Glands in the outer portion of the ear produce a substance referred to as earwax or cerumen. Functions of earwax include protecting and lubricating the outer ear canal as well as trapping dirt to help prevent ear infections. Abnormal earwax...
After getting out of the shower, keep your hands off that cotton swab. According to the Mayo Clinic, cotton swabs may actually force earwax up against the eardrum, creating earwax blockage. A small amount of earwax is beneficial, because it keeps...
Earwax is a protective device to the ear canal. Sweat, hair, skin cells and debris such as shampoo and dirt are bonded together by a fluid secreted from glands in the ear canal to create earwax. It helps keep your ears clear of infection and...
Earwax, clinically known as cerumen, is produced by glands in the skin of the outer ear. Everyone produces earwax, but some people produce more than others and this excess wax can harden and block the ear canal. In the process of trying to remove...
The ear divides into several areas, and each area has a function. One function of the outer ear canal is to produce earwax, also called cerumen. Wax glands in the ear canal form and excrete the earwax. This earwax serves several important...
Earwax -- otherwise known as cerumen -- prevents dirt, bacteria and other irritants from entering the ear canal. Usually, you should not remove earwax from your child's ears. However, wax blockages can occur, causing earaches, headaches and...
Earwax develops from a natural process that protects the ears by trapping particles from dust, bacteria, microorganisms or other substances. The glands lining the ear canal secrete the wax. Earwax, technically called cerumen, prevents damage to...
Seeing gunky brown earwax in your child's ear may make you cringe, but earwax is an important body product that protects your child's ears from dust, dirt and any other particle that may damage his ear drum. In most cases, the ears produce as much...
The substance that makes up earwax is called cerumen. Earwax sometimes builds up in the ears of infants faster than the body can remove it, potentially causing problems or discomfort for the baby. Excess earwax production that results in a...
Earwax is a sticky substance that is made from glandular secretions and skin cells of your outer ear. Technically called cerumen, earwax protects your ears against microorganisms, dirt and small foreign substances by trapping them in your ear...
Your baby's earwax may not be a matter of concern until you see it peeking out his ear. Earwax isn't pleasant to look at, but it's an important product that moistens your baby's ears and protects his inner ears from foreign particles, according to...
Keeping your infant's ears clean and healthy is important in preventing infections. The buildup of earwax -- or cerumen -- actually helps to clean the ear of dirt, dust and other particles that can cause damage to your infant's eardrums. However,...
Earwax, also known as cerumen, is a natural substance produced only in the ears. Earwax prevents dirt, debris and other matter from entering the inner ear. The wax also protects the ears from water. Still, some people may produce more earwax than...
Earwax, also known as cerumen, has gotten a bad rap due to its unsightly color and unpleasant odor, and parents mistakenly associate the presence of earwax in their child's ear as a sign of poor hygiene. However, according to...
Small glands in the ear canal produce earwax, also called cerumen. The function of earwax is to trap dirt and slow down the growth of bacteria in the ear, according to the Mayo Clinic. Earwax also protects the skin in the ear. An overproduction or...
Earwax is a natural substance in the ear canal. It serves several purposes and should not be removed from a child's ear unless it is causing her to be in pain or have trouble hearing. Even though excess wax may look yucky in your child's ear,...
Earwax (cerumen) plays an important role in keeping your ears healthy. Earwax helps prevent the growth of bacteria in the ear, as well as prevents dirt from entering the ear canal. In some cases, excessive earwax can accumulate in your ears and...
Glands in the external portion of the ear canal produce earwax, also referred to as cerumen. Functions of earwax include trapping bacteria that can cause an ear infection and coating the skin in the ear canal to prevent irritation. Earwax will...
Earwax is a natural substance that prevents objects from entering the ear and damaging the eardrum. Too much earwax can create a blockage, creating irritation, difficulty hearing and ringing of the ears. Excess earwax can be removed at home, says...
Earwax is a substance produced by the outer ear canal to keep the ears clean. In most people, the ears only produce enough wax to protect the ear from dust and germs. Occasionally, however, one or both ears will begin to produce excess earwax. If...
Called cerumen, earwax is a sticky substance produced in the outer one-third of the ear canal, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Educate yourself about the various earwax removal solutions so that you know...
A healthy amount of earwax in your ears is both normal and beneficial. Produced by the glands in your external canal, earwax protects your ears from water and infection, says the American Hearing Research Foundation. But earwax may become...
Earwax is a protective barrier that is produced within the ear canal. Hair follicles and glands line the ear canal and produce this waxy oil, also known as cerumen. Earwax buildup may occur if the glands are producing the wax more often than what...
Earwax impaction, also known as earwax blockage, refers to a condition in which cerumen (wax) hardens within the ear canal and causes various problems. Earwax is constantly being made in the ear to help catch any bacteria or dirt. Fortunately,...
Despite the warnings, many adults use cotton swabs to clean earwax from their own--and sometimes their children's--ears. Swabs, according to Alan Greene, MD, should never be used in the ear because they can cause infection, injure or perforate the...
Earwax, also called cerumen, is a combination of cells from the ear canal lining and secretions from glands in the ear canal, according to pediatric health website AskDrSears.com. Although earwax seems gunky and bothersome, it is actually an...
Earwax might not be the most pleasant substance to look at, but it's an essential part of your ears' defense against foreign materials and bacterial growth. Sometimes this substance can build up too heavily, and cause pain or hearing loss. If...
Earwax, which is secreted by glands within your ear canals, helps trap dust and other foreign particles that could damage inner structures of your ear, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although insufficient earwax puts you at greater risk of ear...
Earwax is a natural substance that helps keep the ear healthy and maintain hearing. Sometimes the wax builds up, causing a few symptoms like ear discomfort, pain or hearing loss. Removing earwax that has built up can be difficult if it has become...
