Earwax (technical term: cerumen or cerumen) is a yellowish-brownish, greasy, bitter secretion which originates from the glands of the external auditory canal. These glands are modified sweat glands and are also called Glandulae ceruminosae or apocrine, tubular bulb glands. They exist in all mammals and serve to cleanse the auditory canal.
A moist secretion is secreted from them, which absorbs dust, dirt residues, dead skin cells, etc. and thus facilitates the removal, and also contains substances such as fats and e.g. the lysozyme. These substances keep the auditory canal supple and maintain its acidic environment, which serves to ward off bacteria, fungi and insects.
If the pollutants in the ear are bound in the secretion, the cilia (kinocilia) in the auditory canal can more easily remove the mixture by moving outwards. Despite its not very appetising appearance, earwax is therefore not only considered an unaesthetic evil, but fulfils a not unimportant function. If this protective function is lost through excessive removal during personal hygiene or, for example, through frequent swimming, this can lead to earache and ear infections. There are two genetically determined forms of earwax in humans, the most common, moist form, which occurs in about 97% of all Europeans, and the dry form, which occurs in only about 3% of Europeans.
Overproduction and constipation
In some people, overactivity of the ball glands occurs. This is regularly accompanied by a blockage of the auditory canal, which is perceived as unpleasant, a so-called ceruminous plug is formed. Depending on its size and consistency, this plug can “clatter” back and forth or block the auditory canal by manipulation or pronounced size, which leads to temporary hearing impairment.
In this case, patients are recommended to visit their ENT physician regularly at intervals of approx. 3 months. The ENT specialist can extract the plug using various techniques, usually either by suction, in which case the plug is sucked in and removed using a thin tube, by pulling it out with a small hook or by rinsing it with water at body temperature.
