Majority believes that earwax needs to be taken off as soon as possible but the truth is that earwax (cerumen) is normal and healthy and it is protective. It serves as a kind of natural shield of your ear: it captures dust and debris, it allows preventing an infection, it keeps the ear canal moist and it repels water. Your ears are usually self cleaning and thus you do not really have to take care of them. In this handbook, the pharmacy staff of Coventry discusses the very nature of earwax, why it is created in your body, how it is accumulated, and when it is necessary to seek medical assistance.

What Is Earwax?

Earwax Cerumen (or earwax) is a waxy material of yellowish / orange color produced naturally by the glands located within your ear canal. Earwax does not require one to worry about at all, it is in fact necessary to maintain healthy ears.

Since Earwax is also antibacterial, it keeps the inner ear canal skin well lubricated and does not allow it to get too dry. It also does not allow the harmful substances such as dirt and dust, and germs to get to your ear drum.

The pleasant truth is, that your ears have been so constructed as to clean themselves. Earwax normally deposits out of the ear naturally in the process of migration of the skin, as well as, in the process of talking and chewing. The old earwax gradually drops off on its own with time and your ear produces new earwax to replace it and therefore, you do not have to thrust objects such as cotton buds into your ears to clean it.

💡 Key Fact: The earwax is generated in the third section of the ear canal, never deep inside the ear canal. Anything that is inside your ear profoundly must have been forced in by cotton buds or other things.

Types of Earwax

Earwax is of two major kinds, wet and dry. The kind you possess is entirely based on your genetics, that is, whether you are having the dominating or the recessive variation of the ABCC11 gene. One is no more or no less superior than the other; yet both of them perform a similar crucial task of keeping your ear canal safe.

Wet Earwax (Dominant Gene) The most common type is the wet earwax in the world. It is paste-like, is sticky and is normally of light yellow or dark brown colour. This is the most prevalent type amongst individuals of the European and African origin. Due to its sticky consistency, wet earwax is especially useful, in the trapping of dust and dirt and bacteria before they can access your ear drum.

Dry Earwax (Recessive Gene) Dry earwax is less prevalent and is usually grey, tan or white in colour with a flaky and brittle texture. It is prevalent most often among individuals of East-Asian, Central-Asian and Native American origin. Dry earwax is perfectly normal, though not what it looks like it is too, just like wet earwax, it is really effective at keeping your ears covered.

Why Do We Have Earwax? 4 Essential Functions

Your body does not produce anything by accident. Earwax serves four specific, important roles in keeping your ears healthy every day.

1. Protection Against Dust, Dirt, and Foreign Particles

Dry earwax is less prevalent and is usually grey, tan or white in colour with a flaky and brittle texture. It is prevalent most often among individuals of East-Asian, Central-Asian and Native American origin. Dry earwax is perfectly normal, though not what it looks like it is too, just like wet earwax, it is really effective at keeping your ears covered.

2. Defence Against Bacteria and Fungi

Earwax is a little acidic with the pH usually ranging at 6.1. This acidity leaves the environment that is not conducive to the survival of the harmful bacteria and fungi. Lysozyme (antimicrobial enzyme) and immunoglobulins (antibodies) are also found in the wax and are used to attack infection. This is the reason why individuals that take out all their earwax frequently get ear infections more frequently.

3. Moisturising the Ear Canal

In its absence, the inner ear canal would be so dry and cracking that it is itchy. The earwax lipids (fats) create a natural moisturising layer around the fine skin, which makes it soft and comfortable.

4. Repelling Water

Earwax is also used as a repellent to water. It is especially significant among the swimmers or any other person who has ears that are usually wet. Earwax stops the occurrence of otitis externa often referred to as the swimmer ear, which is a painful ear infection that results due to the presence of excess moisture in the ear canal.

💡 In Summary: Think of earwax as your ear’s built-in security system. It protects, cleans, moisturises, and waterproofs all at the same time, with no effort from you.

What Is Earwax Made Of? The Science Behind Cerumen

Earwax is produced by two types of glands in the outer ear canal working together:

✦ Sebaceous glands: Produce oily sebum that lubricates and moisturises the canal

✦ Ceruminous glands: Modified sweat glands that produce antimicrobial proteins

When the mixture combines with flake off dead cells in the ear canal they create earwax. The entire composition contains long chain fatty acids, cholesterol, squalene, keratin, alcohols and lysozyme. Wet-type earwax has about 50 percent lipids and dry-type earwax has about 20 percent hence the reason why dry earwax is more brittle and flaky.

