What should earwax look like? The main “secret”, or where earwax comes from

There are several lines of defense human body from the penetration of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. The first is called non-specific (non-selective) and is aimed at creating a mechanical barrier to prevent the possibility of infection. Such a barrier is skin, mucous membranes and the secretions they produce.

Earwax also constitutes the body's first line of defense, since its sticky consistency allows it to trap and remove pathogenic microflora and dirt that have entered the outer ear.

What is earwax?

Earwax

It is not difficult to understand where earwax comes from. Its basis is a special secret produced by sulfur (ceruminous) glands. They are located under the skin of the membranous cartilaginous part of the external auditory canal and are modified sweat glands.

The total number of sulfur glands in a person in one ear is about 2000. They produce approximately 20 mg of yellow-brown sulfur, which has bactericidal properties, per month. Mixing with sebum and dead epithelial cells of the ear canal, it forms earwax.

Its removal to the outside is normally carried out physiologically, during movement. maxillofacial joint when chewing or talking.

Composition and functions of earwax

Sulfuric matter has quite complex composition. It includes many important substances for the body, which determine its main functions:

• proteins, some of which are immunoglobulins (their presence determines the protective function of sulfur);
• fat-like components that give the substance a sticky consistency (lanosterol, cholesterol);
• free fatty acid;
• mineral salts.

The predominance of certain substances and the absence of others determines the dry or wetter consistency of sulfur.

Earwax plays important role in the body, helping to maintain ear health and maintain hearing quality. Its main functions are:

1. Cleansing. Sulfur prevents clogging ear canal, accumulating pollution, areas of obsolete epithelium, and bringing them out.
2. Lubricating. The substance moisturizes the skin of the external auditory canal, protecting it from drying out and damage.
3. Protective. Sticky and oily consistency is needed to retain pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses, preventing them from penetrating the internal structures of the ear and the brain. Sulfur is also reliable protection from water ingress.

Hypersecretion and hyposecretion

Disturbances in the functioning of the ceruminous glands can lead to too active or, on the contrary, insufficient production of sulfur substance. This depends on the following reasons:

• presence of chronic diseases;
• congenital and acquired disorders of the structure of the external and middle ear;
• lifestyle features;
• quantity and quality of food;
• amount of fluid consumed.

Hypersecretion

The amount of wax produced can increase and lead to the accumulation of excess wax in the ear canal and the formation of plugs. This happens especially often when stimulating the sulfur glands with cotton swabs when cleaning the ears.

Various devices inserted into the ear canals (headphones, earplugs, Hearing Aids) make it difficult to evacuate accumulated sulfur, which also leads to its accumulation and gradual compaction.

The danger of hypersecretion also exists in a number of pathological processes and conditions:

• chronic dermatitis of infectious or allergic etiology;
• atherosclerosis (damage to the arteries as a result of disturbances in lipid and protein metabolism in the walls of blood vessels);
• stressful situations (during which the sweat glands, and therefore the sulfur glands, are activated).

Residents of those areas where they blow strong winds, more often suffer from hypersecretion of the ear glands. Dust particles entering the ear canal irritate the glands, stimulating the production of sulfur. Mixing with it, dust makes the sulfur thicker, which also provokes the formation of traffic jams.

Wax plug in ear

The main symptoms of ear plug formation are:

• feeling of pressure on eardrum;
• noise in ears;
• congestion in the ear and partial deafness;
• itching and pain in the ear canal.

Hyposecretion

Insufficient secretion of sulfuric substances negatively affects the health of the ear canals. The reasons why the sulfur glands do not work are in most cases physiological, but they can also be pathological character. The latter include the following factors:

1. Atrophic changes in the sebaceous and ceruminous glands. In old age they lead to sharp decline their secretions.
2. Otosclerosis. It is characterized by a loss of elasticity of the soft tissues of the ear and leads to a decrease in the volume of oscillatory movements and a persistent decrease in the quality of hearing, head and ear pain, dizziness.
3. Smoking. Toxic substances tobacco smoke damage the receptors and glands of the hearing organ, leading to their hypofunction.
4. Inflammatory processes and neoplasms of the external auditory canal. This is a fairly common cause of sulfur gland deficiency.
5. Dehydration of the body. Low fluid intake leads to dry skin and mucous membranes, and therefore to insufficiency of the exocrine glands.

