Ear wax cleans and protects the ear canal by trapping dust and germs.
What it does
Earwax (cerumen) traps dust, dirt and germs. It lubricates and protects the canal skin.
Self cleaning
Jaw movement slowly moves wax outward.
Don’t
Use cotton swabs deep in the canal. They push wax in.
When it is a problem
Blockage causes muffled hearing, ringing or fullness. A doctor can remove it.
Types
Wet (yellow, sticky) or dry (gray, flaky), set by genes.
Cerumen
Earwax (cerumen) is made by glands in the outer ear canal. It combines secretions with dead skin cells and hair. It traps dust, dirt and bacteria, repels water and has antimicrobial properties. It also keeps the skin of the ear canal moisturized.
Self cleaning
Jaw movement from chewing and talking slowly moves wax from the canal to the opening, where it dries and falls out or is washed away. Most ears do not need cleaning inside.
Do not
- Do not use cotton swabs in the ear canal, which push wax deeper and can injure the eardrum. Cotton swabs cause many ear injuries each year; the American Academy of Otolaryngology notes about 12,500 children are treated annually for cotton swab injuries in the US.
- Do not use ear candles. The FDA warns that they are ineffective and can cause burns and blockage.
- Avoid sharp objects.
Types of wax
Wet (yellow-brown, sticky) and dry (gray, flaky) wax types are determined by a gene (ABCC11). Dry wax is more common among East Asian populations, and wet wax among people of European and African ancestry.
Impaction
About 1 in 10 children and 1 in 20 adults have impacted earwax. It affects 30% of older adults and people who use hearing aids or earplugs. Symptoms: muffled hearing, a feeling of fullness, earache, ringing or dizziness.
Safe removal
- Soften with a few drops of mineral oil, baby oil or over the counter drops (carbamide peroxide) for a few days.
- Irrigate gently with warm water using a bulb syringe, unless you have a perforated eardrum or ear tubes.
- A doctor can remove wax with suction, irrigation or a curette.
See a doctor if
Pain, drainage, fever, hearing loss, or if you have ear tubes or a perforated eardrum.
Why the ear makes wax
Earwax (cerumen) is produced by glands in the outer ear canal and mixes with dead skin cells and hair. It traps dust and microbes, repels water and has mild antibacterial properties. The canal is self cleaning, since jaw movements from chewing and talking move old wax toward the opening. There are two types, wet (yellow to brown and sticky) and dry (gray and flaky), and the type is inherited, with dry wax more common in people of East Asian descent.
Impaction and safe removal
The American Academy of Otolaryngology estimates that cerumen impaction affects about 1 in 10 children, 1 in 20 adults and as many as one third of older adults. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness, muffled hearing, ear pain, itching and ringing. Do not use cotton swabs, hairpins or ear candles, which push wax deeper and can injure the eardrum. Safe options include softening drops such as carbamide peroxide or mineral oil, followed by gentle irrigation, or removal by a clinician with a curette or suction. See a doctor if you have ear pain, drainage or hearing loss, or a history of a perforated eardrum.
Based on data from the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the Mayo Clinic
