If you wear hearing aids, you probably pay more attention to your earwax than most people. You clean it off your hearing aids, watch for buildup that could affect sound quality and make sure it doesn’t clog your speaker. But did you know you can gain some insight into your health from your earwax?
What Is Earwax?
Earwax isn’t actually wax; it gets its name from its waxy, sticky texture. The purpose of earwax (also called cerumen) is to protect the ear by catching dust, germs and other debris. These molecules could impede or damage the eardrum, but instead, they get stuck in the earwax lining the canal. Additionally, the skin in the ear canal is very thin and delicate. The layer of thick earwax can help prevent scratches.
Earwax is produced deep within the ear canal and slowly moves outward to the opening of the ear, where it sheds naturally at the end of its life.
What Does the Color of My Earwax Tell Me?
Yellow
Yellow earwax is healthy, newly produced earwax. Antimicrobial proteins and oil are secreted by glands inside your ear and combine to form earwax. Earwax of this color is likely to be found deep in the ear canal, so you may not see it.
White
White earwax, like yellow earwax, is healthy, new and found deep in the ear canal. This color is less common, as it only occurs in people who lack a chemical associated with body odor.
Orange
Earwax starts as yellow or white and gets darker as it ages, collecting dead skin cells and debris. Orange earwax is older, and the color indicates that it’s doing its job.
Brown
Dark orange or brown earwax is the oldest, and this is the color you’ll notice most often. Like orange earwax, it gets its dark color from collecting dirt inside the ear. It may still have some stickiness, but brown earwax is typically dry and flaky, so it can fall out of your ear naturally.
Green or Cloudy
This color is usually a sign of an ear infection, much like how the mucus in your nose turns green when you have a sinus infection. Green earwax may also have an unpleasant smell and a runny texture. Ear infections typically go away on their own, and the earwax will return to its normal yellow to brown coloring once the infection has cleared up.
Red or Dark Brown
If your earwax is red or red-tinged, it indicates blood in the ear. There are several causes for blood in earwax, ranging from a small scratch to an ear infection to head trauma. A ruptured eardrum could also be a cause for blood in your earwax. Depending on the cause of blood in the ear, you may need to consult a healthcare professional.
Gray or Black
Dark-colored earwax indicates a blockage or buildup in your ear. The dark hue is the result of the earwax’s age; it has dried out completely. On its own, this color of earwax isn’t a cause for alarm, and you may be able to resolve the blockage using at-home treatments like earwax softening drops. However, if you’re also experiencing hearing loss or muffled hearing, dizziness, fever or pain in the ear, you should consult a healthcare professional right away.
What Does the Amount of Earwax Tell Me?
Some people naturally produce more earwax than others. For many, it’s simply a matter of genetics, and they possess a gene that prompts their ears to produce more earwax than others. People with a lot of hair in their ears or abnormally formed ear canals will also produce more earwax.
There are also environmental factors that can influence earwax production. Stress and fear can make earwax accumulate faster, as can ear infections, especially if they are chronic.
Finally, the presence of hearing aids can lead to earwax buildup, as the hearing aid can impede the natural passage of earwax to the outer ear. This is also true for earbuds. It’s important to clean your hearing aids regularly to prevent earwax from affecting your hearing aids, and it’s a good idea to take your hearing aids out at night, which will allow earwax to move outward. Also remember to bring your hearing aids in for maintenance and cleaning.
Generally speaking, there is no “too much” earwax. Earwax overproduction is not a cause for concern.
A Note on Earwax Removal
As mentioned, earwax moves naturally from the inside of the ear to the outside and falls out naturally at the end of its life. It is unnecessary to clean your ears with your finger or a cotton swab. In fact, you should never insert anything into your ear. Doing so could push earwax back into your ear and cause buildup and impaction, or damage the eardrum. If you have a buildup, there are over-the-counter earwax softening drops or you can visit a doctor for an easy earwax removal procedure.
If you have any questions, contact Bangor Audiology.