Reasons for changes in color and consistency

Color change earwax during illness

Normally, earwax is a substance Brown viscous consistency. Depending on the state of organs and systems, the color and density of sulfuric matter may change, which serves as the first sign of an incipient disease:

1. Dark color sulfur is a symptom hereditary pathology, in which tissue damage occurs blood vessels. It is called Randu-Osler-Weber syndrome. Another common symptom of this pathology is nosebleeds.
2. Yellowish or green sulfur indicates a purulent process in one of the ear structures. Accompany pathology following symptoms: sharp pain in the ear, fever, intoxication, lymphadenitis. Before prescribing treatment, the doctor identifies the nature of the pathogenic microflora.
3. Black sulfur (or sulfur that has a red tint) indicates that blood clots are present in the sulfuric matter. This may indicate an injury to the eardrum or tumor process in the ear canal. This sulfur is a symptom of a fungal infection (otomycosis).
4. Grey colour indicates the presence of a large amount of dust in the sulfuric matter.
5. Whitesulfur– a symptom of hypovitaminosis and lack of certain microelements. In this case, copper or iron deficiency is most likely.
6. Dry sulfur is a symptom of dermatitis and other skin diseases.
7. Liquid, flowing sulfur appears when the eardrum is perforated or there is inflammation in the ear.

Removing traffic jams

Normally, artificial removal of ear secretions is not required. Spent wax is independently evacuated from the ear during chewing movements. But if obstacles appear that prevent its removal ( dense consistency or hypersecretion of sulfuric matter, abnormalities of the ear canals), its accumulation occurs, resulting in the formation of plugs.

Washing the cork with a stream of water

It is impossible to get rid of them on your own; you need to seek help from an otolaryngologist’s office. There are several methods for removing wax plugs from the ears:

• washing out with a pulsed stream of water (using an electronic irrigator);
• dry removal method using a special probe;
• ear drops that help dissolve the plug and remove it painlessly (three percent hydrogen peroxide, drug A-Cerumen).

Preventing the formation of wax plugs

It is important to monitor the health of your ears. Some preventive measures will help keep it long years. They are:

1. Avoid getting water into your ears.
2. Do not use cotton buds to remove wax from the inner parts of the ear canal.
3. Promptly carry out prevention and treatment of infectious ENT diseases, protect your ears from colds and inflammations.
4. Monitor your small child so that, while playing, he does not insert a foreign object into the ear canal and damage the skin and fragile eardrum.
5. Use special gauze pads or swabs to clean the outer ear.
6. Visit an otolaryngologist once a year for preventive examinations.

The process of wax formation in the external auditory canal is provided by nature itself to preserve the health of the ears and good quality hearing This is not dirt, but a protective lubricant designed to clean, disinfect and moisturize external structures that communicate with the external environment. And the formation of traffic jams can be easily avoided if you follow simple recommendations.

Every person has wax in their ears. Its quantity may be less than average or more. This is influenced by various factors. Based on the state of the secretion, one can judge the peculiarities of the body’s functioning, the quality of hearing and the functioning of various glands.

Earwax: composition and functions, quantity

Earwax is a yellow-brown, sticky secretion that forms in the external auditory canals.

It is produced not only in humans, but also in some species of animals (cats, dogs). Sulfur has several functions:

• Cleansing. With its help, particles of dirt and dust do not fall deep into the ear, but come out.
• Lubricating. This natural lubricant has a positive effect on the skin of the ear canal and protects it from drying out.
• Protective. The lubricant prevents fungi, viruses, and bacteria from entering the ear.

It contains proteins, fats, mineral salts, and fatty acids. The acidity of the composition in the absence is 5. Therefore, it is impossible for bacteria or other bacteria to multiply in sulfur pathogenic microflora. Additionally, immunoglobulins and lysozyme are involved in this.

There are about 2000 sulfur glands in total. All of them are located in. Every day they release 12 mg of sulfur. If its quantity has changed, you need to think about the reasons. Sulfur can be dry or wet. This factor is directly related to genetic predisposition. In the Mongoloid race, earwax is always dry, while in Europeans it is wet.

Why do we need earwax, watch our video:

Hypersecretion: causes and consequences

The consequences of insufficient sulfur are quite serious. Increases the likelihood ear infections, development and . Dirt particles become trapped in the ear, causing serious infections. Lack of sulfur leads to impaired growth of healthy skin cells.

