What Earwax Can Tell About Your Health
Cerumen (ear resin or earwax) can reveal a lot about health. Its color, fragrance and structure can point to four major health problems, here and now.
So normal wax from the ears can be between orange and brown. But yellow or green wax, itching in the ear or leaks from the ears can be an indicator of infection.
Wax is watery and greenish in color
If you sweat, watery runny ear is probably the result of sweat that has entered the ear and mixed with wax. But if you did not sweat, and the wax is watery and greenish or dark yellow in color, it may indicate an infection in the ear.
Wax has a strong smell
It can be an infection or damage to the middle ear. This can cause numerous symptoms that doctors call – chronic otitis media. One of the symptoms may be a secretion from the ear, an unpleasant odor, and if it is a middle ear inflammation, you may notice problems with balance, ringing with your ears, or having a feeling that your ear is full or clogged. If you notice these symptoms, visit a doctor.
Flaky form
If the look is flaky and if the skin is peeled inside the ear canal, it’s likely that you have an eczema. If the wax out of your ears for a long time flaky, there is a possibility that you suffer from psoriasis, which is not so common.
Wax is leaking from ear
Infections or sores in the eardrum may cause abnormal growth of skin called cholesteatoma. The ear-like growths formed cysts which results in the debris from the ear of the ear canal fill. In this case, instead of seamless ooze on what you’re used to, discharge from the ear can come in the form of leaks or lumps. Pressure and pain in the ear are also symptoms cholesteatoma.
You do not have wax in your ears
The lack of wax in the ears may be a sign of a rare and insufficiently explored condition known as keratitis obturans. In this situation, wax is in the ears, instead of gradually emanating from itself, pile inside the ear until a hard plug is formed. Symptoms are pain and feel that your ears are full.
It is dry or has dark colors
If you notice that the wax is becoming denser or dries over time, it’s just a sign of aging.