The condition of earwax can tell us a lot: about the work of the body, about the quality of hearing, about the functioning of the endocrine and genital glands. The ear canal is covered with small hairs, in other words, cilia. They prevent dirt and dust from penetrating further. Ear sulfur also contributes to this. Possessing remarkable bactericidal properties, it delays all litter coming from the external environment and pushes it out. In addition, the dead epithelium is also removed from the ear canal. At the moment when a person is talking or eating, earwax itself is removed from the ear. The structure of the auricle contributes to the process of self-excretion of accumulations of secretion. Therefore, the ear does not need any special cleansing procedures. All that is needed is to periodically rinse the auricle with warm water from the outside.
The use of cotton swabs for cleaning is undesirable. In this way, you can only compact the sulfur more densely, and as a result forms a cork. Using sharper objects, you risk damaging the eardrum. If you suspect that you have sulfuric plugs, it is best to contact an otolaryngologist. There, using a special antiseptic solution, you will rinse your ear.
The reasons why sulfur can be poorly excreted from the ear canal can be different: a tortuous or narrow auditory canal, excessively thick sulfur, ear trauma and others. Only a doctor can identify them reliably. Each of these causes can lead to plugging.
Do not be upset if you think that your earwax is formed in large quantities. Its excess can not serve as an alarming symptom of a health disorder. Rather, it can be regarded as a physiological feature. Nevertheless, if this happens, you need to consult an experienced doctor, perhaps in this case you just need to go through the cleaning procedure more often. But do not try to conduct it at home, the results can be disastrous, especially when it comes to children.
It happens the other way around: earwax disappears and practically does not stand out. This is an occasion to immediately visit the ENT office, as it indicates a violation of the ear glands. In the inflammatory process, sulfur becomes liquid and begins to liberate abundantly. Ear pains appear. And in this case, a doctor is needed.
A healthy person should have a tan earwax. Its composition is a combination of fats, proteins, mineral salts and free fatty acids. A certain proportion of proteins are immunoglobulins that perform a protective function. Sulfur glands are located in the outer ear. Their number reaches 2000, and each month they emit from 12 to milligrams of sulfur. Its pH is 4-5 and prevents the development of fungal and bacterial flora. The composition of earwax is supplemented with sebum, dead epithelium, and dust particles. The physiological function performed by sulfur is to protect and moisturize the skin of the external auditory canal.
If you notice that her color has changed, you should think about the reasons for what is happening. Black-brown can simply say that a lot of dirt has accumulated in it. But black sulfur in the ears is clearly an alarming sign. And it is best to pass the material located in the external auditory canal to the study of microbial flora. Some types of fungal infection of the outer or middle ear can be characterized by a black coating due to the content of black films or spores in them. This disease (otomycosis) can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as severe itching, fullness of the ear, hearing loss, and even pain. Such a diagnosis is common among residents of the tropics and subtropics, among others in a period of high humidity, as well as among those who wear hearing aids or undergo radical mastoidectomy.
The full purpose of earwax is not fully understood. It is believed, for example, that when sweating, this secretion begins to emit odors that play the role of pheromones. Here is an unexpected property.
But whether it serves to moisturize, to cleanse, or even to attract the opposite sex, one thing is certain - sulfur is necessary for the ears. And its presence in sufficient quantity along with timely elimination indicates the normal functioning of the ear glands.