by Jobie Weetaluktuk

Created on: October 22, 2007

There are many purposes of earwax. One of them for entertainment. Animal of the Muppets puppets audio visual fame, one said he wanted to go to "the earwax museum." Of course that was a takeoff on world famous Madam Tassauds Wax Museums. Of course there is no earwax museum at least not yet.

Earwax is an oily or more properly waxy substance secretion in the ear canal. The important function of the earwax if to protect the ear canal and the ear drum. The human ear is a complex and sensitive organ. The earwax keeps the ear canal from dying out. A dry ear can be itchy. Ear wax has the same function as the face grease. It helps the skin retain moisture.

In addition to retaining moisture, earwax is a dust trap. The atmosphere can be quiet dusty. Like the nasal mucus, the wax 'catches' dust and traps it by its' stickiness. When swapping the ear canal with a Q-tip, you will notice that earwax can be quiet dirty. It can be gray or black in color. Clean earwax is vaguely yellow. Periodic clearing of the earwax is recommended as people have been known to suffering hearing loss due to clogged ear canal by excessive earwax.

Earwax also protects the ear by acting as an acoustic board. Earwax softens hard sounds that can damage the eardrum.

Cleaning of the earwax should be done with care and with a Q-tip. The cleaning my done as frequently or infrequently as quarterly. Month seems a excessive as earwax has protective functions. You can have your ears inspected at your periodic physicals. If your physician recommends cleaning, take the recommendation as you cannot inspect your ears yourself.

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