It's a normal hygiene procedure to clean our ears once every few days. However, all of us know that ear wax (Cerumen) has a protective function and can indicate the state of our health.
With the help of a few tips, you can check the color of your ear wax.
In this article, we will explain what it means. But before we begin, what exactly do you know about the human ear? It's an important body part that allows people to hear what's going on around them. Right? But also so much more. The ear is much cleaner than you probably thought.
Ear wax is not a body waste to get rid of regularly. Quite the contrary. It's a kind of protection; it keeps the ear canal lubricated, therefore preventing the ears from itching.
Moreover, it prevents different pollutants from entering the inner part of the ear. Even more surprising, the substance (Cerumen) has antibacterial properties.
Our body is a clever mechanism. Did you know that when we chew, the movement pushes ear wax to the outer part of the ear? This way your ear is self-clean.
And now let's see how your ear wax can indicate the state of your health.
If your ear wax is gray without any other symptoms, there's nothing to worry about. It may look pretty unusual and scary but it is probably just dust. This color of ear wax is a regular thing for City dwellers because the air in the city is rather polluted. If you notice such a color, your ear wax succeeds in protecting your inner ear from anything that isn't supposed to enter the ear canal. However, if along with the wax of such a color you feel itchiness, have dry or cracking skin inside the ear canal, there's a threat of Seborrheic eczema. Visit your doctor immediately!
Older ear wax can be darker having an appearance similar to blood. However, if you notice traces of blood when cleaning your ears, it can indicate that your eardrum is perforated. And it's already a serious ground for concern. The Eardrum functions as a natural barrier that prevents germs and bacteria from entering your inner ear.
In case of its damage, your ears can be affected by infections, which can lead to Otitis and consequently to the worsening of your hearing. That's why it is better to visit your doctor and take some precautions. Careful enough in such a situation, there is no reason to panic –an eardrum with a rupture heals on its own perfectly well. Just give it a few weeks.
Do you know where ear wax is produced? The organ responsible for that is the Apocrine gland.
If the ear wax discharged is excessive and of darker colors, this can indicate they your body has gone through a very stressful time. The thing is that this is the way how Apocrine glands react when you are afraid or anxious. You can compare it with sweating when you feel uncomfortable or nervous. That is why if you have noticed such changes in the body ear wax, you should try to spend a few days in a calm and peaceful environment.
Black ear wax? Sounds truly terrifying! No cause for alarm though. If it happened only once, there is nothing to worry about. It might just indicate that it has been an inhabitant of your ear for quite a long period. This phenomenon has a scientific explanation. Ear wax contains fats. When they interact with oxygen, the substance darkens. And the longer it stays in the ear –the longer it is exposed to oxygen –the darker it becomes. However, if your ear is itchy, and the itching becomes stronger, you should visit a doctor. In this case, the black color of the ear wax might signify a fungal infection.
Dry and flaky ear wax is a quite common type. It can indicate the presence of the recessive gene. By the way, there is always a tendency that the body of people with such type of ear wax has less odor than that of people with dark ear wax.
What's More?
Almost 100% of people from Korea and Northern China tend to have dry, light ear wax.
If you're not one of those born in the places aforementioned, the white color of your ear wax can signify that there's a lack of vitamins and microelements inside your body, especially Iron and Copper. This is why it is recommended to add beans to your diet. It wouldn't harm to take a course of vitamins as well.
If there's a strong unpleasant smell coming from your ear wax, it can signify an infection inside your middle ear, and eardrum that is ruptured, or compacted ear wax.
Another might be water trapped in the ear channel. It can lead to inflammation or bacterial infection. Apart from the smell, you might also hear a noise or swelling that makes your ear pop from time to time. If you have these systems, don't hesitate and visit an ENT doctor.
Never try to take out smelly ear wax on your own. If you start digging in your ear that is already infected, with a pointed object, you will worsen the situation. It can turn out as bad as a ruptured eardrum!
From time to time ear wax leaks out from the ear canal. It is a natural mechanism of ear cleaning performed by your body. But if the amount of the substance is overabundant, or the consistency of your ear wax gas changed recently, it can indicate the start of the inflammation process. If on top of that there's some blood leaking out as well, there's a great chance of your eardrum being perforated. If so, there's time to make an appointment with a specialist.
the easiest explanation for ear wax dryness is the lack of lean fats inside your body. Apart from that, the reason could be dermatitis and other skin diseases, which can make your skin dry.
Anyway, except in extreme cases, ear wax isn't the reason to succumb to panic. However, you may start to worry in case of a blockage or an impaction of the ear canal.
To see the doctor if you have the following symptoms:
The feeling of strange fullness in your ear or a plugged-up feeling;
>The pain in your ear;
>Unpleasant odor or itching;
>The feeling of your ear "ringing";
>Impaired hearing or disease of hearing sensitivity;
>Coughing.
All these signs can indicate a serious problem of wax impaction.
CARE OF THE EAR
However, doctors can dissolve all your worries. That's why don't procrastinate, and make an appointment.
If your ear tends to produce a big amount of ear wax creating a buildup, you can take some preventive measures yourself. It is effective to use agents softening the wax. They can be mineral or ear drops. It is enough to put a few drops of these substances into your ear once a week to soften the ear wax and help it to come out faster and with ease.
Another way to take care of your ear is to buy a special At-home kit for their irritation, following the instruction and precisely step by step.
HOW TO PREVENT ANY EAR PROBLEM
1.Don't put pointed objects into your ear canal. They will do nothing more than push the wax further inside the ear. What's more?
It can result in trauma caused to the wall of the canal or the eardrum.
2.Say no to ear candles. This practice of alternative medicine is used to claim that lighting one side of a hollow candle and putting the other side into the ear canal makes overall health better. So, just stay clear of that. It is dangerous.
MOST INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YOUR EARS
1. The inner ear is responsible for the equilibrium of your body. If it gets damaged, the individual experiences a never-ending feeling of "merry-go-round". It may sound fun for the first 5 minutes, then it turns into a nightmare.
2. Your ear functions even when you're sleeping. It keeps picking up sounds. Why don't you wake up then? The brain blocks the noises out to let your body rest, perhaps those who cannot be woken up even if you fire a canon in the next room have a very caring brain.
3. Your ears are hairy from inside! We aren't pulling your leg! The inner part of your ear is covered with more than 20 thousand hair cells.
They have a critical role – These cells transmit sound to the brain.
Hopefully, this article has answered a couple of questions you might have had.
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I've learnt a lot from this article. Little things matter the most, so that a slightest negligence could result in a huge complication that couldn't be resolved.
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