The slightly acidic composition of earwax is also one of the most significant properties because it renders the ear canal inhospitable to the majority of the bacteria and fungi serving as a natural, chemical defence mechanism.

 

What Colour Should Healthy Earwax Be?

Earwax colour is normally different in one person to another as well as it changes over time. The earwax that is newer is generally lighter whereas old earwax gets blacker due to the accumulation of debris. All the colours that follow are quite natural and healthy:

Colour What It Generally Means Pale yellow/off-white Newer earwax normal Yellow/ orange Normal, healthy earwax Light to dark brown Older earwax gathering debris normal Grey/ tan (flaky) Dry-type earwax normal.

⚠️ When to Be Concerned: Consult a physician in case of green earwax (possibly an infection), black earwax (possibly a severe obstruction), brown with reddish discoloration (possibly damage or a hole in the ear drum). Ear pain, fever or ear discharge should never be evaluated without the medical expertise of a health practitioner.

How Your Ears Clean Themselves The Body’s Natural Conveyor Belt

Another very wonderful way of your ears is that they are completely self-cleaning. This is very clear in the NHS: they will never have to change earwax manually, since the body has a way of doing it on its own.

The skin that covers your ear canal is stretched out towards the ear opening as a long moving conveyor belt by the eardrum. During the migration of the skin, earwax is also carried outwards. Whenever you speak, chew or sneeze, your jaw will move faster, which contributes to pushing the old earwax to the outer ear where it becomes dry and is shed away.

NHS Guidance The NHS states that the ears’ natural self-cleaning mechanism works so effectively that the vast majority of people will never experience a problem with earwax in their lifetime. The best thing you can do for your ears is leave them alone.

Signs of Earwax Build-Up: What to Look Out For

Although ears are very good at cleaning themselves, some people experience earwax build-up, a condition the NHS refers to as earwax impaction or earwax blockage. This is one of the most common ear-related complaints seen by pharmacists and GPs.

Who Is More Likely to Get Earwax Build-Up?

Earwax build-up is more common in people who:

✦ Naturally produce more wax than average

✦ Have narrow or unusually shaped ear canals

✦ Regularly wear hearing aids, earplugs, or in-ear headphones

✦ Are older (earwax becomes harder and drier with age)

✦ Use cotton buds, which push wax deeper into the canal

✦ Work in dusty environments

Symptoms of Blocked Ears From Earwax

If earwax has built up to the point of causing a blockage, you may notice:

✦ A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear

✦ Muffled or reduced hearing

✦ Earache or discomfort

✦ Itching inside the ear canal

✦ Tinnitus a ringing, buzzing, or humming sound in the ear

✦ Dizziness (in some cases)

NHS Tips for Keeping Your Ears Healthy

Keeping your ears healthy is genuinely simple and most of it involves doing less, not more. Here is what the NHS recommends:

✦ Leave your ears alone: They clean themselves; no intervention is usually needed

✦ Clean only the outer ear: Use a soft, damp flannel around the outer part of the ear only; never inside the canal

✦ Dry ears gently after swimming or showering: Tilt your head and let water drain; pat the outer ear dry with a towel

✦ Take breaks from in-ear headphones: They prevent earwax from migrating out naturally

✦ Use well-fitting earplugs when swimming: This prevents water from sitting in the canal

✦ Clean your hearing aids regularly: Earwax can accumulate in hearing aid tubing and cause problems

Why You Should Never Use Cotton Buds or Ear Candles

The NHS strongly advises against putting cotton buds or anything else inside your ear canal. Despite their widespread use, cotton buds do not remove earwax. They do the opposite.

The Problem With Cotton Buds

By putting a cotton bud inside your ear, you press the earwax deeper down towards the ear drum to a compacted plug. In the long run, this forms a blockage which leads to muffled hearing, earache and tinnitus, which people were trying to prevent. The soft tissue that surrounds the ear canal may also be scratched by cotton buds, or the ear drum may be pierced by them resulting in irreversible damage and deafness in more severe situations.

One ear professional interviewed by UT Physicians said that she sees patients with ear problems, frequently in which she needs to remove the cotton tip itself, which was stuck in the ear over years of use.

