The truth is that nobody likes ear wax. Nobody talks about it, and in comparison to other bodily fluids, ear wax is something that people have never ever discussed casually. It’s sticky, it’s annoying, and everyone hates cleaning it.
Not to mention that most people don’t even know how to clean their ears properly.
But, did you know that earwax is actually important for your body? It also holds a lot of secrets about the state of your health as well.
Next time you clean your ears make sure to look at it and see what kind of wax you’re dealing with. Is it yellow? Gray? Sticky? Wet? Dry? It turns out these differences can tell you a lot about the body.
Earwax is not waste. It’s actually something our bodies create so that your ears are lubricated and are fully functional. It contains alcohol, squalene, and fatty acids.
Take a look at some of the types of ear wax to see what’s going on with your system!
Sticky Consistency, Yellow, and Wet
This is probably the most common type of ear wax. It’s wet and sticky because the wax needs to lubricate your ear, so it’s not itchy. If you scratch your ears, you’re probably going to cause irritation since that area of the body is very sensitive.
Grey Colored
If you notice that your ear wax is grey, you’re probably going to freak out a little bit. Strangely enough, there is nothing to worry about the eerie color. The greyness represents the cleaning process of the ear, so you’re safe.
However, if the wax is too dry and you feel itchy often, this may indicate eczema. It’s best to get it checked.
A Pale Yellow
The pale-ish yellow is a common type of wax often occurring in children. They produce more ear wax than adults, so the pigment is not as strong.
Dark Colored and Sticky Consistency
This just means that your body is perspiring a bit more than it often. It’s a darker color because you are sweating more than usual. Again, this is normal, and you have nothing to worry about.
Thick Consistency and Dark Colored
Interestingly enough if you are under lots of stress and are dealing with a lot of anxiety, your body is going to produce a lot more ear wax. Another thing that can trigger a bigger production of ear wax is excessive sweating.
This can potentially block your ear canal, and you’re going to hear less, so you should take care of that by getting it cleaned.
Flaky and White
This type of ear wax is healthy and good for you as well. The people whose bodies produce this type of wax usually don’t have a stronger body odor like a lot of people do.
Dark Brown of Black
Even though this type of ear wax tends to appear kind of terrifying, you do not need to worry at all. This pigmentation comes from the excessive production of ear wax.
Maybe it’s just oxidized because it’s been in your ear canal for a bit longer.
Runny and Wet
This is just the result of the natural cleaning process of the self-cleaning. It could possibly indicate to a perforated eardrum if the wax contains a bit of blood and pus as well, so make sure that you get it checked.
Bloody Ear Wax
Make sure not to panic because often older ear wax can appear like it’s bloody because of the pigmentation. If you notice it, make sure to go and get it checked anyways, because it could indicate that there are some issues with your ear drums going on.
Don’t be afraid of the entire rainbow of colors ear wax can be found in! As long as there’s no blood and pus going on, you’re going to be just fine. If by any chance you feel a bit strange about what’s going on, make sure to go and get checked.
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