Several factors can interfere with this natural clearing process. Because of these beneficial aspects of cerumen, the clinical practice guideline recommends against removal of non-impacted cerumen. In addition to the cleaning purpose of cerumen, its natural acidity provides some protection against bacteria and fungi and helps to prevent infection. This process involves migration of skin cells facilitated by movement of the jaw that occurs during chewing. There is a natural mechanism where the cerumen migrates from deeper in the ear canal out to the opening where it can be swept or wiped away. Its consistency can vary dramatically from wet and sticky to dry and crusty. Ĭerumen is a naturally occurring substance that is composed of oils secreted from skin cells in the ear canal mixed with shed skin cells and debris. It is such a common problem that the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery developed a clinical practice guideline related to cerumen initially published in 2008, it was updated in 2017. It is estimated that around 12 million people seek medical care for impacted cerumen annually in the United States alone. That being said, occlusion from ear wax is one of the most common ear-related problems for which patients see clinicians. Accordingly, most people do not need to worry about cleaning their ears. Candle-sized accumulations are an exaggeration, but ear wax (technically called cerumen) can build up in large amounts in the ear canal leading to symptoms such as itching, fullness, or hearing loss.įor most of us, cerumen is not a problem to be dealt with but rather a part of the ears natural cleaning mechanism. We have all seen cartoons where a character pulls enough wax out of their ears to make a candle. With ear wax removal being a core part of ENT and audiology services, Seth Schwartz gives us his dos and don’ts.
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