The Problem With Ear Candles

Ear candles are also not safe and effective. They lack any plausible scientific backing of stripping earwax and have a definite risk of burning the face, ear canal, and ear drum. The NHS in no way recommends ear candles or so does any mainstream medical establishment in the UK.

⚠️ NHS Warning: Never put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear canal. If your ears feel blocked, follow safe NHS guidance below or visit your local pharmacist for advice.

Step-by-Step: How to Use Olive Oil Ear Drops

✦ Warm the olive oil slightly to body temperature by holding the bottle in your hands for a few minutes cold oil in the ear can cause dizziness

✦ Lie on your side with the affected ear facing upward

✦ Using a dropper, place 2 to 3 drops of olive oil into the ear canal

✦ Stay in this position for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the oil to penetrate the wax

✦ Repeat 2 to 3 times a day for up to 5 days

✦ Over 1 to 2 weeks, softened wax should fall out naturally especially overnight when lying down

Important Notes Do not place drops of olive oil or almond oil when you have a punctured eardrum, have undergone ear surgery recently or are allergic to almonds (with almond oil). Do not irrigate your ears at home, the irrigation must be done by a trained person.

See a pharmacist in case your symptoms are not improved in two weeks using oil drops. Never wipe a wax off by hand.

When to Seek Professional Help for Earwax

Most earwax issues resolve with a short course of olive oil drops. However, the NHS advises seeking professional advice in the following situations:

See a Pharmacist If:

✦ Olive oil drops have not improved your symptoms after 5–7 days

✦ You are unsure whether it is safe to use ear drops (e.g., you have had a perforated eardrum)

✦ You would like professional advice on the best course of treatment

See Your GP If:

✦ You have persistent hearing loss that is not improving

✦ You are experiencing ongoing earache or tinnitus

✦ You have a history of ear problems, ear surgery, or a perforated eardrum

Seek Urgent Medical Attention If:

✦ You experience sudden or severe hearing loss

✦ There is discharge, bleeding, or fluid leaking from the ear

✦ You develop a fever alongside ear symptoms

✦ You experience significant dizziness or vertigo

Professional Earwax Removal in Coventry Earlsdon Pharmacy

If olive oil drops have not worked, or if your ears feel severely blocked, professional earwax removal is the safest and most effective solution. At Earlsdon Pharmacy in Coventry, our trained pharmacists provide safe, gentle earwax removal with no GP referral required.

Why Choose Earlsdon Pharmacy for Earwax Removal in Coventry?

✦ GPhC-registered pharmacists with hands-on clinical experience

✦ Quick appointments available no long NHS waiting times

✦ Safe, proven methods used by trained professionals

✦ Located at 19–21 Earlsdon Street, Coventry, CV5 6EP

✦ Open Monday–Friday 8:30am–6:30pm, Saturday 9am–5:30pm

We regularly treat patients across Coventry and the surrounding areas including Canley, Tile Hill, Chapelfields, and Whoberley. If your ears feel blocked, muffled, or uncomfortable do not wait. Book an appointment today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Earwax

What is earwax?

Earwax, medically known as cerumen, is a natural waxy substance produced inside your ear canal by ceruminous and sebaceous glands. It protects your ears from dust, bacteria, fungi, and water. It is completely normal and healthy.

Why do we have earwax?

Earwax protects your ears by trapping dirt and debris, fighting bacteria and fungi with its slightly acidic chemistry, keeping the ear canal moisturised, and repelling water to prevent infection. Without earwax, your ears would be far more prone to infection and irritation.

What colour should healthy earwax be?

Healthy earwax ranges from pale yellow and light brown to dark brown or orange. Dry, flaky, or grey earwax is also completely normal. Green or black earwax may indicate infection and should be assessed by a healthcare professional.

Should I clean my ears with cotton buds?

No. The NHS strongly advises against using cotton buds inside your ears. They push wax deeper, can cause impaction, and risk scratching or even puncturing your eardrum. Your ears are self-cleaning; they do not need cotton buds.

How do I remove earwax safely?

The NHS recommends using olive oil or almond oil drops 2–3 times daily for up to two weeks to soften earwax and help the ear clear naturally. If this does not work, speak to a pharmacist or book a professional earwax removal appointment.

Where can I get earwax removed in Coventry?

Earlsdon Pharmacy in Coventry offers safe, professional earwax removal from our GPhC-registered pharmacists. You can book an appointment online here no GP referral needed.