Why Do We Have Earwax?
- Cerumen, commonly called earwax, is produced by special cerumen glands in the outer ear canal, which connects the outer ear and the middle ear. Earwax is usually yellow or whitish in color, and can be either wet or dry. It serves many important functions within the ear.
- First, earwax, which is made of lipids such as saturated fatty acids, lubricates the inside of the ear and prevents ears from becoming dry and itchy.
- Earwax, which lies between the delicate eardrum and the outer ear, protects the more fragile elements of the ear from dead skin cells, dust, and other foreign elements that could cause harm. Earwax traps these invaders, keeping them from reaching the middle ear. Special cells in the ear canal help move earwax toward the outer ear. This process is augmented by jaw movement.
- Finally, scientists have found that earwax inhibits the growth of many varieties of fungi and bacteria, keeping the ear healthier and less prone to bacterial attacks.
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