Change in color and consistency

Sometimes the color and other parameters of the ear secretion change. In most cases, this is a sign of an incipient disease. If darkening of sulfur is detected, this may be due to disturbances in the functioning of blood vessels. You need to pay special attention to the problem if you also have nosebleeds.

Milky yellow color is a sign. This possibility increases if white clots appear separately. Additionally, the doctor will detect bodies. This pathology is treated.

Black sulfur is a sign of a secret. If you notice such a symptom once, this may indicate the presence of black dust. No separate measures will need to be taken. Another reason could be. In this case, fungi stain the secretion black. Additionally appears.

A decrease in viscosity is sometimes noted. This indicates an inflammatory process or. A doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. Dry sulfur is a sign. Treatment usually includes special meals.

Note! A change in consistency or color in most cases is a sign of disease. If you do not pay attention to the problem, it may develop.

What does the change in the color of sulfur indicate in our video:

Unpleasant smell

An unpleasant odor signals development infectious disease. Sometimes the cause is hormonal changes. But in this case the smell is subtle. Often the reason is:

• pharyngitis,
• laryngitis,
• chronic rhinitis,
• secondary infections.

Emergence always symbolizes presence. In this case, additionally appear

A secretion produced by the sulfur glands of the external auditory canal.

Similar secretions are observed in the ears of humans and other mammals.

This substance cleans and lubricates the ear canals, protects the hearing aid from bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms.

Excess wax in the ears can lead to partial hearing loss , dizziness, convulsions, gag reflexes.

Why does wax form in the ears?

In the outer parts of the ears there are glands responsible for the production of this secretion. There are about 2000 of them in each ear. According to scientists, the formation of wax is a consequence of the improvement of mammalian organisms over millions of years, under the influence of biological factors.

As a result of the transformation sweat glands, located in the external auditory canal, has formed the new kind glands are ceruminous, secreting cerumen (earwax). As a result, it was ensured greater protection middle ear. That is, the formation of wax in the ear is a normal physiological process.

Earwax has two main functions: moisturizing and protecting the ear canal. U healthy person About 15-20 mg of sulfur is formed in both ears per month. But there are no specific norms. The amount of substance depends on individual characteristics every organism.

In addition to ceruminous secretion, earwax contains:

• secretions of the sebaceous glands;
• particles of dead epithelium;
• dust.

Regarding organic compounds, then the structure of sulfur contains proteins, fats, mineral salts, and free fatty acids. Among the proteins, immunoglobulins and lysozymes predominate. It is these elements that destroy pathogenic microorganisms, preventing inflammatory processes in the external auditory canal.

What happens if you don’t clean earwax at all?

Nature provides that the ears can be cleaned without much intervention. Excess sulfur ends up in auricle, after which it is removed during water hygiene procedures. But it’s not uncommon for people to encounter such a problem as. In a situation where the viscosity of the secretion is low, the substance will constantly flow out. Otherwise (with increased viscosity), if you don’t clean your ears at all, plugs will form.

The reasons that provoke an increase in the work of the ceruminous glands may be:

1. Chronic form of dermatitis. This disease is characterized by the formation of red spots on the body. With this pathology, a change in the consistency of sulfur and its quantity is often observed.
2. Excess cholesterol. This condition does not have specific symptoms. In most cases similar reason Gland dysfunction is observed in overweight and elderly people.
3. Headphones, hearing aids. The constant presence of such a headset inside the ear canal stimulates the glands located there. As a result, they produce much more substance than necessary.
4. Constant stay in a very dusty area. In this case, the production of secretion is activated by dust particles entering the ear. In such a situation, an increase in earwax indicates good functioning of the glands.
5. Stress. Tense situations increase the activity of all glands, including the ceruminous ones.

But most common cause the formation of sulfur plugs is improper care behind the ears. That is, during hygiene procedures, a cotton swab penetrates deep into the external auditory canal, as a result of which the substance is pushed and compacted.

Proper cleaning consists of treating only the skin around the external auditory opening without going deep into it.

How to properly clean earwax?

If a person often takes a bath or shower, then special cleaning is not necessary. To remove wax, simply wash your ears. Otherwise, the use of cotton swabs is required.

To remove sulfuric matter, you need to:

1. Soak a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide or water.
2. Tilt your head to the side and gently wipe the ear canal.

