earwax. Removal of an earwax blockage will reverse the hearing loss and pain that it has caused. \n\nNever try to remove earwax yourself with any type of instrument, such as a cotton tipped swab, car key, bobby pin, toothpick or high- pressure water spray. Such tools often cause injury to the ear canal and can perforate the eardrum. They may dislodge the small bones in the middle ear behind the eardrum. They can even damage the inner ear, causing permanent hearing loss. \n\nA healthcare provider can teach you to safely remove earwax buildup. But, it is important to be examined first to be sure it is not a different problem. Because the inner ear is so delicate and can be easily damaged, hardened wax should only be removed by a healthcare provider. They may recommend the use of a wax-removal medication if earwax buildup is a frequent problem. \n\nIf you are concerned about excessive earwax or a change in hearing sensitivity, contact your provider.
523351
Q-Tips are not recommended for use inside the ear because they will push the wax further into the ear canal and ear wax actually serves a barrier to infection.  Removing may lead to an infection.  There are products like Swimmers-Ear or Auri-Dry that aid in drying out water from the ear.  Most of the products are alcohol based gels.  You can get similar results from using plain rubbing alcohol and instilling a few drops into each ear after bathing.  Ear plugs can be used, but similar to the Q-Tip can cause problems with ear wax.
896524
You might think i am crazy, but i work at a hospital and we have a lot of people who can not afford medications. we tell them to use one part vinegar, one part peroxide, and one part water. mix and use a eye dropper to put a drop or two in your ear. it will naturally help the ear wax come out of your ear and help dry up any fluid build  up you may have. worth a shot anyways.
407261
Yes, it tends to compress the ear wax and turn it into a hard lump, which can then get pushed further down your ear canal by the Q-tip. Also, the sensation of the Q-tip rubbing on the skin of the ear can cause the ear to produce more wax. One way to get cleaner ears is actually to clean them LESS! \n\nAn Audiologist who lectured me at university said that the skin of your ears moves from the inside of the ear outwards as it grows so it naturally brings all the wax out with it, and using Q-tips etc to clean the ear worked contrary to this. He reckoned you just needed to wash the outside of the ear, and not put anything into the ear canal itself.\n\nIf you have REALLY waxy ears, you might need your doctor to syringe them, or get ear drops from a pharmacy that dissolve the stuff and let it drain out.
1118992
For my son, I put peroxide in his ear and let it sit a few minutes and have him sit up with a clean paper towel to his ear to catch all of the stuff coming out.  Then, I turn him over and do the same for the other ear.  You may have to repeat a few times.  I always get wax from his ear.  He says the feeling is weird and makes him feel dizzy from the fizzing, but it does clean his ears.  When I am done, I put a few drops of rubbing alcohol in his ear to dry it out.  Not saying this is for everyone, but it works for us.  When I looked this up, I saw different views on this.
490694
There are several ways, but first You should go to a Chemist and get some drops that soften the earwax as it can be quite hard. You can go to your local GP after a few days of this being used and have your ears syringed. You can also do it naturally with ear candles which are available from most health food shops. The larger ones are better.These are called hopi ear candles. There are also people out there that do ear candling for you, these are better candles and it works really well.
566964
The hospitals use hydrogen peroxide. Lay down, put a little in your ears. The bubbles may make it feel a little uncomfortable but just let it set. Once it's been in there a few minutes, turn over on your other side onto some napkins. It will melt the wax.\n\nedit: dont use olive oil like the below recommends. It can accumulate bacteria and cause an ear infection.
291389
I wouldn't.  Not only are they ineffective, they're dangerous.  Several cases of burnt inner ears from dripping wax are reported every month.  Most middle ear infections fix themselves, and even when you do need a bit of cleaning, warm water does the trick.  It does NOTHING at all to help your ears, and only poses a risk.  Don't use them, and don't provide them.  They are only a risk.  Several producers are now dealing with regulatory actions against, and some manufacturers in Canada have been banned from marketing them.  They can not be sold in Canada, but some people do still as "entertainment purposes" and the FDA warns they should not be used.
