Earwax

Earwax is a waxy secretion produced in the outer ear canal that traps debris and helps protect the canal from water, microbes, and irritation.

Cerumen glands: Modified sweat glands in the ear canal that secrete components of earwax. Their secretions supply the watery fraction of earwax.
Cerumen impaction: A buildup of earwax that blocks the ear canal or causes symptoms. This is the common clinical problem when earwax accumulates faster than it clears.
Cotton swab: A small stick tipped with absorbent material, commonly used for cleaning or applying substances. Inserting one into the canal can push earwax inward instead of removing it.
Outer ear: The visible ear and the canal leading to the eardrum, which collect and direct sound. The ear canal within this region is where earwax is produced.
ABCC11: A gene whose variants influence whether human earwax is wet or dry. Its variation is a major genetic determinant of earwax type.
Sebaceous gland: A skin gland that releases oily sebum into a hair follicle or onto the skin surface. Sebum from ear-canal glands adds lipids to earwax.
Ear irrigation: Removal of material from the ear canal by flushing it with controlled fluid flow. Irrigation can remove impacted earwax when it is safe for the ear.
Ear candling: An alternative practice that places a lit hollow candle in the ear to claim removal of wax or toxins. It does not reliably remove earwax and can cause burns or injury.
Cerumen: The medical name for earwax, a mixture of glandular secretions and shed skin cells. This is the same substance under its clinical name.
Wet earwax: A common earwax phenotype that is moist and often yellow or brown. This form is associated with a dominant ABCC11 allele.

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BenzocaineRelated: Benzocaine-containing ear drops may relieve pain during wax removal, but do not dissolve wax themselves.