You can clean your ears with hydrogen peroxide no more than twice a week. If the ear canal is very itchy, you can drop a little oil (chamomile, jojoba, etc.). Such products have softening and moisturizing properties.

It is not allowed to clean ears with hairpins, matches, toothpicks or other sharp objects. Similar procedures often lead to damage to the ear canal and infection in the ear.

Should you go to the doctor to get your ears cleaned?

At normal operation Cleaning the glands of the ears will not cause any hassle. It is enough to regularly perform simple hygiene procedures. Problems can arise with hypersecretion. If a plug forms, you will need to consult a doctor.

One of the symptoms of purulent processes occurring in the auricle is a pale discharge yellow color, possibly with white splashes. One of the reasons for the black color of the substance may be the presence of otomycosis. Single staining of sulfur in dark shade, most often indicates simple pollution.

How do you know if you have wax in your ear?

May have different consistencies. Thus, paste-like ones are very soft and easy to remove, plasticine-like ones are more viscous, hard ones have a dense structure, they adhere closely to the wall of the ear canal or to the eardrum. It is very difficult to remove the latter on your own; you will need to go to the clinic. But until the plug completely blocks the ear canal, there will be no obvious manifestations indicating its presence. Signs appear when earwax completely covers the ear opening.

You can tell that there is a plug in your ear by the following symptoms:

• audibility has decreased significantly;
• feeling of ear fullness;
• an unpleasant feeling of something interfering in the ear;
• if the plug presses on the eardrum, it occurs headache, dizziness, nausea, imbalance.

If these signs occur, you should immediately consult a doctor. After he rinses the ear, the symptoms will disappear.

Ear hygiene is, of course, necessary. But only within acceptable limits. Misuse cotton swabs can have the opposite effect. And it just forms in the ear sulfur plug. It’s best not to substitute your actions natural processes designed by nature. It is enough to simply wash your ears, without in any way trying to penetrate the ear canal.

VIDEO Why do we need earwax?

VIDEO How to properly clean your ears

Hygiene rules oblige us to regularly clean our ears, removing wax accumulated in them. However, performing a simple and the required procedure to remove the sticky yellow-brown mass, many do not suspect that this is not just dirt accumulated on the walls of the outer ear, but a valuable and extremely necessary secret that our body produces for a specific purpose. Moreover, according to modern scientists, earwax can be a real barometer of our health, telling about the state of the body through changes in the color and smell of the secretion.

Are you already interested? Then let's learn in detail about the functions of earwax, as well as what it can tell about our health.

Composition and functions of earwax

You will be surprised, but earwax does not enter the ears from the outside. It is produced by more than 2,000 serous glands located on the inside of the external auditory canal. Moreover, this lubricating secretion is produced for a specific purpose, namely, to clean the ear canals, as well as to protect the ears from fungi, bacteria and insects. Incredible, isn't it?

Earwax consists of proteins, sticky fat-like substances (lanosterol, cholesterol), mineral salts and fatty acids. A little later, when this secretion appears on the surface of the skin, it is joined by surrounding dust, dead skin particles, tiny hairs, sebum and many other substances.

Earwax is a very sticky substance, allowing any dirt or germs that enter the ears to stick to it. Sulfur becomes a reliable barrier to the penetration of harmful microbes, thereby protecting the ears and eardrums from inflammation and the development of deafness. Moreover, without wax, not only germs, but also insects can penetrate deep into the ear, causing serious infection.

In this cunning way, nature took care of protecting the human hearing organs. Moreover, this is by no means single function secretion produced by the body. Here are two more equally important functions:

• Sulfur is an excellent lubricant for the skin of the external auditory canals. Thanks to this feature, the skin on the ears is protected from drying out and inflammatory processes. Interestingly, residents of the northern hemisphere have more moist earwax, while Asians and representatives of the southern hemisphere have dryer earwax. Scientists attribute this to the low production of lipids in the body of representatives of southern countries.
• Sulfur helps the ears self-clean. It turns out that doctors are categorically against cleaning ears with cotton swabs. According to doctors, in this way we only push earwax deeper into the ear canal, contributing to the formation of ear plugs. The wax that appears on the surface of the ears dries over time and leaves the auricle on its own, for example, when moving or chewing.