1130433
check into getting your ears candled.  it is painless and you will be amazed at a) what comes outta there and b) how much better your hearing is.\n\ncandling is really a simple procedure, it is just a paper tube that is coated in a waxy material, it is placed into your ear canal and lit, as it burns down, it draws the ear wax up into the tube.  It is much more effective at getting your ears cleaned than a q-tip that actually will push some of the wax further down into your ear.
64836
Yeah, i'm pretty sure that a big build-up of earwax makes it a little harder to hear. Long-term though it has serious side effects that can lead to permenantly damaged hearning, it clogs up the works to far down for you to clean out, not good stuff.
521040
Causes of itchy ears:\n\n1. Dry ears are itchy:\n\nA normal ear has a thin layer of natural body oil. Some ears produce no ear wax which results in dry and itchy ear skin. Sometimes people compulsively clean their ears and dry them out by removing the natural wax. Dry ears tend to accumulate flakes of dry dead skin.\n\nFor people who just lack ear wax, occasional insertion of a few drops of vegetable oil can be helpful. For people who compulsively clean out their ears, we advise scheduled appointments for ear cleaning, usually every 6 months, and avoidance of use of 'q' tips, or similar instruments in between. \n\n2. Skin problems in the ear:\n\nSkin diseases such as allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis can cause itching in the ear just as they do elsewhere. These are treated in the same way that they are treated elsewhere in the body. Generally they are diagnosed by otoscopy (looking inside the ear). Steroid creams are used in persons with allergic skin diseases affecting the ear. \n\n3. Psychological disturbances causing ear itching:\n\nSometimes people get very nervous and start to scratch themselves. This can also occur in the ear. This is likely an amplification of normal sensation that the person would otherwise ignore. \n\nTreatment:\nGeneral principles are to avoid aggressive cleaning and keep the ear dry. A few drops of a vegetable oil such as olive oil every day or two may help keep the ear from getting too dry and also protect it from water.
385318
No, it doesn't.\n\nI did a test one time.  Putting the candle in your ear, you get all that gunk inside (after you pull it out).\n\nSo, this time, I took a candle, wrappred my hand around it, and got the same gunk.\n\nDoes not work.  Do not waste your time.\n\nGet mineral oil to soften if (for about three days) and then use warm water with a "turkey" baster for example, and the ear wax should come out.
497556
Ear wax is a sticky liquid secreted by cerumen glands, found only in the skin of the ear canals.  It traps foreign things that enter the ear canals. Dirt, small insects, bacteria, etc. are immobilized by the wax.  Ear wax protects your ear from foreign materials.
132021
because. it \n1)helps chapped lips \n2)gives us something else to put on when were bored \n3)looks cute \n4)its shiny, enough said!\n5)smells/tastes good
693850
To protect their ears from damage and possible deafness and to avoid eye injury from flying debris...:D
3451
First of all, when dealing with biology, you should never BELIEVE that there is a PURPOSE for anything. This sort of thinking evokes the notion that this structure was disigned to do something. Biological structures evolve into their present form because that form is more fit than any of the alternative forms that came before.\n\nAs for the outer ear (the visable portion that protrudes from the side of your head) the function they provide is as a condensor to collect and concentrate energy waves that are able to be decifered by our inner ear and brain as sound.
649566
Do you like it funny funny stuff.\n\nThe sticky stuff we call ear wax isn't related to the paraffin wax that candles are made of. Ear wax is secreted by cerumen glands in the skin of your ear canals. \nThis substance is part of your ear's natural cleaning mechanism. Dirt, bacteria, and even insects that might fly into your ears are trapped by the wax so the foreign materials don't harm your eardrum. The dirty wax slowly slides out of your ear canal and takes the gunk away. Sometimes ear wax builds up and causes hearing problems that require a doctor to remove the blockage. \n\nPeople produce different types of ear wax. Studies have found two kinds -- dry wax, which has about 20% lipid (fat), and wet wax, which has 50% lipid. The latter variety can be harder and lead to buildup. \n\nSome people simply create more ear wax than others. Their ear canals may be narrower and more easily blocked or at an angle that makes it hard for wax to fall out. Hairy ear canals can obstruct the process, too. As people age, more ear wax may build up. Even working in dusty environments can cause dirt to get stuck in the ear and lead to blockages.