Too Much Earwax

We are all well aware of earwax that annoying, sticky, sometimes smelly stuff that can seep out of our ears. Medically known as CERUMEN, earwax is maily composed of cerumen (a type of wax) and sebum (a type of oil), to say nothing of more than 40 other substances including dead skin cells. There are actually two types of earwax, wet and dry, and the type we have is genetically determined.

If you sometimes find earwax on your pillow, it is most likely a healthy sign that your ear is self-cleaning. Earwax protects our ears from water, fungus, and a host of germs. It also traps dust and dirt that routinely enter our ears or even the occasional stray fly, ant, or other tiny unwanted creature. But if your ear is turning out gobs of wax, it may be a weird warning sign that you are on a diet that is too low in fat.

Excess earwax can also be a telltale sign that you are overzealously cleaning out your ears. Ironically, aggressive cleaning can cause your ear to become impacted with wax. And putting an inflexible object in your ear, such as a cotton swab or even your pinky, can perforate your eardrum and introduce dangerous bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

People of European and African descent usually have wet, sticky, brown earwax; those of Native American and Asian descent tend to have dry, brittle, gray or beige earwax. Women with wet earwax appear to be at increased risk for breast cancer. Indeed, Japanese women with European-like wet earwax have a higher rate of breast cancer than Japanese women with Asian-type dry earwax.

If you hear that ear candling medically called EAR  CONING is a good way to remove earwax, listen up. Several recent studies have snuffed out this theory. They have shown that ear candling, which involves placing a hollow, wax-coated tube in the ear and lighting the far end, cannot only damage your inner ear but burn your ear and face as well. One study found the practice made the problem worse, melted candle was was actually deposited in the ear.