Earwax color and smell

Having found out the functions of ear secretion, we can move on to discussing its color, smell and consistency. It turns out that these qualities can tell a lot about your health.

IN in good condition Earwax has a waxy, viscous consistency. If the secreted secretion becomes liquid and begins to flow out of the ear, this clearly hints at the development of inflammatory process. You should also be concerned if the sulfur is too dry. This may be normal, or may indicate the development of an infection, dermatitis or fungal disease.

Now let’s talk directly about the color of earwax. Normally, the secretion in question has a yellow-brown color and a honey tint. But if its color starts to change, it could be a symptom developing disease. Here are some examples, characteristic change the color of earwax.

1. Darkening of sulfur

Darkening of earwax in itself means absolutely nothing. Well, maybe it means that you find yourself in a room filled with soot. However, if frequent nosebleeds are added to this symptom, you should consult a doctor. It may turn out that both symptoms hint at the development serious illness– Randu-Osler syndrome. It's heavy hereditary disease associated with inferiority vascular walls and the development of bleeding. Darkening of earwax can promptly inform a person about a problem in the body, thanks to which he will more quickly diagnose the disease and begin to fight it, preventing stomach bleeding which may be life threatening.

2. Milky yellow liquid sulfur

This color of ear secretion clearly hints at the development purulent process in the organ of hearing. As a rule, this is the very first symptom, which is very soon supplemented by fever, weakness of the body, enlarged lymph nodes and pain when touched. Having discovered similar symptoms, you should immediately see an otolaryngologist. A qualified doctor will be able to quickly identify the causative agent of the infection, and therefore prescribe antibiotics or antiviral drugs in order to prevent the development and spread of suppuration. Sometimes a timely visit to a doctor with this symptom saves a person’s hearing!

3. Black sulfur

If you notice black wax in your ears only once, this is not a cause for concern. This often occurs due to normal contamination. However, if the color of the ear secretion does not change over time, there is serious reason for concern. According to doctors, sulfur is colored black by the spores of some pathogenic fungi. Usually with development of this disease added to the appearance of black wax in the ears severe itching in the ear.

However, there are cases in which the appearance of black wax in the ear is accompanied by a rise in temperature, decreased hearing and pain in the ear canal. All this may indicate an infectious process that requires urgent treatment. A particularly severe infection may indicate a rotten or fishy smell. rotten smell. By the way, infectious processes in the ear can be the result of damage to the skin of the ear canal with a cleaning stick, an attempt to insert headphones that do not fit, or listening to music too loudly.

But there are cases in which sulfur turns black and flows out with clots of baked blood. All this indicates the presence of bleeding due to damage to the eardrum.

4. The secret of gray

The reason that sulfur has acquired pronounced grey colour, as a rule, it becomes ordinary city dust. This symptom most often observed in people living in megacities and major cities, where dust often rises and smog is present, as well as for people who work in dusty and smoky rooms. This color of earwax should not be a cause for concern.

5. White sulfur

If wax in the ears suddenly begins to develop White color, there is some cause for concern. The fact is that such a symptom indicates a lack of certain minerals in the body, in particular copper and iron. In this case, when you contact your doctor, do not be surprised if he makes an appointment for you vitamin complexes and diet with high content iron and copper in food.

Sulfur plug and its health hazards

Speaking about earwax, one cannot fail to mention the ear plugs that periodically occur in humans. There may be several reasons for the formation of wax plugs. First of all, these are infections that cause increased production of sulfur and change the consistency of the secretion, making it too thick, greasy and sticky. In this case, the wax does not have time to dry out and leave the ear canal. naturally. It simply accumulates in the ear canal, gradually clogging it.

This process can be facilitated by the person himself, who, having decided to clean his ears, uses cotton swabs for this. Using a cotton swab does not help, but only makes the situation worse. Some of the ear secretion ends up on the cotton wool, but most of the accumulated wax moves towards the eardrum, thereby increasing the likelihood of the formation of a dense ear plug. By cleaning your ears over and over again in this way, you bring the moment when a plug of wax appears in your ear.

With the appearance of a plug, a person’s hearing decreases, discomfort and pain appear in the ear where a dense plug has formed. Moreover, over time this can lead to motion sickness, nausea, and even loss of coordination of movement, because vestibular apparatus, responsible for coordinating movement, is located in inner ear, just behind the eardrums.

You should not try to remove the plug yourself. This will only make the situation worse, pushing it even deeper into the eardrum. It is also impossible to ignore going to the doctor in such a situation, because the accumulated sulfur will become excellent nutrient medium for pathogenic microbes, which can cause inflammation, which very quickly penetrates into the body, primarily into the brain. Fortunately, by consulting a doctor you can quickly and painlessly solve this problem. The doctor will simply wash out the cork, saving the person from a lot of problems and discomfort, returning him to normal hearing and restoring the functioning of the sulfur glands.

In order not to provoke the appearance of ear plugs, remember that you can only clean your ears with cotton swabs, removing accumulated wax at the edge of the opening of the auricle. If there is a need to cleanse the ear canals at home, simply drop a few drops of a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution warmed to room temperature into the ear, and after a minute, remove the liquid from the ear by simply tilting the head and wiping the auricle with a cotton swab.

Keep an eye on the condition of your earwax and don't hesitate to contact your doctor if you notice changes in the color, consistency, or odor of your earwax. In some cases, this will help maintain your health and protect you from hearing loss.
Good health to you!

Earwax is a bother for many people. They may feel the presence of foreign substances in the ear canal, itching, and discomfort. Therefore, some people constantly clean their ears with cotton swabs, not realizing what such a procedure brings more harm for health than good.

Why do you need wax in your ears?

Earwax is a common secretion of the human body and is produced by special glands that are located at the entrance to the auditory canal. It is a lubricating secretion of yellow-brown color. Its functions are to lubricate and moisturize the ear canal, protect the eardrum from various contaminants from external environment, bacteria, insects and fungi. In the absence of wax, the ears feel dry and itchy, and the risk of infection increases.

Typically the glands produce moderate amount sulfur. Over time, it is removed along with all impurities from the ear canal naturally when chewing movements are performed: the accumulated secretion moves from the eardrums to the external auditory canal, dries out, peels off and falls out. New secretions push out old ones.

Earwax contains proteins, including immunoglobulins, mineral salts, fat-like substances and free fatty acids. The acidity of sulfur secretions is 4-5 pH, which provides an antifungal and antibacterial effect.

Earwax has a viscous consistency, so dust, dead cells, and other contaminants stick well to it. It can be dry or wet, most often depending on genetics. Dry earwax contains reduced quantity fat-like substances - lipids.

The occurrence of ear plugs and their removal

Wax usually comes out naturally, so ideally your ears don't need any special care. It is enough to wash them outside and wipe the soft ones with a towel without getting inside. When cleaning with any objects, microcracks may occur. Ear wax trapped in them can cause discomfort. When you try to clean your ear with a cotton swab, bobby pin, or other device, the wax moves inward, close to the eardrum, and accumulates there. This is how it is formed ear plug.

Signs of a traffic jam:

• hearing is partially lost;
• painful sensations in the ear;
• noise and ringing in the hearing organ,
• ears itch;
• cough;
• smell from the ear.

To remove the plug yourself, you can use products that dissolve or soften the sulfur. These include Sesame oil, glycerin, petroleum jelly, ear drops, 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.

The wax plug is removed by rinsing with a special syringe. This procedure is performed in a medical institution or independently.

The rinsing mixture consists of water and saline solution. It should be at body temperature so that the patient does not feel dizzy. Better effect can be achieved if the plug softening agent is poured 15-30 minutes before the procedure. Should be shown special caution if the patient has diabetes, has weak immunity or he has some problem with his eardrum.

Proper ear care

If water gets into your ear or the air contains a large number of dust, the sulfur glands begin to work more intensely. This is necessary to free the ear canals from foreign particles. However, increased secretion production can cause itching in the ear. It can also be caused by increased hair growth in the ear canal.

To maintain cleanliness, it is enough to wash the auricle and external auditory canal by wiping them soft cloth. There is no need to clean the inside of the ear canal. The danger of using cotton swabs during this procedure:

1. The ear loses its protection - wax, which creates a risk of infection.
2. Picking in the ear canals stimulates the sulfur glands.
3. Using cotton swabs to clean your ears, you can achieve the opposite effect - compacting wax. This creates the risk of a traffic jam.
4. There is a risk of damaging the eardrum, which can lead to hearing loss.

If a sulfur plug appears and you cannot get rid of it at home, you should contact a specialist. The otolaryngologist will apply special devices to remove the plug.